Market News & Headlines >> USDA Report Suggests Feedlots Current on Marketings

Last week’s month USDA Cattle-on-Feed report confirmed that November feedlot placements were larger than a year earlier, but also indicated feedlots should be very current on marketings after strong November sales. The data suggests that fed cattle supplies should be tighter than a year earlier in early 2022.

USDA pegged the Dec. 1 U.S. feedlot inventory at 99.6% of a year earlier, compared with trade estimates that averaged 100.0% in a range from 98.6%-103.1%, according to a Reuters News Service survey of 10 analysts.  In actual numbers, the Dec. 1 feedlot inventory was 11.985 million head, 151,000 head below a year earlier.

USDA put November feedlot placements at 103.6% of a year earlier, versus trade estimates averaging 103.2% in a range from 96.4%-106.7%. In actual numbers, November placements totaled 1.971 million head, up 68,000 head from a year earlier.

November feedlot marketings were pegged by USDA at 105.3% of a year earlier compared with trade estimates that averaged 104.4% in a range from 103.0%-105.0%. In actual numbers, November feedlot marketings totaled 1.873 million head, 94,000 above a year earlier.

The USDA report implied that Dec. 1 supplies of market-ready cattle (on-feed for more than 120 days) were 4.0% below a year earlier.