Nebraska Cattle on Feed Up 6 Percent

Nebraska feedlots with capacities of 1,000 or more head contained 2.53 million cattle on feed on April 1, up 6 percent from last year and the highest April inventory since the data series began in 1994. Placements of cattle into feedlots during March totaled 440,000 head, up 13 percent from 2011. Fed cattle marketings for the month of March totaled 460,000 head, up 7 percent from last year. Other disappearance during March totaled 20,000 head, compared with 10,000 head a year ago.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on April 1, 2012, 2 percent above April 1, 2011. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.79 million, 6 percent below 2011. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.92 million, 4 percent below 2011. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 during March, 30 percent above 2011.