5/30/2012 7:09:39 AM

Nebraska Cattle on Feed Up 4 Percent

Nebraska feedlots with capacities of 1,000 or more head contained 2.46 million cattle on feed on May 1. The inventory was up 4 percent from last year and is the highest May inventory since the data series began in 1994. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 370,000 head, equal to last year. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 420,000 head, up 14 percent from last year. Other disappearance during April totaled 20,000 head, compared to 10,000 head in 2011.

U.S. Cattle on Feed Down 1 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.1 million head on May 1, 2012. The inventory was 1 percent below May 1, 2011. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.52 million, 15 percent below 2011. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.82 million, slightly above 2011. Other disappearance totaled 78,000 during April, 30 percent above 2011.

2012 Wheat Production Forecast

Based on May 1 conditions, Nebraska's 2012 winter wheat crop is forecast at 59.7 million bushels, down 9 percent from last year’s crop and the smallest since 1954 due to fewer acres planted. Average yield is forecast at 47 bushels per acre, up 2 bushels from last year and 6 bushels above the ten-year average. Acreage to be harvested for grain is estimated at 1.27 million acres, down 180,000 acres or 12 percent from last year and the smallest since 1917. This would be 94 percent of

the planted acres, below last year but equal to the ten-year average. The April 29 wheat condition was rated 70 percent good to excellent, above both last year and average. Crop development was about 2 weeks ahead of normal with heads starting to show.

May 1 Hay Stocks

May 1 hay stocks of 1.1 million tons are down 20 percent from last year and 6 percent below the ten-year average.