Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.9 million head on April 1, 2014, according to the latest USDA Cattle on Feed report. The inventory was 1 percent below April 1, 2013. The inventory included 7.07 million steers and steer calves, up 2 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 65 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.71 million head, down 6 percent from 2013.
Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.80 million, 5 percent below 2013. Net placements were 1.73 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 425,000, 600-699 pounds were 290,000, 700-799 pounds were 465,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 615,000.
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