USDA Cattle: Aug 1 On Feed 2.3% Below Year Ago, July Placements -8.3%

USDA's monthly on-feed report released Friday showed the number of cattle in U.S. feedyards with a capacity of 1,000 or more head as of Aug. 1 at 2.3% below a year ago, slightly under the average of analysts' estimates.

Placements in July were reported at 91.7% of a year ago, about 2.8 percentage points below the average guess. The range of the guesses for placements was 3.5% to 9.6% under a year ago.  

Marketings for July were reported at 94.7% of the year-ago figure, very... 

Aug 1 Cattle On Feed Projected 1.6% Under Year-Ago

Market analysts and economists participating in the Urner Barry monthly cattle on feed survey predicted on average the Aug. 1 on-feed number at 1.6% below a year ago. On-feed estimates ranged from 98.0% to 99.1% of year-ago levels. 

USDA will release its monthly on-feed report at 3 pm Eastern time Friday.

Placements of young cattle in July were predicted on average at 5.5% below a year ago. The range of guesses was from 3.5% to 9.6% under a year ago.

Marketings, or those shipped out for slaughter...

U.S. Beef Herd Declines for Fifth Straight Year

The semiannual USDA Cattle Inventory report, released Friday afternoon, indicated that all cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1 totaled 95.9 million head, down 2.7% from a year ago.

The average pre-report estimate in the Urner Barry survey was expecting a 2.3% decline to 96.3 million head.

The 2023 calf crop was estimated at a record low of 33.8 million head, down 2% from 2022. Total cows and heifers that have calved were reported at 38.8 million head, down 2% from 2022 and nearly on target with analysts' expectations... 

June 1 Cattle On Feed Projected 3.2% Below Year-Ago

Market analysts and economists participating in the Urner Barry monthly Cattle on Feed survey predicted on average the June 1 on-feed number at 3.2% below a year ago. On feed estimates ranged from 96.4% to 96.9% of year-ago levels. 

USDA will release its monthly on-feed report at 3 pm eastern time Friday.

Placements of young cattle in May were predicted on average at 1.7% above a year ago. If accurate, it would be the first time that placements increased year over year since August 2022. The range of guesses...

USDA Cattle: April 1 On-Feed Data -4.4%  from Year-Ago 

The number of cattle in U.S. feedyards with a capacity of 1,000 or more head as of April 1 was down 4.4% from a year ago, according to USDA's monthly on-feed report released Friday afternoon.

The report showed the on-feed number about 0.8 percentage point above the average guess of analysts participating in the Urner Barry survey, which was 94.8%. 

Placements in March were reported at 99.4% of a year ago, compared with the average guess of 95.2%. The range of the guesses for placements was 1%...

April 1 Cattle on Feed Projected -5.2% on Year; March Placements -4.8%

-- March placements expected on avg 4.8% below year ago; guesses range 1% to 8.5% smaller

-- March marketings seen 1.1% below last year; month had same number of weekdays vs 2022

The average guess for the number of cattle in the nation’s feedyards as of April 1 in Urner Barry’s survey was 5.2% below a year ago.

The monthly on-feed report is scheduled for release at 3 p.m. eastern time Friday.

Placements of young cattle into the feedyards in March were...