May's Cattle on Feed Report

Last week's USDA Cattle on Feed Report really held no surprises with larger supplies than a year ago nationally. USDA Shayle Shagam gives a national update from the report

Shagam: "If we look at cattle on feed on June first in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 heads or greater, there were just under 10.8 million cattle on feed which was about 2 percent above a year ago. During May about 1.9 million head of cattle were placed in feedlots, which was about 10 percent above a year earlier. During May just under 1.8 million head of cattle were marketed from feedlots which was about 5 percent above a year earlier. But when we talk about our marketing number — there was one extra slaughter day in May — so when you look at it on a per-day-basis marketings were a little below last year's levels."

In Idaho, the number of cattle on feed was 245,000 head, which 2 percent higher than the previous month, and up 4 percent from a year ago. An estimated 41,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during May, which was 71 percent higher than the previous month's placements.

In Washington, the number of cattle on feed was down from a year ago by 17 percent at 190,000 head which was down 3 percent from the previous month. An estimated 43,000 head were placed on feed up 26 percent from the previous month and 4 percent lower than a year ago.

In Colorado, the number of cattle on feed in feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or greater was down slightly by 1 percent from the previous month but remained the same from the year previous at 890,000 head. An estimated 135,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during May, 7 precent below the previous month's placements.