(WASHINGTON D.C.) — On Friday, USDA released their latest Cattle on Feed report which show on-feed numbers, placements and marketings all down 2-3% this month. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on May 1, 2025. The inventory was 2 percent below May 1, 2024.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.61 million head, 3 percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.56 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 310,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 225,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 370,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 443,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 195,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.83 million head, 3 percent below 2024. Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during April, 11 percent below 2024.
USDA also released the latest Cold Storage report on Friday afternoon which showed total red meat supplies in freezers were up 5 percent from the previous month but down 6 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down 2 percent from the previous month and down 2 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 11 percent from the previous month but down 9 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 9 percent from last month but down 22 percent from last year.
View the Cattle on Feed report here: https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/m326m174z
View the Cold Storage report here: https://usda.library.cornell.edu/concern/publications/pg15bd892
(AUDIO) Kyle Bumsted with Allendale joins Jesse Allen for a full recap of the Cattle on Feed report:
