DES MOINES, Iowa — Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 610,000 head on December 1, 2021, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. This was unchanged from November and unchanged from December 1, 2020. Iowa feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head had 475,000 head on feed, up 1 percent from last month but down 12 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,085,000 head, up slightly from last month but down 6 percent from last year.
Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during November totaled 94,000 head, down 19 percent from October but up 15 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 62,000 head, down 9 percent from October and down 33 percent from last year. Placements for all feedlots in Iowa totaled 156,000 head, down 15 percent from October and down 10 percent from last year.
Marketings of fed cattle from Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head during November totaled 92,000 head, down 12 percent from October but up 2 percent from last year. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 55,000 head, up 8 percent from October and up 10 percent from last year. Marketings for all feedlots in Iowa were 147,000 head, down 5 percent from October but up 5 percent from last year.
Other disappearance from all feedlots in Iowa totaled 4,000 head.
UNITED STATES CATTLE ON FEED
Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on December 1, 2021. The inventory was slightly below December 1, 2020.
Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.97 million head, 4 percent above 2020. Net placements were 1.91 million head. During November, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 565,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 485,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 405,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 296,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 130,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 90,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.87 million head, 5 percent above 2020. Marketings were the highest for November since the series began in 1996. November 2021 included one additional day of slaughter compared to last year.
Other disappearance totaled 61,000 head during November, unchanged from 2020.
— USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service