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 July 1, 2006. The inventory was 5 percent above July 1, 2005 and 7 percent above July 1, 2004.

This is the second highest July 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.09 million steers and steer calves, up 4 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, up 5 percent from 2005.

Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.95 million, 10 percent above 2005 and 18 percent above 2004. This is the second highest placements for the month of June since the series began in 1996.

Net placements were 1.89 million. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 565,000, 600-699 pounds were 430,000, 700-799 pounds were 456,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 500,000.

Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 2.20 million, 6 percent above 2005 and up 6 percent from 2004. This is the second highest fed cattle marketings for the month of June since the series began in 1996.  

Other disappearance totaled 63,000 during June, unchanged from 2005 but 10 percent below 2004. 

U.S. all cattle on feed up 4 percent

Cattle on feed July 1, 2006, from all feedlots in the United States, totaled 12.5 million, up 4 percent from the 12.0 million on July 1, 2005 and up 6 percent from July 1, 2004. Cattle on feed in feedlots with 1,000 or more head accounted for 87 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2006, unchanged from July 1, 2005.