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August cattle placements down 1%

Placements of cattle into U.S. feedlots during August were down slightly on the year.

The USDA says those placements were 1% lower than last year at 1.975 million head, with a significant number of those cattle weighing between 700 and 900 pounds, starting to head to market as early as December.

That decrease was despite lower feed costs, worsening pasture conditions, and higher feeder cattle imports from Mexico.

August marketings were down 4% at 1.818 million head, partially because of declining cash prices, while the total number of cattle on feed in the U.S. on September 1^st was 1% higher at 11.198 million head.

The numbers were close to pre-report expectations and look mostly neutral, but that will also depend on beef demand.

Comparisons for Brownfield states:

Iowa: On Feed: 660,000 head up 3% from September 1^st, 2023; Placements: 75,000 head, 3% lower than August of last year; Marketings: 64,000 head, 16% less than a year ago

Kansas: On Feed: 2.28 million head, down 5% from September 1^st, 2023; Placements: 535,000 head, 3% lower than August of last year; Marketings: 455,000 head, 5% less than a year ago

Minnesota: On Feed: 95,000 head, unchanged from September 1^st, 2023; Placements: 10,000 head, 23% lower than August of last year; Marketings: 14,000 head, 17% more than a year ago

Nebraska: On Feed: 2.32 million head, up 2% from September 1^st, 2023; Placements: 495,000 head, 3% lower than August of last year; Marketings: 485,000 head, 5% less than a year ago

South Dakota: On Feed: 185,000 head, up 9% from September 1^st, 2023; Placements: 29,000 head, 17% lower than August of last year; Marketings: 33,000 head, 3% less than a year ago