By DTN Staff
OMAHA (DTN) -- Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on March 1, 2026. The inventory was slightly below March 1, 2025, USDA NASS reported on Friday.
Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.61 million head, 4% above 2025. Net placements were 1.56 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 305,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 280,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 445,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 396,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 130,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 55,000 head, according to NASS.
Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.52 million head, 7% below 2025. Marketings were the second lowest for February since the series began in 1996, according to NASS.
Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during February, 17% below 2025.
**
DTN subscribers can view the full Cattle on Feed reports in the Livestock Archives folder under the Markets menu. The report is also available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/….
| |
USDA Actual |
Average Estimate* |
Range |
| On Feed March 1 |
100% |
99.2% |
98.5-100.0% |
| Placed in February |
104% |
99.0% |
96.3-105.0% |
| Marketed in February |
93% |
92.3% |
91.8-92.9% |
| * Estimates compiled by Dow Jones. |
(c) Copyright 2026 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.
DTN Headline News
DTN Blogs & Forums
