Cattle on Feed report returns; shows lowest October placements since ’96

USDA released its first Cattle on Feed report since September, following delays caused by the federal government shutdown. The agency reported that cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market at feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 11.7 million head on Nov. 1, a 2% decline from the same time last year.

October placements totaled 2.04 million head, 10% below 2024 and the lowest October figure since USDA began tracking the data in 1996. Net placements were 1.99 million head. Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.70 million head, 8% below last year, while other disappearance was 54,000 head, 2% lower than in 2024.