Cattle entering US feedlots declined sharply again in August, while the total on-feed inventory remained slightly above year-ago levels. Marketings also fell to a record low for the month, according to the latest USDA Cattle on Feed report.
As of September 1, US feedlots with capacity of 1,000 head or more held 11.2 million cattle and calves for the slaughter market, up 1% from the same date in 2025, according to the USDA report.
Placements during August totaled 1.62 million head, down 9% year-on-year and the lowest August total since the series began in 1996. Net placements totaled 1.57 million head.
Marketings of fed cattle reached 1.52 million head in August, down 3% from a year earlier. This was also the lowest August marketing total since the series began in 1996.
Other disappearances — cattle removed from feedlots for reasons other than marketing — totaled 52,000 head, up 2% from August 2025.
