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US feedlot placements fall 12 per cent to a September series low

US feedlots took in 12 per cent fewer cattle in September than a year earlier, the lowest September placement total in a series beginning in 1996. Sales of finished cattle also fell to a September low. The October 1 inventory was only slightly below a year earlier, at roughly 11.4 million head.

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Three cattle stand beside a concrete feed bunk in a sparsely occupied pen, with more cattle and fenced pens extending across the feedlot.

September placements reach their lowest level since 1996

US feedlots with capacity for at least 1,000 cattle took in 1.78 million head during September, down 12 per cent from a year earlier. Placements were the lowest for any September since the series began in 1996. The US Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the monthly figures on October 23, alongside inventory and marketing totals for large feedlots.[1], [2]

The detailed table puts placements at 1,777,000 head, compared with 2,021,000 in September 2025. Net placements were about 1.73 million. Other disappearance, a separate category of animals leaving the inventory, totalled 49,000 head, down 4 per cent from the previous September. The release gives the inventory at the start and end of the month separately from these movements.[2]

October inventory is slightly below a year earlier

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter numbered 11,372,000 on October 1, compared with 11,418,000 a year earlier. The rounded headline total was 11.4 million. Steers and steer calves accounted for 7.07 million head, or 62 per cent of the inventory, and were slightly above the previous year. Heifers and heifer calves numbered 4.30 million, down 1 per cent.[2]

September arrivals covered a wide range of animal weights. Placements included 360,000 head under 600 pounds, approximately 272 kilograms, and 260,000 in the 600–699 pound band. The 700–799 and 800–899 pound groups accounted for 385,000 and 422,000 head respectively. Another 255,000 weighed 900–999 pounds, while 95,000 weighed at least 1,000 pounds.[2]

Cattle marketed for slaughter also hit a September low

Marketings of fed cattle fell 7 per cent from September 2025 to 1,524,000 head, or roughly 1.52 million in the release’s rounded summary. This was also the lowest September total since 1996. The previous year’s figure was 1,632,000. These sales cover the month of September, whereas the 11,372,000 inventory is a count of animals present on October 1.[2]

References

  1. News sourceDTN/Progressive FarmerUS feedlot placements decline 12% in September↩
  2. News sourceUSDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)USDA reports September feedlot placements down 12%↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5
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