WASHINGTON – Cattle on feed declined 1 percent on March 1, the US Department of Agriculture said in its Cattle on Feed report. Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.7 million head.

For February, cattle placements in feedlots dropped 8 percent compared to a year ago, USDA noted. Net placements totaled 1.46 million head. For the month, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 lbs. were 330,000; 600-699 lbs. were 270,000; 700-799 lbs. were 388,000; and 800 lbs. and greater were 535,000.


Cattle slaughtered during February totaled 1.52 million, 2 percent below 2014 levels. Cattle slaughtered for the month are the lowest since the series began in 1996, USDA noted. Other disappearance during February totaled 62,000, a 13 percent decline compared to February 2014.