WASHINGTON – Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market on Sept. 1, 2012 declined 1 percent compared to the comparable year-ago period, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) of the US Department of Agriculture.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head, NASS said.

Placements in feedlots during August dropped 11 percent to 2.00 million compared to August 2011. NASS said this represents the second lowest cattle placement for August since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.94 million head. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 lbs. were 482,000, 600-699 lbs. were 385,000, 700-799 lbs. were 475,000 and 800 lbs. and greater were 660,000.

Marketings of fed cattle for August eased 5 percent to 1.96 million.

Other disappearance totaled 61,000 during August, 15 percent below 2011.