Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.85 million head on April 1, 2017, slightly above April 1, 2016, total of 10.90 million.

Placements in feedlots during March totaled 2.10 million head, 11% higher than the same period in 2016. Placements were the highest for March since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 2.05 million head.

Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.91 million head, which was 10% higher than the same period in 2016.

During March, placements of cattle and calves by weight classes broke out this way:

less than 600 pounds -- 350,000 head

The inventory included 7.23 million steers and steer calves, down 2% from the previous year, and totaling 66% of the total inventory.

Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.67 million head, up 5% from 2016.

Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during March, 10% below 2016.