Fewer cattle being fattened for slaughter

The number of feedlot cattle in the country, at 9.8 million head, is down 1 percent from last Sept 1, said USDA’s Cattle on Feed report. The monthly report says 1.72 million head were put on feed during August, the lowest number for the month since 1996, Marketings during the month also were the lowest since 1996.

“The five-year low for cattle on feed continues this month,” said Feedstuffs in a story about the report. It said the number of heifers sent to slaughter during August was down 12 percent from August 2013, a sign that ranchers were holding on to breeding cattle to rebuild herd size. “However, the overall inventory of heifers in the United States will still clock in lower than previous years,” said Feedstuffs.

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