The January cattle on feed report released last week by the USDA showed U.S. inventories down three percent, Nebraska inventories down one percent, and Colorado inventories down five percent.



In Nebraska feedlots with capacities of 1,000 head or more, 2.37 million cattle on feed were counted on February 1, down 1 percent from last year. January placements totaled 410,000, up three percent from Jan. 2009. Fed cattle marketings were up six percent over Jan. 2009 at 380,000 head. Other disappearance tallied 20,000 head, double the 10,000 head of Jan. 2009.



In Colorado feedlots with capacities of 1,000 head or more, 960,000 cattle on feed were counted on February 1, down 5 percent from last year. January placements totaled 130,000, down 35 percent from Jan. 2009 and up 18 percent from December, 2009. Fed cattle marketings were unchanged from Jan. 2009 at 170,000 head. Other disappearance tallied 10,000 head, unchanged from Jan. 2009.



In U.S. feedlots with capacities of 1,000 head or more, 11 million cattle on feed were counted on February 1, down 3 percent from last year. January placements totaled 1.83 million, down 2 percent from Jan. 2009. Fed cattle marketings were unchanged from Jan. 2009 at 170,000 head. Other disappearance tallied 10,000 head, unchanged from Jan. 2009. During January, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 400,000, 600-699 pounds were 445,000, 700-799 pounds were 560,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 420,000. Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 1.77 million, 2 percent above 2009. This is the third lowest fed cattle marketings for the month of January since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 70,000 during January, 4 percent above 2009.