(NAFB.com) – The USDA’s Cattle on Feed Report showed on-feed numbers, placements, and marketings were all down two-to-three percent this month. U.S. cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on May 1, 2025. April placements in feedlots totaled 1.61 million head, three percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.56 million head. April’s fed cattle marketings totaled 1.83 million head, three percent below 2024. Other disappearances totaled 50,000 head during April, 11 percent below 2024. USDA also released its Cold Storage Report on Friday, which showed total red meat supplies in freezers were up five percent from the previous month but down six percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were down two percent from the previous month and down two percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 11 percent from the prior month.
