HDR1012000130010322961500CATTLE ON FEED                                         
Released March 22, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS),
Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture.  For information 
on "Cattle on Feed" call Dean Groskurth at (202) 720-3040, office hours         
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.  For assistance with general agricultural statistics,
information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information  
Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV.                        
                                                                                
                        U.S. Cattle on Feed                                     
                                                                                
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots
with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 9.70 million head on March 1, 1996. 
                                                                                
Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.71 million.  Net placements    
were 1.64 million.   During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing  
less than 600 pounds were 229,000, 600-699 pounds were 566,000, 700-799 pounds  
were 629,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 289,000.                          
                                                                                
Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.85 million.                  
                                                                                
Other disappearance totaled 72,000 during February.                             
                                                                                
                                                                                
     Cattle on Feed in Historic 7 Monthly States Down 1 Percent                 
                                                                                
Cattle on feed March 1, 1996, in the historic 7 monthly States for feedlots with
capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 8.15 million, down 1 percent from the    
previous year but 2 percent above March 1, 1994.                                
                                                                                
Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.44 million, 6 percent below    
1995 but 15 percent above 1994.                                                 
                                                                                
Marketings during February totaled 1.54 million, up 12 percent from a year ago  
and 14 percent above 1994.                                                      
                                                                                
Other disappearance during February was 52,000 head, the same as last year but  
9 percent below 1994.                                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
Mt An 2-1 (3-96)                                                                
                                                                                
          Cattle on Feed:  Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and          
                 Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,                 
                           7 States, March 1, 1994-96                           
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   :          Number          :  1996 as % of   
                Item               :--------------------------------------------
                                   :  1994  :  1995  :  1996  :  1994  :  1995  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   : ------ 1,000 Head -----        Percent     
                                   :                                            
On Feed Feb 1/                     : 8,139    8,119    8,304     102      102   
Placed on Feed During Feb          : 1,256    1,532    1,441     115       94   
Fed Cattle Marketed During Feb     : 1,357    1,372    1,541     114      112   
Other Disappearance During Feb 2/  :    57       52       52      91      100   
On Feed Mar 1 1/                   : 7,981    8,227    8,152     102       99   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
          Cattle on Feed:  Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and          
                 Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,                 
                          7 States, February 1, 1994-96                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   :          Number          :  1996 as % of   
                Item               :--------------------------------------------
                                   :  1994  :  1995  :  1996  :  1994  :  1995  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   : ------ 1,000 Head ------       Percent     
                                   :                                            
On Feed Jan 1 1/                   : 8,256    8,031     8,667    105      108   
Placed on Feed During Jan          : 1,416    1,631    *1,372     97       84   
Fed Cattle Marketed During Jan     : 1,481    1,484    *1,686    114      114   
Other Disappearance During Jan 2/  :    52       59        49     94       83   
On Feed Feb 1 1/                   : 8,139    8,119     8,304    102      102   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a      
    ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass 
    that will grade select or better.                                           
2/  Includes death losses, movement from feedlots to pastures and shipments to  
    other feedlots for further feeding.                                         
                                                                                
           Cattle on Feed:  Number on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,           
                by Month, State, and United States 1995-96 1/ 2/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :              :              :               Mar 1, 1996                
       :              :              :------------------------------------------
 State : Mar 1, 1995  : Feb 1, 1996  :              :   as % of   :   as % of   
       :              :              :    Number    :    1995     :  Prev. Mo.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :    ------------ 1,000 Head -----------           ---- Percent ----     
       :                                                                        
AZ     :      196             204           202           103            99     
CA     :      380             340           320            84            94     
CO     :      961           1,000           990           103            99     
ID     :                      235           220                          94     
IA     :      400            *370           370            93           100     
KS     :    2,100          *2,060         2,020            96            98     
NE     :    1,830           1,870         1,880           103           101     
NM     :                      120           116                          97     
OK     :                      400           390                          98     
SD     :                      180           177                          98     
TX     :    2,360           2,460         2,370           100            96     
WA     :                      151           141                          93     
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:                      510           500                          98     
       :                                                                        
US     :                    9,900         9,696                          98     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a      
ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass that
will grade select or better.                                                    
2/  Missing data not available.                                                 
                                                                                
        Cattle on Feed:  Number Placed on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,       
                  by Month, State, and United States 1995-96 1/                 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :              :              :             During Feb 1996              
       :    During    :    During    :------------------------------------------
 State :   Feb 1995   :   Jan 1996   :              :   as % of   :   as % of   
       :              :              :    Number    :    1995     :  Prev. Mo.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :     ----------- 1,000 Head -----------           ---- Percent ----     
       :                                                                        
AZ     :      22               15            27           123           180     
CA     :      45               50            40            89            80     
CO     :     239              180           215            90           119     
ID     :                       28            39                         139     
IA     :      62              *50            54            87           108     
KS     :     385              400           360            94            90     
NE     :     350              360           370           106           103     
NM     :                       10            15                         150     
OK     :                       70            73                         104     
SD     :                       25            33                         132     
TX     :     429              317           375            87           118     
WA     :                       29            32                         110     
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:                       75            80                         107     
       :                                                                        
US     :                   *1,609         1,713                         106     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Missing data not available.                                                 
                                                                                
     Cattle on Feed:  Number Placed on Feed by Weight Group, 1,000+ Capacity    
               Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States, 1996               
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                               During Feb                               
 State :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :   Less 600   :   600-699    :   700-799    :  800 Plus   :    Total    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                               1,000 Head                               
       :                                                                        
CO     :      10             38            105             62            215    
KS     :      32            134            143             51            360    
NE     :      32            106            145             87            370    
TX     :      60            180            116             19            375    
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:      95            108            120             70            393    
       :                                                                        
US     :     229            566            629            289          1,713    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                
                                                                                
     Cattle on Feed:  Number Placed on Feed by Weight Group, 1,000+ Capacity    
              Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States, 1996 1/             
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                               During Jan                               
 State :------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :   Less 600   :   600-699    :   700-799    :  800 Plus   :    Total    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :                               1,000 Head                               
       :                                                                        
CO     :      15              50            75             40            180    
KS     :      55             162           129             54            400    
NE     :      32             120           127             81            360    
TX     :      79             143            82             13            317    
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:      87            *100           105             60           *352    
       :                                                                        
US     :     268            *575           518            248         *1,609    
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
                                                                                
           Cattle on Feed:  Number Marketed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,          
                   by Month, State, and United States 1995-96                   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :              :              :             During Feb 1996              
       :    During    :    During    :------------------------------------------
 State :   Feb 1995   :   Jan 1996   :              :   as % of   :   as % of   
       :              :              :    Number    :    1995     :  Prev. Mo.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :     ----------- 1,000 Head -----------           ---- Percent ----     
       :                                                                        
AZ     :      26               32            28           108            88     
CA     :      50               50            50           100           100     
CO     :     221              225           220           100            98     
ID     :                       51            53                         104     
IA     :      56              *54            53            95            98     
KS     :     325             *490           385           118            79     
NE     :     295              380           350           119            92     
NM     :                       24            18                          75     
OK     :                       80            81                         101     
SD     :                       31            34                         110     
TX     :     399              455           455           114           100     
WA     :                       38            38                         100     
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:                       80            80                         100     
       :                                                                        
US     :                   *1,990         1,845                          93     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*   Revised.                                                                    
1/  Missing data not available.                                                 
                                                                                
                                                                                
         Cattle on Feed:  Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots,        
                by Month, State, and United States 1995-96 1/ 2/                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :              :              :             During Feb 1996              
       :    During    :    During    :------------------------------------------
 State :   Feb 1995   :   Jan 1996   :              :   as % of   :   as % of   
       :              :              :    Number    :    1995     :  Prev. Mo.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       :      ---------- 1,000 Head ----------            ---- Percent ----     
       :                                                                        
AZ     :       1              1              1            100           100     
CA     :      10             10             10            100           100     
CO     :       5              5              5            100           100     
ID     :                      2              1                           50     
IA     :       1              1              1            100           100     
KS     :      10             10             15            150           150     
NE     :      15             10             10             67           100     
NM     :                      2              1                           50     
OK     :                      2              2                          100     
SD     :                      4              2                           50     
TX     :      10             12             10            100            83     
WA     :                      1              4                          400     
       :                                                                        
Oth Sts:                      5             10                          200     
       :                                                                        
US     :                     65             72                          111     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/  Includes death losses, movement from feedlots to pastures, and shipments to 
other feedlots for further feeding.                                             
2/  Missing data not available.                                                 
                                                                                
The next "Cattle on Feed" report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on April 19,     
1996.                                                                           
                                                                                
                                                                                
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