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USDA: March cattle marketings down 3%

The USDA’s Cattle on Feed report shows the impact of weather on cattle marketings during March.

The department says marketings were down 3% on the year at 1.777 million head, with adverse weather conditions in many of the major feeding areas, including colder than normal temperatures, heavy rain, late-spring snow, and flooding.

Placements were up 5% at 2.014 million head, mostly cattle weighing less than 900 pounds, which will head to market in late summer and fall. By weight, placements of cattle weighing less than 600 pounds were 325,000 head, 600 to 699 pound placements were 300,000 head, and placements of cattle weighing 700 to 799 were 595,000 head, while 800 to 899 pound placements were 539,000 head, the 900 to 999 pound category accounted for 185,000 head, and placements of cattle weighing more than 1,000 pounds were 70,000 head.

The total number of cattle on feed on April 1st was up 2% at 11.964 million head, the highest total for that date since the series of reports started in 1996.

Other disappearances were pegged at 69,000 head, 3% higher.

The numbers were close to most pre-report expectations and look neutral to bearish.

The USDA’s livestock slaughter numbers for March are out April 25th.

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