Iowa Cattle on the Feed | Morning Ag Clips

515,000 head of cattle on cattle feed, 6 percent less than last month

PUBLISHED ON July 21, 2024

DES MOINES, Iowa — Cattle and calves on feed for the Iowa slaughter market, the number of slaughter cattle farms with a capacity of 1,000 or more head as of July 1, 2024 was 650,000 head, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on feed report. This was down 2 percent from June, but unchanged from July 1, 2023. Iowa feedlots with capacity of less than 1,000 head had 515,000 head on feed, down 6 percent from last month and down 3 percent from last year. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in all Iowa feedlots totaled 1,165,000 head, down 3 percent from last month and down 1 percent from last year.

Placements of cattle and calves in Iowa feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head in June 2024 totaled 47,000 head, down 36 percent from May and down 22 percent from June 2023. Feedlots with a capacity of less than 1,000 head placed 35,000 head, down 33 percent from May and down 19 percent from June 2023. Placements for all Iowa feedlots totaled 82,000 head, down 34 percent from May and down 20 percent from June 2023.

Marketing of cattle fed from Iowa ranches with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 56,000 head in June 2024, a decrease of 21 percent from May and a decrease of 3 percent from June 2023. Ranches with a capacity of less than 1,000 head marketed 63,000 head, an increase of 13 percent from May and an increase of 24 percent from June 2023. Sales for all Iowa ranches were 119,000 head, a decrease of 6 percent from May but an increase of 9 percent from June 2023. Other disappearances of all feed companies in Iowa total 3,000 units.

Please note: This report is a combination of estimates from the USDA Cattle on Feed survey for Iowa feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more animals and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-funded Cattle on Feed survey for Iowa feedlots with capacity of fewer than 1,000 animals.

Click here to view the full report IA-CoF-07-24

–USDA, NASS