By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

With lower beef cow herds coming into this year and rising production costs, along with drought liquidation in 2021 and 2022, cattle slaughter and beef production are projected to decrease in 2023.

The first Cattle on Feed report this year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service showed inventory down 3% from last year.

On Jan. 1, cattle and calves on feed for slaughter in U.S. feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head.

The inventory included 7.03 million steers and steer calves, down 4% from last year. This group accounted for 60% of the total inventory.

Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.65 million head, down 1% from 2022.

Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.8 million head, which was 8% below last year’s numbers. Net placements were 1.75 million head.

The January report showed cattle on feed for slaughter in Texas totaled 2.77 million head.

Texas led all states with the total number of head on feed. Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado and Iowa rounded out the top five states.

View the full report here.