The number of cattle in the nation's feedlots continued to increase with year over year gains for the fifth straight month. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported the number of cattle and calves on feed totaled 10.002 million head, as of August first. This was three percent above August 2014 and 1.7 percent below the five year average. Nebraska was up three percent, Kansas was up two percent and Texas was down one percent versus a year ago for cattle on feed. Tom Leffler of Leffler Commodities said we're slowly building up those numbers, but ever so slightly. Overall, he said marketings came in close to the trade estimates and placements were two points lower than expected, so the report was slightly positive.
Placements in feedlots during July totaled 1.55 million head, one percent below 2014. Leffler said the trade was looking for 101 percent, so that is a little bit of the friendly side of the report. Net placements were 1.49 million head. Leffler said placements were 14.6 percent lower than the five year average. This was the lowest July placements of the past 20 years and the second lowest monthly placement number for 2015. Nebraska's placements were up four percent, Kansas down one percent and Texas was down 11 percent versus a year ago.
During July, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 365,000 head, down 14.1 percent over last year, the 600-699 pound category totaled 235,000 head, down 9.6 percent, the 700-799 pound category totaled 327,000 head, down 7.6 percent and 800 pounds and greater were 620,000 head. Leffler said the 800 plus pound category was up 19.2 percent. Placements for the 800 plus pound category were larger than the previous year for now 11 of the past 12 months.
Marketings of fed cattle during July totaled 1.73 million head, three percent below 2014. Leffler said this was 9.1 percent below the five year average, the lowest July marketings of the past 20 years and this makes seven straight months of the lowest marketings for those respective months. Kansas marketings were one percent larger than a year ago, Nebraska was down two percent and Texas was down five percent compared to a year ago. Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during July, 11 percent below 2014.
On Friday, USDA also released the monthly cold storage report. The report contained little friendly news with all protein supplies continuing to increase. Leffler said beef supplies was down one percent from last month, but stocks were 32.4 percent larger than year ago. Pork supplies were 3.5 percent lower than last month, but 17.6 percent bigger than year ago.
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