By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on July 1, 2026. The inventory was 2% above July 1, 2025, USDA NASS reported on Friday.

The inventory included 7.12 million steers and steer calves, up 3% from the previous year. This group accounted for 63% of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.25 million head, up slightly from 2025, USDA said.

Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.40 million head, 3% below 2025. Net placements were 1.35 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 325,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 225,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 300,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 309,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 160,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 80,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 1.66 million head, 3% below 2025. Marketings were the lowest for June since the series began in 1996, USDA said.

Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during June, 6% below 2025.

JULY 1 CATTLE INVENTORY UP SLIGHTLY

All cattle and calves in the United States on July 1, 2026, totaled 94.2 million head, slightly above the 94.0 million head on July 1, 2025, USDA NASS reported on Friday.

All cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.1 million head, unchanged from the 38.1 million head on July 1, 2025. Beef cows, at 28.5 million head, are down 1% from a year ago. Milk cows, at 9.65 million head, are up 2% from previous year.

All heifers 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2026, totaled 14.7 million head, 1% above the 14.6 million head on July 1, 2025. Beef replacement heifers, at 3.80 million head, are up 3% from a year ago. Milk replacement heifers, at 3.60 million head, are up 3% from previous year. Other heifers, at 7.30 million head, are 1% below a year earlier.

Steers 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2026, totaled 13.9 million head, up 1% from July 1, 2025.

Bulls 500 pounds and over on July 1, 2026, totaled 1.90 million head, unchanged from previous year.

Calves under 500 pounds on July 1, 2026, totaled 25.6 million head, unchanged from a year earlier.

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 13.2 million head on July 1, 2026, up 2% from previous year. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 86.1% of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2026, up 1% from previous year. The total of calves under 500 pounds and other heifers and steers over 500 pounds (outside of feedlots), at 33.6 million head, is down 1% from the 33.8 million head on July 1, 2025.

CALF CROP DOWN 2%

The 2026 calf crop in the United States is expected to be 32.5 million head, down 2% from last year. Calves born during the first half of 2026 are estimated at 23.9 million head, down 2% from the first half of 2025.

An additional 8.60 million calves are expected to be born during the second half of 2026.

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DTN subscribers can view the full Cattle inventory and Cattle on Feed reports in the Livestock Archives folder under the Markets menu. The report is also available at https://www.nass.usda.gov/….

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