Source: AGWEB, 5/28/20


The number of market-ready cattle backlogged in feedyards may not be as large as previous estimates. While any tally of cattle currently waiting on available shackle space is – at best – an estimate, an analysis of 2020 Cattle on Feed and slaughter data from USDA suggests industry estimates of 1 million cattle backlogged may be overstated by as much as 50%. “After a closer analysis of the flow of cattle through feedlots from Cattle on Feed reports, steer and heifer slaughter, and packing plant capacity utilization, I believe the 1 million head backlog figure is too large,” says Sterling Marketing president John Nalivka, Vale, Ore.

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