By Kirk MaltaisThe Agriculture Department said U.S. cattle inventories on feed for the month ended Jan. 1 increased versus the previous year, but were slightly below analyst expectations. Total supplies of cattle on feedlots were 11.93 million head, which is 2% higher than this time the prior year, the USDA said in its monthly Cattle on Feed Report. Placements of cattle on feed rose more than forecast by analysts, with USDA reporting 1.7 million head through Jan. 1, which is 4% lower than this time last year. The USDA reported fed cattle marketed for the month ended Jan. 1 totaled 1.725 million head, which is down 1% from last year's total. To see related data, search "USDA Monthly Cattle on Feed Data" in Dow Jones NewsPlus.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 19, 2024 20:46 UTC