The number of cattle and calves in American feedlots on January 1st was down just slightly from a year ago.
The USDA puts the total inventory at 10 point 6 million head.
The department says the heifer and heifer calf inventory January 1st was the lowest percentage of total inventory since the series began in 1996.
Placements in U-S feedlots in December came to 1 point 53 million head, 1 per cent below the same month the year before.
Marketings came in above placements at 1 point 67 million head, 1 per cent above 2014.
