Washington, DC (Northwestiowanow.com) — KICD Farm Director George Bower reports that Iowa cattle producers continue to buck the nationwide trend of placing fewer animals on feedlots.  The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its December 1st Cattle on Feed report, revealing a tightening inventory and a historic drop in feedlot placements.

According to the latest data, the total number of cattle on feed measuring 11.7 million head, a 2% decline compared to December 1st of last year.

The report highlighted a significant shift in placements for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head. November placements totaled just 1.6 million, marking an 11% drop from 2024 figures. Notably, this represents the lowest placement number for the month of November since the data series began in 1996. Net placements came in at 1.54 million head.

For the second consecutive month, Nebraska has surpassed Texas to hold the highest cattle population in the country. Nebraska reported 2.67 million head, an increase of 3% year-over-year and 1% from the previous month.