CHICAGO (Reuters) — American cattle ranchers in March placed 11 percent more cattle into feedlots than a year ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last week, which topped analysts’ forecasts and notched a record high for the month.
In March, packing plants paid feedlots more money for cattle, which enhanced feedlot profits enough for them to buy more calves for fattening.
Ranchers moved animals to feedlots as quickly as possible to take advantage of higher cattle prices.
Cattle driven into feedlots in March may begin arriving at meat packing plants in September, which could mean US$111 to $112 per hundredweight cattle prices then, said Allendale Inc. chief strategist Rich Nelson.
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USDA’s report showed March placements at 2.102 million head. That was up 11 percent from 1.892 million last year and bested the average forecast of 2.015 million. It was the most since USDA began tabulating the data in 1996.
The government put the feedlot cattle supply as of April 1 at 10.904 million head, up from 10.853 million a year ago.
Analysts, on average, forecast a .3 percent decrease.
The government said the number of cattle sold to packers, or marketings, grew 10 percent in March from a year ago to 1.914 million head.
Analysts expected a 9.4 percent rise from 1.911 million last year.
Record-high March placements reflect feedlots’ return to profitability after cattle sold to packers $6 per cwt. higher than in February, Nelson said.
Commodities analyst Don Roose described last month’s larger-than-anticipated cattle placement result as “a perfect storm” of good U.S. beef exports, strong cattle prices and tight supplies in parts of the Plains based on reduced animal weights.
