CATTLE ON FEED

Agriculture Livestock Grazing

COLORADO

The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Colorado feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or larger was
estimated at 980,000 head as of April 1, 2023. The latest inventory was 10 percent below the April 1, 2022 inventory and 3 percent
below the previous month’s inventory.

The inventory included 545,000 steer and steer calves, 17 percent below the previous year. The number of heifer and heifer calves, at 435,000 head, are down 2 percent from a year ago. Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 190,000 head of fed cattle during March 2023. This was 23 percent above the previous month’s marketings but 3 percent below marketings one year earlier.

An estimated 165,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during March 2023, 18 percent above the previous month’s placements but 8 percent below the March 2022 placements. Of the number placed in March, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 15 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 27 percent weighed 800-899 pounds, and 15 percent weighed 900 pounds or greater. Other disappearance for March 2023, at 5,000 head, was the same as last month and last year.