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Weather forcing earlier cattle placements

A livestock economist says the dry weather in cattle country forced more placements again last month.

University of Missouri’s Scott Brown says placements were up 7 percent on the year, well outside the pre-report range.  “A lot of lightweight calves were placed in August,” he says.  “Relative to a year ago the less than 600 pounds category was up about 70,000 head, the 600 to 699 category up about 50,000 head, and the 700 to 799 category up 42,000 head.”

He tells Brownfield cattle are just being placed into feedlots earlier.  “We might see a little better news in the latter part of 2018 in terms of placements,” he says.

Total cattle on feed came in at 105.9, the upper end of the pre-report range.