Over the last decade, a general downtrend in the number of cattle marketed by California Feedlots has occurred. A reduction in the number of slaughter houses and beef packing operations in the state is making it increasingly harder for feedlot facilities to obtain contracts that provide a reasonable amount of finished cattle to these operations to maintain financially feasible returns. In order to maximize profits, many feedlot facilities throughout the state are being utilized or purchased for dairy heifer operations, or converted to dairy facilities.
|
Cattle and Calves Marketed from Feedlots, California, 1983-97 |
|||||
|
Year |
January-March |
April-June |
July-September |
October-December |
Total |
|
Thousands of head |
|||||
|
1983 |
245 |
245 |
257 |
281 |
1,028 |
|
1984 |
263 |
288 |
295 |
285 |
1,131 |
|
1985 |
257 |
257 |
290 |
245 |
1,049 |
|
1986 |
203 |
190 |
220 |
226 |
839 |
|
1987 |
185 |
160 |
200 |
220 |
765 |
|
1988 |
205 |
200 |
210 |
235 |
850 |
|
1989 |
240 |
240 |
200 |
250 |
930 |
|
1990 |
220 |
185 |
190 |
220 |
815 |
|
1991 |
200 |
180 |
180 |
170 |
730 |
|
1992 |
180 |
165 |
140 |
155 |
640 |
|
1993 |
165 |
150 |
135 |
135 |
585 |
|
1994 |
130 |
150 |
145 |
155 |
580 |
|
1995 |
150 |
160 |
150 |
135 |
595 |
|
1996 |
145 |
140 |
135 |
145 |
565 |
|
1997 |
140 |
150 |
140 |
140 |
270 |
