The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the amount of American cattle in feedlots of a thousand or more to start November totalled 10.7 million head.
For the first time all year, that's lower than the same month in 2015 - a decrease of 1 per cent.
The service notes placements in feedlots in the month of October were down 5 per cent on the year at 2.17 million head.
Net placements were at 2.11 million.
Marketings during the same time increased by 5 per cent, hitting 1.71 million for the month.
