The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the amount of American cattle in feedlots of a thousand or more to start December totalled 10.7 million head.
For the second straight month, the inventory falls 1 per cent below what it was in 2015.
The service notes placements in feedlots in the month of November were well up on last year though, totalling 1.84 million.
Marketings during the same month increased by a full 17 per cent, topping 1.79 million head.
The department also notes net placements in November were 1.77 million, down 340,000 from October.
