The number of cattle in Nebraska feedlots has grown 4 percent over the past year to 2.46 million as of May 1.

The Nebraska office of the Agriculture Department's National Agricultural Statistics Service says the current numbers are the largest May inventory since the count began in 1994.

The figures are from feedlots with capacities of greater than 1,000 cattle.

Nationwide, the number of cattle and calves on feed was 11.1 million. That's 1 percent below May 2011.

Placements in Nebraska feedlots during April totaled 370,000 head, equal to last year and again marking the highest April placements since the count began. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 420,000 head, up 14 percent from 2011.