Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released January 21, 2022, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on January 1, 2022. The inventory was 1 percent above January 1, 2021. This is the second highest January 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.36 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.68 million head, up 2 percent from 2021. Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.96 million head, 6 percent above 2020. Placements were the highest for December since the series began in 1996. Net placements were 1.91 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 510,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 470,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 450,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 333,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 105,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 95,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.86 million head, slightly above 2020. Marketings were the second highest for December since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 54,000 head during December, 10 percent below 2020. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: January 1, 2021 and 2022 [December preceding year] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2021 : 2022 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed December 1 .....................: 12,036 11,985 100 Placed on feed during December .........: 1,844 1,963 106 Fed cattle marketed during December ....: 1,853 1,857 100 Other disappearance during December ....: 60 54 90 On feed January 1 ......................: 11,967 12,037 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: December 1, 2020 and 2021 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2020 : 2021 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed November 1 .....................: 11,973 11,948 100 Placed on feed during November .........: 1,903 1,971 104 Fed cattle marketed during November ....: 1,779 1,873 105 Other disappearance during November ....: 61 61 100 On feed December 1 .....................: 12,036 11,985 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: January 1, 2021 and 2022 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2021 : 2022 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed January 1 ................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,402 7,362 99 61 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,565 4,675 102 39 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2021 and 2022 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : January 1, 2022 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : January 1, 2021 :December 1, 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 262 270 272 104 101 California .......: 555 550 555 100 101 Colorado .........: 1,110 1,140 1,130 102 99 Idaho ............: 285 310 310 109 100 Iowa .............: 610 610 600 98 98 Kansas ...........: 2,500 2,480 2,490 100 100 Minnesota ........: 115 105 100 87 95 Nebraska .........: 2,550 2,580 2,600 102 101 Oklahoma .........: 325 300 310 95 103 South Dakota .....: 245 235 230 94 98 Texas ............: 2,870 2,880 2,920 102 101 Washington .......: 235 210 210 89 100 : Other States .....: 305 315 310 102 98 : United States ....: 11,967 11,985 12,037 101 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During December 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2020 :November 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 32 27 30 94 111 California .......: 65 61 67 103 110 Colorado .........: 155 160 165 106 103 Idaho ............: 41 44 41 100 93 Iowa .............: 93 94 87 94 93 Kansas ...........: 440 435 450 102 103 Minnesota ........: 9 16 11 122 69 Nebraska .........: 480 490 505 105 103 Oklahoma .........: 43 44 46 107 105 South Dakota .....: 40 62 43 108 69 Texas ............: 380 445 445 117 100 Washington .......: 25 32 30 120 94 : Other States .....: 41 61 43 105 70 : United States ....: 1,844 1,971 1,963 106 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During December 2020 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs : 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800-899 lbs : 900+ lbs 1/ : 900-999 lbs : 1,000+ lbs : Total --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head : Colorado ......: 35 40 35 25 20 (D) (D) 155 Kansas ........: 60 100 140 90 50 (D) (D) 440 Nebraska ......: 50 110 115 110 95 (D) (D) 480 Texas .........: 170 95 65 40 10 (D) (D) 380 : Other States ..: 145 90 70 54 30 (D) (D) 389 : United States .: 460 435 425 319 (X) 110 95 1,844 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During November 2021 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs : 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800-899 lbs : 900+ lbs 1/ : 900-999 lbs : 1,000+ lbs : Total --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head : Colorado ......: 50 35 30 25 20 (D) (D) 160 Kansas ........: 70 110 125 85 45 (D) (D) 435 Nebraska ......: 95 120 95 85 95 (D) (D) 490 Texas .........: 180 120 85 45 15 (D) (D) 445 : Other States ..: 170 100 70 56 45 (D) (D) 441 : United States .: 565 485 405 296 (X) 130 90 1,971 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During December 2021 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs : 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800-899 lbs : 900+ lbs 1/ : 900-999 lbs : 1,000+ lbs : Total --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head 1,000 head : Colorado ......: 40 40 35 30 20 (D) (D) 165 Kansas ........: 65 105 145 90 45 (D) (D) 450 Nebraska ......: 55 125 120 110 95 (D) (D) 505 Texas .........: 200 110 80 45 10 (D) (D) 445 : Other States ..: 150 90 70 58 30 (D) (D) 398 : United States .: 510 470 450 333 (X) 105 95 1,963 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 1/ The 900 pounds and greater weight group is the sum of 900-999 pounds and 1,000 pounds and greater weight groups. Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During December 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2020 :November 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 25 29 27 108 93 California .......: 61 49 57 93 116 Colorado .........: 170 165 170 100 103 Idaho ............: 45 43 40 89 93 Iowa .............: 91 92 94 103 102 Kansas ...........: 425 455 430 101 95 Minnesota ........: 18 15 15 83 100 Nebraska .........: 450 455 475 106 104 Oklahoma .........: 42 43 34 81 79 South Dakota .....: 43 56 45 105 80 Texas ............: 395 400 395 100 99 Washington .......: 44 26 29 66 112 : Other States .....: 44 45 46 105 102 : United States ....: 1,853 1,873 1,857 100 99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During December 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2020 :November 2021 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 4 7 5 125 71 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 2 2 3 150 150 Kansas ...........: 15 10 10 67 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 15 10 100 67 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 2 200 200 South Dakota .....: 2 1 3 150 300 Texas ............: 15 15 10 67 67 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 1 2 100 200 : United States ....: 60 61 54 90 89 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2021 and 2022 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Jan 1, : Oct 1, : Jan 1, : Jan 1, : Oct 1, : Jan 1, : 2021 : 2021 : 2022 : 2021 : 2021 : 2022 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 257 265 267 5 5 5 California .........: 470 460 470 85 80 85 Colorado ...........: 630 640 635 480 490 495 Idaho ..............: 150 165 160 135 140 150 Iowa ...............: 445 460 450 165 140 150 Kansas .............: 1,340 1,380 1,340 1,160 1,150 1,150 Minnesota ..........: 95 75 85 20 15 15 Nebraska ...........: 1,590 1,400 1,590 960 980 1,010 Oklahoma ...........: 190 160 165 135 135 145 South Dakota .......: 140 120 135 105 80 95 Texas ..............: 1,770 1,660 1,760 1,100 1,070 1,160 Washington .........: 130 100 110 105 100 100 : Other States .......: 195 180 195 110 100 115 : United States ......: 7,402 7,065 7,362 4,565 4,485 4,675 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Terms and Definitions of Cattle on Feed Estimates Cattle on feed are steers and heifers being fed a ration of grain, silage, hay and/or protein supplement for slaughter market that are expected to produce a carcass that will grade select or better. It excludes cattle being "backgrounded only" for later sale as feeders or later placement in another feedlot. Placements are steers and heifers put into a feedlot, fed a ration which will produce a carcass that will grade select or better, and are intended for the slaughter market. Marketings are steers and heifers shipped out of feedlots to a slaughter market. Other disappearance includes death loss, movement from feedlots to pasture, and shipments to other feedlots for further feeding. Statistical Methodology Survey Procedures: During January and July all known feedlots in the United States with capacity of 1,000 or more head are surveyed to provide data for cattle on feed estimates. During the other months, all known feedlots from 16 States are surveyed. The 16 States account for approximately 98 percent of the cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head. Individual State estimates are published monthly for 12 of the 16 States. Data collected from the remaining 4 States are used to establish the "Other States" estimates. These 4 States include Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wyoming. The "Other States" category represents all cattle on feed with a capacity of 1,000 or more head for the rest of the United States. Estimating Procedures: These cattle on feed estimates were prepared by the Agricultural Statistics Board after reviewing recommendations and analysis submitted by Regional Field Offices. Regional and State survey data were reviewed for reasonableness with each other and with estimates from the previous month when establishing the current estimates. Revision Policy: Revisions to previous estimates are made to improve month to month relationships. Estimates for the previous month are subject to revision in all States each month when current estimates are made. In February, all monthly estimates for the previous year, and the number of feedlots and annual marketings from two years ago are reviewed and subject to revisions. The reviews are primarily based on slaughter data, state check-off or brand data, and any other data that may have been received after the original estimate was made. Estimates will also be reviewed after data from the Census of Agriculture are available. No revisions will be made after that date and estimates become final. Reliability: Since all 1,000+ capacity cattle on feed operators in every State are not included in the monthly survey, survey estimates are subject to sampling variability. Survey results are also subject to non-sampling errors such as omissions, duplications, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing the data. The effects of these errors cannot be measured directly. They are minimized through rigid quality controls in the data collection process and through a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. To assist users in evaluating the reliability of estimates in this report, the "Root Mean Square Error" is shown for selected items in the table on the following page. The "Root Mean Square Error" is a statistical measure based on past performance and is computed using the differences between first and latest estimates. The "Root Mean Square Error" for cattle on feed inventory estimates over the past 24 months is 0.0 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 12.0 million head by more than 0.0 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.0 percent. The table on the following page shows a 24 month record of the range of differences between first and latest estimates for selected items. Using estimates of number on feed as an example, changes between the first estimate and the latest estimate during the past 24 months have averaged 0 head, ranging from 0 to 5,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 0 times and has been below the latest estimate 2 times. This does not imply that the initial estimate is likely to understate or overstate final inventory. Reliability of Monthly Cattle on Feed Estimates [Based on data for the past 24 months] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Root mean : 90 percent : Difference between first and latest estimate : square error : confidence : : : : : : : level :------------------------------------------------------------- Item : : : : : : Months : : : : : :------------------------------- : : : Average :Smallest : Largest : Below latest : Above latest -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : percent percent ------- 1,000 ------- ----- number ---- : On feed ......................: 0.0 0.0 0 0 5 2 0 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.3 2 0 15 7 2 : Marketings ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 15 5 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to nass@usda.gov. Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ......... (202) 692-0069 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 690-8632 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed .......... (202) 720-3040 Anthony Fischer - Hogs and Pigs .............. (202) 720-3106 Logan Hartley-Sanguinett - Sheep and Goats ... (202) 690-3236 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Suzanne Richards - Dairy Products ............ (202) 720-4448 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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