Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released November 19, 2021, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down Slightly Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.9 million head on November 1, 2021. The inventory was slightly below November 1, 2020. Placements in feedlots during October totaled 2.25 million head, 2 percent above 2020. Net placements were 2.19 million head. During October, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 575,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 500,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 470,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 425,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 190,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.79 million head, 5 percent below 2020. Other disappearance totaled 59,000 head during October, 6 percent below 2020. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: November 1, 2020 and 2021 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2020 : 2021 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed October 1 ......................: 11,717 11,550 99 Placed on feed during October ..........: 2,192 2,245 102 Fed cattle marketed during October .....: 1,873 1,788 95 Other disappearance during October .....: 63 59 94 On feed November 1 .....................: 11,973 11,948 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: October 1, 2020 and 2021 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2020 : 2021 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed September 1 ....................: 11,394 11,234 99 Placed on feed during September ........: 2,227 2,163 97 Fed cattle marketed during September ...: 1,846 1,789 97 Other disappearance during September ...: 58 58 100 On feed October 1 ......................: 11,717 11,550 99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : November 1, 2021 : : :-------------------------------------------- State :November 1, 2020 : October 1, 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 258 270 273 106 101 California .......: 555 540 545 98 101 Colorado .........: 1,120 1,130 1,150 103 102 Idaho ............: 280 305 310 111 102 Iowa .............: 620 600 610 98 102 Kansas ...........: 2,520 2,530 2,510 100 99 Minnesota ........: 125 90 105 84 117 Nebraska .........: 2,500 2,380 2,560 102 108 Oklahoma .........: 320 295 300 94 102 South Dakota .....: 225 200 230 102 115 Texas ............: 2,910 2,730 2,850 98 104 Washington .......: 245 200 205 84 103 : Other States .....: 295 280 300 102 107 : United States ....: 11,973 11,550 11,948 100 103 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During October 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : October 2020 :September 2021: : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 27 21 24 89 114 California .......: 66 63 52 79 83 Colorado .........: 175 220 185 106 84 Idaho ............: 53 57 50 94 88 Iowa .............: 105 80 116 110 145 Kansas ...........: 430 505 435 101 86 Minnesota ........: 35 19 29 83 153 Nebraska .........: 560 545 625 112 115 Oklahoma .........: 51 68 49 96 72 South Dakota .....: 84 44 74 88 168 Texas ............: 480 450 510 106 113 Washington .......: 61 35 33 54 94 : Other States .....: 65 56 63 97 113 : United States ....: 2,192 2,163 2,245 102 104 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During October 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 30 35 40 35 (D) (D) 175 Kansas ........: 65 90 140 90 45 (D) (D) 430 Nebraska ......: 120 125 90 110 115 (D) (D) 560 Texas .........: 170 125 115 55 15 (D) (D) 480 : Other States ..: 180 125 85 92 65 (D) (D) 547 : United States .: 570 495 465 387 (X) 185 90 2,192 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September 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 ......: 30 25 50 60 55 (D) (D) 220 Kansas ........: 65 100 165 120 55 (D) (D) 505 Nebraska ......: 55 55 100 160 175 (D) (D) 545 Texas .........: 165 130 100 45 10 (D) (D) 450 : Other States ..: 120 50 80 113 80 (D) (D) 443 : United States .: 435 360 495 498 (X) 275 100 2,163 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During October 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 ......: 35 35 35 45 35 (D) (D) 185 Kansas ........: 65 95 135 95 45 (D) (D) 435 Nebraska ......: 145 130 95 130 125 (D) (D) 625 Texas .........: 170 130 125 70 15 (D) (D) 510 : Other States ..: 160 110 80 85 55 (D) (D) 490 : United States .: 575 500 470 425 (X) 190 85 2,245 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 October 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : October 2020 :September 2021: : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 25 19 20 80 105 California .......: 49 45 40 82 89 Colorado .........: 160 165 160 100 97 Idaho ............: 41 41 44 107 107 Iowa .............: 92 67 104 113 155 Kansas ...........: 440 435 445 101 102 Minnesota ........: 14 18 13 93 72 Nebraska .........: 460 435 435 95 100 Oklahoma .........: 45 47 43 96 91 South Dakota .....: 48 43 41 85 95 Texas ............: 420 405 375 89 93 Washington .......: 35 29 27 77 93 : Other States .....: 44 40 41 93 103 : United States ....: 1,873 1,789 1,788 95 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During October 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : October 2020 :September 2021: Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 7 8 7 100 88 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 2 1 1 50 100 Iowa .............: 3 3 2 67 67 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 10 10 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 3 300 300 Texas ............: 20 15 15 75 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 1 1 2 200 200 : United States ....: 63 58 59 94 102 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.9 million head by more than 0.0 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.1 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 1,000 head, ranging from 0 to 15,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 1 time 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 0.1 1 0 15 2 1 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 15 6 3 : Marketings ...................: 0.2 0.4 1 0 15 4 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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