Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released July 23, 2021, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 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 11.3 million head on July 1, 2021. The inventory was 1 percent below July 1, 2020. The inventory included 6.98 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.32 million head, down 2 percent from 2020. Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.67 million head, 7 percent below 2020. Net placements were 1.61 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 345,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 260,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 375,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 405,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 195,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 90,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 2.02 million head, 3 percent above 2020. Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during June, 8 percent below 2020. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: July 1, 2020 and 2021 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2020 : 2021 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed June 1 .........................: 11,671 11,699 100 Placed on feed during June .............: 1,798 1,670 93 Fed cattle marketed during June ........: 1,969 2,022 103 Other disappearance during June ........: 62 57 92 On feed July 1 .........................: 11,438 11,290 99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: June 1, 2020 and 2021 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2020 : 2021 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed May 1 ..........................: 11,200 11,725 105 Placed on feed during May ..............: 2,052 1,911 93 Fed cattle marketed during May .........: 1,515 1,870 123 Other disappearance during May .........: 66 67 102 On feed June 1 .........................: 11,671 11,699 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: July 1, 2020 and 2021 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2020 : 2021 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed July 1 ...................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,033 6,975 99 62 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,405 4,315 98 38 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : July 1, 2021 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : July 1, 2020 : June 1, 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 273 279 275 101 99 California .......: 545 545 540 99 99 Colorado .........: 1,020 1,080 1,060 104 98 Idaho ............: 280 290 280 100 97 Iowa .............: 630 620 600 95 97 Kansas ...........: 2,390 2,520 2,450 103 97 Minnesota ........: 125 105 100 80 95 Nebraska .........: 2,260 2,440 2,290 101 94 Oklahoma .........: 315 275 275 87 100 South Dakota .....: 185 220 200 108 91 Texas ............: 2,920 2,850 2,770 95 97 Washington .......: 225 200 190 84 95 : Other States .....: 270 275 260 96 95 : United States ....: 11,438 11,699 11,290 99 97 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During June 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2020 : May 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 22 26 22 100 85 California .......: 60 70 62 103 89 Colorado .........: 175 190 130 74 68 Idaho ............: 38 31 36 95 116 Iowa .............: 58 67 44 76 66 Kansas ...........: 425 505 430 101 85 Minnesota ........: 14 11 12 86 109 Nebraska .........: 420 390 415 99 106 Oklahoma .........: 55 57 54 98 95 South Dakota .....: 23 31 20 87 65 Texas ............: 440 470 380 86 81 Washington .......: 26 26 24 92 92 : Other States .....: 42 37 41 98 111 : United States ....: 1,798 1,911 1,670 93 87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During June 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 ......: 45 35 30 35 30 (D) (D) 175 Kansas ........: 60 80 110 115 60 (D) (D) 425 Nebraska ......: 40 55 75 130 120 (D) (D) 420 Texas .........: 185 90 90 55 20 (D) (D) 440 : Other States ..: 100 50 55 78 55 (D) (D) 338 : United States .: 430 310 360 413 (X) 200 85 1,798 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During May 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 45 50 40 (D) (D) 190 Kansas ........: 55 70 150 145 85 (D) (D) 505 Nebraska ......: 30 30 85 130 115 (D) (D) 390 Texas .........: 135 85 120 90 40 (D) (D) 470 : Other States ..: 105 45 70 86 50 (D) (D) 356 : United States .: 355 255 470 501 (X) 235 95 1,911 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During June 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 25 30 20 (D) (D) 130 Kansas ........: 55 70 125 115 65 (D) (D) 430 Nebraska ......: 30 50 85 130 120 (D) (D) 415 Texas .........: 145 70 85 55 25 (D) (D) 380 : Other States ..: 85 45 55 75 55 (D) (D) 315 : United States .: 345 260 375 405 (X) 195 90 1,670 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 June 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2020 : May 2021 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 21 25 132 119 California .......: 53 63 60 113 95 Colorado .........: 160 140 145 91 104 Idaho ............: 37 35 44 119 126 Iowa .............: 66 74 62 94 84 Kansas ...........: 455 445 490 108 110 Minnesota ........: 18 15 16 89 107 Nebraska .........: 555 465 555 100 119 Oklahoma .........: 54 56 53 98 95 South Dakota .....: 32 42 36 113 86 Texas ............: 440 430 450 102 105 Washington .......: 30 25 32 107 128 : Other States .....: 50 59 54 108 92 : United States ....: 1,969 1,870 2,022 103 108 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During June 2021 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2020 : May 2021 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 7 7 7 100 100 Colorado .........: 5 10 5 100 50 Idaho ............: 1 1 2 200 200 Iowa .............: 2 3 2 100 67 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 15 10 67 67 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 6 4 4 67 100 Texas ............: 10 10 10 100 100 Washington .......: 1 1 2 200 200 : Other States .....: 2 3 2 100 67 : United States ....: 62 67 57 92 85 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2020 and 2021 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Jul 1, : Apr 1, : Jul 1, : Jul 1, : Apr 1, : Jul 1, : 2020 : 2021 : 2021 : 2020 : 2021 : 2021 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 268 267 270 5 5 5 California .........: 465 465 455 80 90 85 Colorado ...........: 560 610 595 460 450 465 Idaho ..............: 170 155 155 110 135 125 Iowa ...............: 465 485 470 165 145 130 Kansas .............: 1,280 1,360 1,300 1,110 1,120 1,150 Minnesota ..........: 105 95 85 20 20 15 Nebraska ...........: 1,380 1,590 1,440 880 990 850 Oklahoma ...........: 160 180 155 155 120 120 South Dakota .......: 115 150 125 70 90 75 Texas ..............: 1,750 1,740 1,650 1,170 1,130 1,120 Washington .........: 135 115 105 90 90 85 : Other States .......: 180 195 170 90 105 90 : United States ......: 7,033 7,407 6,975 4,405 4,490 4,315 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.3 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 2,000 head, ranging from 0 to 15,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 2 times and has been below the latest estimate 3 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 2 0 15 3 2 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.4 3 0 15 8 2 : 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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