Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released December 18, 2020, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 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 12.0 million head on December 1, 2020. The inventory was slightly above December 1, 2019. Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.91 million head, 9 percent below 2019. Net placements were 1.85 million head. During November, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 520,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 460,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 400,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 306,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 130,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 90,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.78 million head, 2 percent below 2019. Other disappearance totaled 61,000 head during November, 6 percent below 2019. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: December 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed November 1 .....................: 11,816 11,973 101 Placed on feed during November .........: 2,093 1,906 91 Fed cattle marketed during November ....: 1,813 1,782 98 Other disappearance during November ....: 65 61 94 On feed December 1 .....................: 12,031 12,036 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: November 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed October 1 ......................: 11,288 11,717 104 Placed on feed during October ..........: 2,462 2,192 89 Fed cattle marketed during October .....: 1,875 1,873 100 Other disappearance during October .....: 59 63 107 On feed November 1 .....................: 11,816 11,973 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : December 1, 2020 : : :-------------------------------------------- State :December 1, 2019 :November 1, 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 256 258 256 100 99 California .......: 550 555 555 101 100 Colorado .........: 1,100 1,120 1,130 103 101 Idaho ............: 300 280 290 97 104 Iowa .............: 690 620 610 88 98 Kansas ...........: 2,430 2,520 2,500 103 99 Minnesota ........: 140 125 125 89 100 Nebraska .........: 2,480 2,500 2,530 102 101 Oklahoma .........: 325 320 325 100 102 South Dakota .....: 250 225 250 100 111 Texas ............: 2,930 2,910 2,900 99 100 Washington .......: 240 245 255 106 104 : Other States .....: 340 295 310 91 105 : United States ....: 12,031 11,973 12,036 100 101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2019 : October 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 27 27 22 81 81 California .......: 64 66 58 91 88 Colorado .........: 185 175 165 89 94 Idaho ............: 56 53 50 89 94 Iowa .............: 110 105 83 75 79 Kansas ...........: 415 430 415 100 97 Minnesota ........: 25 35 16 64 46 Nebraska .........: 520 560 460 88 82 Oklahoma .........: 58 51 52 90 102 South Dakota .....: 75 84 79 105 94 Texas ............: 465 480 405 87 84 Washington .......: 42 61 45 107 74 : Other States .....: 51 65 56 110 86 : United States ....: 2,093 2,192 1,906 91 87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During November 2019 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 60 40 30 30 25 (D) (D) 185 Kansas ........: 60 105 125 80 45 (D) (D) 415 Nebraska ......: 100 120 100 90 110 (D) (D) 520 Texas .........: 200 120 85 45 15 (D) (D) 465 : Other States ..: 200 115 83 65 45 (D) (D) 508 : United States .: 620 500 423 310 (X) 130 110 2,093 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 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 November 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 ......: 50 35 30 30 20 (D) (D) 165 Kansas ........: 60 100 125 85 45 (D) (D) 415 Nebraska ......: 80 110 90 85 95 (D) (D) 460 Texas .........: 150 115 80 45 15 (D) (D) 405 : Other States ..: 180 100 75 61 45 (D) (D) 461 : United States .: 520 460 400 306 (X) 130 90 1,906 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2019 : October 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 26 25 23 88 92 California .......: 47 49 51 109 104 Colorado .........: 150 160 150 100 94 Idaho ............: 44 41 39 89 95 Iowa .............: 76 92 91 120 99 Kansas ...........: 395 440 425 108 97 Minnesota ........: 14 14 15 107 107 Nebraska .........: 475 460 415 87 90 Oklahoma .........: 57 45 46 81 102 South Dakota .....: 64 48 53 83 110 Texas ............: 390 420 400 103 95 Washington .......: 35 35 34 97 97 : Other States .....: 40 44 40 100 91 : United States ....: 1,813 1,873 1,782 98 95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2019 : October 2020 : 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 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 2 2 1 50 50 Iowa .............: 4 3 2 50 67 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 10 15 100 150 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 1 100 100 Texas ............: 15 20 15 100 75 Washington .......: 2 1 1 50 100 : Other States .....: 1 1 1 100 100 : United States ....: 65 63 61 94 97 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 0.1 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 0.1 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 4,000 head, ranging from 0 to 15,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 8 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 ......................: 0.1 0.1 4 0 15 2 8 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.5 3 0 15 6 3 : Marketings ...................: 0.2 0.4 1 0 15 1 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Holly Brenize - Sheep and Goats .............. (202) 720-0585 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed .......... (202) 720-3040 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Suzanne Richards - Dairy Products ............ (202) 720-4448 Seth Riggins - Hogs and Pigs ................. (202) 720-3106 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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