Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released June 19, 2015, 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 slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on June 1, 2015. The inventory was 1 percent above June 1, 2014. Placements in feedlots during May totaled 1.71 million, 10 percent below 2014. Net placements were 1.63 million head. During May, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 355,000, 600-699 pounds were 260,000, 700-799 pounds were 389,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 710,000. Marketings of fed cattle during May totaled 1.71 million, 8 percent below 2014. May marketings are the lowest since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 82,000 during May, 19 percent below 2014. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: June 1, 2014 and 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2014 : 2015 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed May 1 ..........................: 10,554 10,640 101 Placed on feed during May ..............: 1,909 1,714 90 Fed cattle marketed during May .........: 1,865 1,711 92 Other disappearance during May .........: 101 82 81 On feed June 1 .........................: 10,497 10,561 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: May 1, 2014 and 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2014 : 2015 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed April 1 ........................: 10,792 10,797 100 Placed on feed during April ............: 1,623 1,548 95 Fed cattle marketed during April .......: 1,778 1,639 92 Other disappearance during April .......: 83 66 80 On feed May 1 ..........................: 10,554 10,640 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : June 1, 2015 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : June 1, 2014 : May 1, 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 275 240 238 87 99 California .......: 435 450 460 106 102 Colorado .........: 910 900 890 98 99 Idaho ............: 195 235 235 121 100 Iowa .............: 640 660 650 102 98 Kansas ...........: 2,020 2,060 2,020 100 98 Minnesota ........: 122 145 143 117 99 Nebraska .........: 2,380 2,500 2,400 101 96 Oklahoma .........: 265 270 275 104 102 South Dakota .....: 210 240 230 110 96 Texas ............: 2,550 2,410 2,490 98 103 Washington .......: 180 230 230 128 100 : Other States .....: 315 300 300 95 100 : United States ....: 10,497 10,640 10,561 101 99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During May 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : May 2014 : April 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 24 24 25 104 104 California .......: 50 49 54 108 110 Colorado .........: 140 145 140 100 97 Idaho ............: 23 30 30 130 100 Iowa .............: 54 63 65 120 103 Kansas ...........: 435 315 345 79 110 Minnesota ........: 8 11 14 175 127 Nebraska .........: 425 390 390 92 100 Oklahoma .........: 67 34 49 73 144 South Dakota .....: 34 28 29 85 104 Texas ............: 580 385 490 84 127 Washington .......: 37 42 45 122 107 : Other States .....: 32 32 38 119 119 : United States ....: 1,909 1,548 1,714 90 111 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During May :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 35 30 20 20 35 35 50 55 140 140 Kansas ...........: 80 50 75 55 120 90 160 150 435 345 Nebraska .........: 55 45 55 55 95 75 220 215 425 390 Texas ............: 180 140 100 90 160 125 140 135 580 490 : Other States .....: 85 90 40 40 64 64 140 155 329 349 : United States ....: 435 355 290 260 474 389 710 710 1,909 1,714 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 25 25 25 25 35 35 45 60 130 145 Kansas ...........: 60 55 50 50 90 80 125 130 325 315 Nebraska .........: 65 50 65 55 95 85 195 200 420 390 Texas ............: 140 105 70 70 110 95 100 115 420 385 : Other States .....: 90 85 40 40 63 53 135 135 328 313 : United States ....: 380 320 250 240 393 348 600 640 1,623 1,548 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During May 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : May 2014 : April 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 25 24 26 104 108 California .......: 60 40 39 65 98 Colorado .........: 145 120 130 90 108 Idaho ............: 32 24 29 91 121 Iowa .............: 70 72 74 106 103 Kansas ...........: 400 355 375 94 106 Minnesota ........: 22 11 15 68 136 Nebraska .........: 485 405 470 97 116 Oklahoma .........: 55 48 42 76 88 South Dakota .....: 41 21 37 90 176 Texas ............: 450 435 395 88 91 Washington .......: 45 35 44 98 126 : Other States .....: 35 49 35 100 71 : United States ....: 1,865 1,639 1,711 92 104 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During May 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : May 2014 : April 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 5 4 5 100 125 Colorado .........: 25 15 20 80 133 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 4 1 1 25 100 Kansas ...........: 25 10 10 40 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 20 15 20 100 133 Oklahoma .........: 2 1 2 100 200 South Dakota .....: 3 2 2 67 100 Texas ............: 10 10 15 150 150 Washington .......: 2 2 1 50 50 : Other States .....: 2 3 3 150 100 : United States ....: 101 66 82 81 124 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Reliability of Cattle on Feed Estimates 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 each State office. 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 0.6 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 10.6 million head by more than 0.6 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 1.0 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 51,000 head, ranging from 0 to 97,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 18 times and has been below the latest estimate 4 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 ----- : Number on feed ...............: 0.6 1.0 51 0 97 4 18 : Placements ...................: 1.1 1.9 14 0 55 11 11 : Marketings ...................: 0.6 1.0 5 0 30 0 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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@nass.usda.gov. Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ........... (202) 720-3570 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Travis Averill - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ...... (202) 720-3040 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 720-3240 Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Vacant - Sheep and Goats ..................... (202) 720-3570 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: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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