Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released March 20, 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 11.8 million head on March 1, 2020. The inventory was slightly above March 1, 2019. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.71 million head, 8 percent below 2019. Net placements were 1.65 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 340,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 315,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 470,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 411,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 115,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.78 million head, 5 percent above 2019. Other disappearance totaled 58,000 head during February, 12 percent below 2019. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 11,676 11,928 102 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,858 1,711 92 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,683 1,775 105 Other disappearance during February ....: 66 58 88 On feed March 1 ........................: 11,785 11,806 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: February 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed January 1 ......................: 11,680 11,958 102 Placed on feed during January ..........: 1,967 1,955 99 Fed cattle marketed during January .....: 1,910 1,931 101 Other disappearance during January .....: 61 54 89 On feed February 1 .....................: 11,676 11,928 102 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : March 1, 2020 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : March 1, 2019 :February 1, 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 300 253 256 85 101 California .......: 525 545 545 104 100 Colorado .........: 1,050 1,100 1,050 100 95 Idaho ............: 275 300 295 107 98 Iowa .............: 710 670 670 94 100 Kansas ...........: 2,300 2,400 2,380 103 99 Minnesota ........: 150 135 135 90 100 Nebraska .........: 2,600 2,480 2,500 96 101 Oklahoma .........: 310 325 320 103 98 South Dakota .....: 260 240 240 92 100 Texas ............: 2,770 2,940 2,880 104 98 Washington .......: 225 230 230 102 100 : Other States .....: 310 310 305 98 98 : United States ....: 11,785 11,928 11,806 100 99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2019 : January 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 29 29 26 90 90 California .......: 55 72 64 116 89 Colorado .........: 185 205 165 89 80 Idaho ............: 38 33 32 84 97 Iowa .............: 133 111 108 81 97 Kansas ...........: 425 445 390 92 88 Minnesota ........: 14 17 13 93 76 Nebraska .........: 455 510 450 99 88 Oklahoma .........: 44 43 36 82 84 South Dakota .....: 42 41 36 86 88 Texas ............: 370 370 320 86 86 Washington .......: 26 34 30 115 88 : Other States .....: 42 45 41 98 91 : United States ....: 1,858 1,955 1,711 92 88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2019 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs : 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800-899 lbs : 900+ lbs1/ : 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 35 50 45 25 (D) (D) 185 Kansas ........: 45 75 150 115 40 (D) (D) 425 Nebraska ......: 30 80 145 125 75 (D) (D) 455 Texas .........: 130 75 85 60 20 (D) (D) 370 : Other States ..: 105 80 100 98 40 (D) (D) 423 : United States .: 340 345 530 443 (X) 135 65 1,858 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During January 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 ......: 40 50 55 40 20 (D) (D) 205 Kansas ........: 40 95 160 105 45 (D) (D) 445 Nebraska ......: 40 115 150 140 65 (D) (D) 510 Texas .........: 135 100 75 45 15 (D) (D) 370 : Other States ..: 135 95 95 70 30 (D) (D) 425 : United States .: 390 455 535 400 (X) 105 70 1,955 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 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 ......: 30 30 40 45 20 (D) (D) 165 Kansas ........: 45 70 125 110 40 (D) (D) 390 Nebraska ......: 30 75 140 130 75 (D) (D) 450 Texas .........: 130 70 70 40 10 (D) (D) 320 : Other States ..: 105 70 95 86 30 (D) (D) 386 : United States .: 340 315 470 411 (X) 115 60 1,711 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 February 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2019 : January 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 28 22 116 79 California .......: 51 62 58 114 94 Colorado .........: 170 190 210 124 111 Idaho ............: 35 32 36 103 113 Iowa .............: 109 108 106 97 98 Kansas ...........: 365 455 400 110 88 Minnesota ........: 18 16 12 67 75 Nebraska .........: 415 480 420 101 88 Oklahoma .........: 48 46 40 83 87 South Dakota .....: 34 43 33 97 77 Texas ............: 340 380 365 107 96 Washington .......: 30 38 29 97 76 : Other States .....: 49 53 44 90 83 : United States ....: 1,683 1,931 1,775 105 92 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2019 : January 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 4 5 6 150 120 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 3 1 1 33 100 Iowa .............: 4 3 2 50 67 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 20 10 10 50 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 2 1 100 50 South Dakota .....: 3 3 3 100 100 Texas ............: 10 10 15 150 150 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 3 2 2 67 100 : United States ....: 66 54 58 88 107 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.8 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 ---- : Number on feed ...............: 0.1 0.1 4 0 15 2 8 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 15 5 3 : Marketings ...................: 0.0 0.0 0 0 2 0 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 Heidi Lanouette - 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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