Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released March 23, 2018, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 9 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 11.7 million head on March 1, 2018. The inventory was 9 percent above March 1, 2017. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.82 million head, 7 percent above 2017. Net placements were 1.76 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 325,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 335,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 537,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 420,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 150,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 50,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.68 million head, 2 percent above 2017. Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during February, 2 percent above 2017. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2017 and 2018 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2017 : 2018 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 10,782 11,630 108 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,694 1,817 107 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,648 1,675 102 Other disappearance during February ....: 56 57 102 On feed March 1 ........................: 10,772 11,715 109 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: February 1, 2017 and 2018 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2017 : 2018 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed January 1 ......................: 10,605 11,489 108 Placed on feed during January ..........: 1,981 2,068 104 Fed cattle marketed during January .....: 1,751 1,858 106 Other disappearance during January .....: 53 69 130 On feed February 1 .....................: 10,782 11,630 108 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : March 1, 2018 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : March 1, 2017 :February 1, 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 242 280 285 118 102 California .......: 420 485 490 117 101 Colorado .........: 910 960 950 104 99 Idaho ............: 250 260 255 102 98 Iowa .............: 650 720 730 112 101 Kansas ...........: 2,210 2,320 2,350 106 101 Minnesota ........: 160 170 165 103 97 Nebraska .........: 2,440 2,670 2,690 110 101 Oklahoma .........: 295 320 315 107 98 South Dakota .....: 250 260 270 108 104 Texas ............: 2,440 2,650 2,680 110 101 Washington .......: 185 205 210 114 102 : Other States .....: 320 330 325 102 98 : United States ....: 10,772 11,630 11,715 109 101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2017 : January 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 27 38 30 111 79 California .......: 47 58 59 126 102 Colorado .........: 180 180 165 92 92 Idaho ............: 36 41 34 94 83 Iowa .............: 102 130 118 116 91 Kansas ...........: 380 480 420 111 88 Minnesota ........: 21 25 16 76 64 Nebraska .........: 425 540 440 104 81 Oklahoma .........: 41 47 46 112 98 South Dakota .....: 44 45 46 105 102 Texas ............: 320 400 365 114 91 Washington .......: 34 32 36 106 113 : Other States .....: 37 52 42 114 81 : United States ....: 1,694 2,068 1,817 107 88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2017 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 25 40 50 45 20 (D) (D) 180 Kansas ........: 50 70 120 100 40 (D) (D) 380 Nebraska ......: 40 75 140 115 55 (D) (D) 425 Texas .........: 100 70 85 55 10 (D) (D) 320 : Other States ..: 100 75 95 80 39 (D) (D) 389 : United States .: 315 330 490 395 (X) 124 40 1,694 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During January 2018 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 25 45 50 40 20 (D) (D) 180 Kansas ........: 45 100 180 105 50 (D) (D) 480 Nebraska ......: 35 110 180 140 75 (D) (D) 540 Texas .........: 135 95 105 55 10 (D) (D) 400 : Other States ..: 135 100 110 78 45 (D) (D) 468 : United States .: 375 450 625 418 (X) 115 85 2,068 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2018 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 20 35 40 45 25 (D) (D) 165 Kansas ........: 45 70 155 105 45 (D) (D) 420 Nebraska ......: 30 75 140 125 70 (D) (D) 440 Texas .........: 125 80 90 55 15 (D) (D) 365 : Other States ..: 105 75 112 90 45 (D) (D) 427 : United States .: 325 335 537 420 (X) 150 50 1,817 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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. Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2017 : January 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 27 26 24 89 92 California .......: 49 60 51 104 85 Colorado .........: 165 185 170 103 92 Idaho ............: 35 34 36 103 106 Iowa .............: 89 107 106 119 99 Kansas ...........: 370 435 380 103 87 Minnesota ........: 19 14 20 105 143 Nebraska .........: 420 465 410 98 88 Oklahoma .........: 45 41 50 111 122 South Dakota .....: 33 34 35 106 103 Texas ............: 320 375 320 100 85 Washington .......: 33 34 30 91 88 : Other States .....: 43 48 43 100 90 : United States ....: 1,648 1,858 1,675 102 90 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2017 : January 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 3 3 3 100 100 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 1 2 3 300 150 Iowa .............: 3 3 2 67 67 Kansas ...........: 10 15 10 100 67 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 15 10 67 67 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 1 100 100 Texas ............: 10 15 15 150 100 Washington .......: 1 3 1 100 33 : Other States .....: 4 4 4 100 100 : United States ....: 56 69 57 102 83 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.7 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 ---- : Number on feed ...............: 0.0 0.1 1 0 15 2 1 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 15 2 2 : Marketings ...................: 0.1 0.2 0 0 10 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@nass.usda.gov. Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ......... (202) 720-3570 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 720-3240 Holly Brenize - Sheep and Goats .............. (202) 720-0585 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236 Heidi Gleich - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ........ (202) 720-3040 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 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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