Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released May 25, 2018, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 5 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 11.6 million head on May 1, 2018. The inventory was 5 percent above May 1, 2017. This is the second highest May 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.70 million head, 8 percent below 2017. Net placements were 1.63 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 320,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 230,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 415,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 445,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 205,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 80,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.80 million head, 6 percent above 2017. Other disappearance totaled 63,000 head during April, 5 percent below 2017. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: May 1, 2017 and 2018 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2017 : 2018 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed April 1 ........................: 10,919 11,729 107 Placed on feed during April ............: 1,848 1,695 92 Fed cattle marketed during April .......: 1,703 1,803 106 Other disappearance during April .......: 66 63 95 On feed May 1 ..........................: 10,998 11,558 105 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2017 and 2018 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2017 : 2018 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 10,772 11,715 109 Placed on feed during March ............: 2,117 1,921 91 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,914 1,840 96 Other disappearance during March .......: 56 67 120 On feed April 1 ........................: 10,919 11,729 107 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : May 1, 2018 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : May 1, 2017 : April 1, 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 243 294 298 123 101 California .......: 425 500 500 118 100 Colorado .........: 960 950 940 98 99 Idaho ............: 275 250 255 93 102 Iowa .............: 680 740 730 107 99 Kansas ...........: 2,280 2,340 2,290 100 98 Minnesota ........: 155 160 155 100 97 Nebraska .........: 2,450 2,690 2,660 109 99 Oklahoma .........: 310 310 310 100 100 South Dakota .....: 255 260 255 100 98 Texas ............: 2,460 2,700 2,630 107 97 Washington .......: 200 210 210 105 100 : Other States .....: 305 325 325 107 100 : United States ....: 10,998 11,729 11,558 105 99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2017 : March 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 27 34 26 96 76 California .......: 65 68 59 91 87 Colorado .........: 155 165 145 94 88 Idaho ............: 40 29 28 70 97 Iowa .............: 95 107 80 84 75 Kansas ...........: 420 405 380 90 94 Minnesota ........: 12 17 12 100 71 Nebraska .........: 395 480 420 106 88 Oklahoma .........: 72 53 60 83 113 South Dakota .....: 34 27 25 74 93 Texas ............: 460 455 385 84 85 Washington .......: 36 29 27 75 93 : Other States .....: 37 52 48 130 92 : United States ....: 1,848 1,921 1,695 92 88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April 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 25 40 40 25 (D) (D) 155 Kansas ........: 50 50 125 130 65 (D) (D) 420 Nebraska ......: 45 45 95 115 95 (D) (D) 395 Texas .........: 115 85 140 95 25 (D) (D) 460 : Other States ..: 113 50 90 115 50 (D) (D) 418 : United States .: 348 255 490 495 (X) 190 70 1,848 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March 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 25 40 50 25 (D) (D) 165 Kansas ........: 40 55 125 125 60 (D) (D) 405 Nebraska ......: 35 75 115 150 105 (D) (D) 480 Texas .........: 115 85 135 95 25 (D) (D) 455 : Other States ..: 100 45 115 111 45 (D) (D) 416 : United States .: 315 285 530 531 (X) 185 75 1,921 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April 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 20 35 40 25 (D) (D) 145 Kansas ........: 40 55 105 110 70 (D) (D) 380 Nebraska ......: 40 45 95 125 115 (D) (D) 420 Texas .........: 115 70 100 75 25 (D) (D) 385 : Other States ..: 100 40 80 95 50 (D) (D) 365 : United States .: 320 230 415 445 (X) 205 80 1,695 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2017 : March 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 22 24 21 95 88 California .......: 53 55 56 106 102 Colorado .........: 125 160 150 120 94 Idaho ............: 24 32 21 88 66 Iowa .............: 82 93 87 106 94 Kansas ...........: 385 400 420 109 105 Minnesota ........: 16 21 16 100 76 Nebraska .........: 390 465 430 110 92 Oklahoma .........: 60 57 59 98 104 South Dakota .....: 27 36 27 100 75 Texas ............: 450 420 445 99 106 Washington .......: 29 28 26 90 93 : Other States .....: 40 49 45 113 92 : United States ....: 1,703 1,840 1,803 106 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2017 and 2018 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2018 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2017 : March 2018 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 2 3 3 150 100 Colorado .........: 10 5 5 50 100 Idaho ............: 1 2 2 200 100 Iowa .............: 3 4 3 100 75 Kansas ...........: 15 15 10 67 67 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 15 20 133 133 Oklahoma .........: 2 1 1 50 100 South Dakota .....: 2 1 3 150 300 Texas ............: 10 15 10 100 67 Washington .......: 2 1 1 50 100 : Other States .....: 2 3 3 150 100 : United States ....: 66 67 63 95 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.6 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. To set-up this free subscription, visit www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the NASS Agricultural Statistics Hotline at (800) 727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at www.ascr.usda.gov/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.