Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released December 19, 2025, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 2 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 December 1, 2025. The inventory was 2 percent below December 1, 2024. Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.60 million head, 11 percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.54 million head. Placements were the lowest for November since the series began in 1996. During November, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 435,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 375,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 320,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 255,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 130,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 80,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.52 million head, 12 percent below 2024. Marketings were the second lowest for November since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 53,000 head during November, 4 percent below 2024. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: December 1, 2024 and 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2024 : 2025 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed November 1 .....................: 11,966 11,706 98 Placed on feed during November .........: 1,796 1,595 89 Fed cattle marketed during November ....: 1,725 1,521 88 Other disappearance during November ....: 55 53 96 On feed December 1 .....................: 11,982 11,727 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: November 1, 2024 and 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2024 : 2025 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed October 1 ......................: 11,600 11,418 98 Placed on feed during October ..........: 2,266 2,040 90 Fed cattle marketed during October .....: 1,845 1,698 92 Other disappearance during October .....: 55 54 98 On feed November 1 .....................: 11,966 11,706 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : December 1, 2025 : : :-------------------------------------------- State :December 1, 2024 :November 1, 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 232 211 212 91 100 California .......: 510 485 495 97 102 Colorado .........: 1,060 920 910 86 99 Idaho ............: 330 345 345 105 100 Iowa .............: 660 700 700 106 100 Kansas ...........: 2,420 2,460 2,440 101 99 Minnesota ........: 105 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 2,600 2,640 2,670 103 101 Oklahoma .........: 365 335 340 93 101 South Dakota .....: 235 235 255 109 109 Texas ............: 2,880 2,630 2,610 91 99 Washington .......: 260 295 295 113 100 : Other States .....: 325 450 455 140 101 : United States ....: 11,982 11,706 11,727 98 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2024 : October 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 22 16 16 73 100 California .......: 52 62 58 112 94 Colorado .........: 135 135 105 78 78 Idaho ............: 45 53 46 102 87 Iowa .............: 91 96 94 103 98 Kansas ...........: 400 455 320 80 70 Minnesota ........: 15 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 510 560 460 90 82 Oklahoma .........: 44 62 41 93 66 South Dakota .....: 56 69 58 104 84 Texas ............: 345 410 285 83 70 Washington .......: 34 49 39 115 80 : Other States .....: 47 73 73 155 100 : United States ....: 1,796 2,040 1,595 89 78 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During November 2024 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 30 25 20 20 (D) (D) 135 Kansas ........: 60 95 120 80 45 (D) (D) 400 Nebraska ......: 100 120 95 90 105 (D) (D) 510 Texas .........: 140 85 70 35 15 (D) (D) 345 : Other States ..: 155 90 65 51 45 (D) (D) 406 : United States .: 495 420 375 276 (X) 145 85 1,796 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During October 2025 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 25 25 30 25 (D) (D) 135 Kansas ........: 70 95 140 95 55 (D) (D) 455 Nebraska ......: 115 105 95 120 125 (D) (D) 560 Texas .........: 140 95 105 55 15 (D) (D) 410 : Other States ..: 160 100 80 85 55 (D) (D) 480 : United States .: 515 420 445 385 (X) 195 80 2,040 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During November 2025 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 25 20 15 15 (D) (D) 105 Kansas ........: 45 75 90 70 40 (D) (D) 320 Nebraska ......: 95 110 80 80 95 (D) (D) 460 Texas .........: 100 70 65 35 15 (D) (D) 285 : Other States ..: 165 95 65 55 45 (D) (D) 425 : United States .: 435 375 320 255 (X) 130 80 1,595 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2024 : October 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 20 17 14 70 82 California .......: 51 51 44 86 86 Colorado .........: 130 130 110 85 85 Idaho ............: 44 52 45 102 87 Iowa .............: 100 85 92 92 108 Kansas ...........: 380 395 330 87 84 Minnesota ........: 14 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 480 470 420 88 89 Oklahoma .........: 42 46 35 83 76 South Dakota .....: 45 33 37 82 112 Texas ............: 330 335 290 88 87 Washington .......: 43 33 38 88 115 : Other States .....: 46 51 66 143 129 : United States ....: 1,725 1,698 1,521 88 90 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During November 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :November 2024 : October 2025 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 6 6 4 67 67 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 1 1 2 200 200 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 10 10 10 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 2 1 1 50 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 1 100 100 Texas ............: 15 15 15 100 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 1 2 2 200 100 : United States ....: 55 54 53 96 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. 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 11 of the 16 States. In 2025, data collected from the remaining 5 States are used to establish the "Other States" estimates. These 5 States include Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Wyoming and in 2025, Minnesota was added. 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 2,000 head, ranging from 0 to 20,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 1 time and has been below the latest estimate 3 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 ......................: 0.0 0.1 2 0 20 3 1 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 20 5 4 : Marketings ...................: 0.0 0.1 0 0 2 4 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter............................................. (202) 690-8632 Tiffany Byrne - Dairy Products...................................................... (651) 440-7789 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed................................................. (202) 720-3040 Kim DaPra - Milk Production......................................................... (202) 720-3278 Fatema Haque - Poultry Slaughter, Turkey Hatchery, Turkeys Raised................... (202) 720-3244 Derron Martin - Catfish, Census of Aquaculture, Egg Products, Mink, Trout........... (202) 690-3237 Ralph Mondesir - Hogs and Pigs...................................................... (202) 720-3106 Suzanne Richards - Cost of Pollination, Honey, Honey Bee Colonies, Sheep and Goats.. (202) 720-4448 Shulonda Shaw - Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses, Cold Storage................... (202) 720-3240 Autumn Stone - Layers, Eggs......................................................... (202) 690-3676 Takiyah Walker - Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery................................. (202) 720-6147 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. The national 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" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. Economics, Statistics, and Market Information (ESMIS) - National Agricultural Library (NAL) website houses NASS's and other agency archived reports at https://esmis.nal.usda.gov. 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