Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released January 23, 2026, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 3 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 11.5 million head on January 1, 2026. The inventory was 3 percent below January 1, 2025. The inventory included 7.02 million steers and steer calves, down 3 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.44 million head, down 3 percent from 2025. Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.55 million head, 5 percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.50 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 365,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 360,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 355,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 274,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 115,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.77 million head, 2 percent above 2024. Other disappearance totaled 58,000 head during December, 2 percent below 2024. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026 [December preceding year] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed December 1 .....................: 11,982 11,727 98 Placed on feed during December .........: 1,642 1,554 95 Fed cattle marketed during December ....: 1,742 1,773 102 Other disappearance during December ....: 59 58 98 On feed January 1 ......................: 11,823 11,450 97 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1,594 89 Fed cattle marketed during November ....: 1,725 1,520 88 Other disappearance during November ....: 55 53 96 On feed December 1 .....................: 11,982 11,727 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: January 1, 2025 and 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed January 1 ................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,248 7,015 97 61 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,575 4,435 97 39 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : January 1, 2026 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : January 1, 2025 :December 1, 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 233 212 210 90 99 California .......: 520 495 500 96 101 Colorado .........: 1,050 910 890 85 98 Idaho ............: 330 345 345 105 100 Iowa .............: 650 700 680 105 97 Kansas ...........: 2,400 2,440 2,390 100 98 Nebraska .........: 2,580 2,670 2,620 102 98 Oklahoma .........: 360 340 325 90 96 South Dakota .....: 230 255 235 102 92 Texas ............: 2,780 2,610 2,530 91 97 Washington .......: 255 295 270 106 92 : Other States .....: 435 455 455 105 100 : United States ....: 11,823 11,727 11,450 97 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During December 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2024 :November 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 23 16 19 83 119 California .......: 65 58 64 98 110 Colorado .........: 130 105 120 92 114 Idaho ............: 41 46 41 100 89 Iowa .............: 91 94 82 90 87 Kansas ...........: 410 320 380 93 119 Nebraska .........: 460 460 425 92 92 Oklahoma .........: 35 41 28 80 68 South Dakota .....: 38 58 31 82 53 Texas ............: 255 285 280 110 98 Washington .......: 31 39 22 71 56 : Other States .....: 63 72 62 98 86 : United States ....: 1,642 1,594 1,554 95 97 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During December 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 ......: 30 30 30 20 20 (D) (D) 130 Kansas ........: 60 95 120 90 45 (D) (D) 410 Nebraska ......: 55 105 105 100 95 (D) (D) 460 Texas .........: 110 60 50 25 10 (D) (D) 255 : Other States ..: 140 90 70 52 35 (D) (D) 387 : United States .: 395 380 375 287 (X) 115 90 1,642 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 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 54 45 (D) (D) 424 : United States .: 435 375 320 254 (X) 130 80 1,594 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During December 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 ......: 25 30 25 20 20 (D) (D) 120 Kansas ........: 55 85 110 85 45 (D) (D) 380 Nebraska ......: 50 100 95 90 90 (D) (D) 425 Texas .........: 115 65 60 30 10 (D) (D) 280 : Other States ..: 120 80 65 49 35 (D) (D) 349 : United States .: 365 360 355 274 (X) 115 85 1,554 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 December 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2024 :November 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 21 14 20 95 143 California .......: 49 44 56 114 127 Colorado .........: 130 110 130 100 118 Idaho ............: 40 45 40 100 89 Iowa .............: 100 92 100 100 109 Kansas ...........: 420 330 420 100 127 Nebraska .........: 465 420 465 100 111 Oklahoma .........: 39 35 41 105 117 South Dakota .....: 42 37 50 119 135 Texas ............: 345 290 345 100 119 Washington .......: 35 38 46 131 121 : Other States .....: 56 65 60 107 92 : United States ....: 1,742 1,520 1,773 102 117 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During December 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :December 2024 :November 2025 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 6 4 3 50 75 Colorado .........: 10 5 10 100 200 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 1 2 2 200 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 10 10 67 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 2 200 200 South Dakota .....: 1 1 1 100 100 Texas ............: 10 15 15 150 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 2 2 100 100 : United States ....: 59 53 58 98 109 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Jan 1, : Oct 1, : Jan 1, : Jan 1, : Oct 1, : Jan 1, : 2025 : 2025 : 2026 : 2025 : 2025 : 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 218 198 200 15 15 10 California .........: 420 390 400 100 90 100 Colorado ...........: 550 485 475 500 435 415 Idaho ..............: 175 195 185 155 150 160 Iowa ...............: 500 550 530 150 140 150 Kansas .............: 1,410 1,460 1,400 990 950 990 Nebraska ...........: 1,630 1,650 1,660 950 910 960 Oklahoma ...........: 205 180 190 155 140 135 South Dakota .......: 135 115 140 95 85 95 Texas ..............: 1,570 1,400 1,375 1,210 1,170 1,155 Washington .........: 140 145 150 115 135 120 : Other States .......: 295 295 310 140 135 145 : United States ......: 7,248 7,063 7,015 4,575 4,355 4,435 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. Data collected from the remaining 5 States are used to establish the "Other States" estimates. These 5 States include Illinois, Minnesota, 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 11.5 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 20,000 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 ---- : On feed ......................: 0.0 0.1 1 0 20 2 1 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 20 5 4 : Marketings ...................: 0.0 0.1 0 0 2 4 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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, 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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