Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released March 20, 2026, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 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 11.5 million head on March 1, 2026. The inventory was slightly below March 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.61 million head, 4 percent above 2025. Net placements were 1.56 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 305,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 280,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 445,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 396,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 130,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 55,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.52 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Marketings were the second lowest for February since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during February, 17 percent below 2025. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 11,716 11,510 98 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,554 1,611 104 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,633 1,522 93 Other disappearance during February ....: 60 50 83 On feed March 1 ........................: 11,577 11,549 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: February 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed January 1 ......................: 11,823 11,450 97 Placed on feed during January ..........: 1,822 1,741 96 Fed cattle marketed during January .....: 1,869 1,626 87 Other disappearance during January .....: 60 55 92 On feed February 1 .....................: 11,716 11,510 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : March 1, 2026 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : March 1, 2025 :February 1, 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 227 220 224 99 102 California .......: 510 510 510 100 100 Colorado .........: 1,010 920 925 92 101 Idaho ............: 335 350 350 104 100 Iowa .............: 670 670 680 101 101 Kansas ...........: 2,320 2,350 2,350 101 100 Nebraska .........: 2,590 2,680 2,670 103 100 Oklahoma .........: 340 330 330 97 100 South Dakota .....: 235 235 245 104 104 Texas ............: 2,640 2,510 2,530 96 101 Washington .......: 260 270 275 106 102 : Other States .....: 440 465 460 105 99 : United States ....: 11,577 11,510 11,549 100 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2025 : January 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 17 27 24 141 89 California .......: 55 63 59 107 94 Colorado .........: 130 140 120 92 86 Idaho ............: 36 44 40 111 91 Iowa .............: 94 100 104 111 104 Kansas ...........: 365 400 405 111 101 Nebraska .........: 440 495 410 93 83 Oklahoma .........: 35 43 39 111 91 South Dakota .....: 35 34 36 103 106 Texas ............: 260 290 280 108 97 Washington .......: 35 37 39 111 105 : Other States .....: 52 68 55 106 81 : United States ....: 1,554 1,741 1,611 104 93 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 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 25 30 30 20 (D) (D) 130 Kansas ........: 40 65 115 100 45 (D) (D) 365 Nebraska ......: 30 65 135 140 70 (D) (D) 440 Texas .........: 100 55 55 40 10 (D) (D) 260 : Other States ..: 100 65 85 74 35 (D) (D) 359 : United States .: 295 275 420 384 (X) 130 50 1,554 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During January 2026 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 35 25 20 (D) (D) 140 Kansas ........: 45 85 135 95 40 (D) (D) 400 Nebraska ......: 40 100 140 145 70 (D) (D) 495 Texas .........: 115 65 60 40 10 (D) (D) 290 : Other States ..: 130 85 85 81 35 (D) (D) 416 : United States .: 360 365 455 386 (X) 105 70 1,741 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2026 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 25 30 25 20 (D) (D) 120 Kansas ........: 45 70 130 110 50 (D) (D) 405 Nebraska ......: 30 60 125 130 65 (D) (D) 410 Texas .........: 105 55 65 45 10 (D) (D) 280 : Other States ..: 105 70 95 86 40 (D) (D) 396 : United States .: 305 280 445 396 (X) 130 55 1,611 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2025 : January 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 20 16 19 95 119 California .......: 58 49 55 95 112 Colorado .........: 140 105 110 79 105 Idaho ............: 35 38 39 111 103 Iowa .............: 93 108 92 99 85 Kansas ...........: 405 430 395 98 92 Nebraska .........: 425 425 410 96 96 Oklahoma .........: 39 37 38 97 103 South Dakota .....: 29 32 24 83 75 Texas ............: 310 295 250 81 85 Washington .......: 29 36 33 114 92 : Other States .....: 50 55 57 114 104 : United States ....: 1,633 1,626 1,522 93 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2025 : January 2026 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 7 4 4 57 100 Colorado .........: 10 5 5 50 100 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 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 2 2 200 100 Texas ............: 10 15 10 100 67 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 3 3 150 100 : United States ....: 60 55 50 83 91 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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 1 0 20 3 1 : Placements ...................: 0.2 0.4 2 0 20 7 2 : Marketings ...................: 0.0 0.1 0 0 2 5 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 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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