Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released May 22, 2026, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 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 11.6 million head on May 1, 2026. The inventory was 2 percent above May 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.70 million head, 6 percent above 2025. Net placements were 1.65 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 330,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 245,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 390,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 457,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 210,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.64 million head, 10 percent below 2025. Other disappearance totaled 52,000 head during April, 4 percent above 2025. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: May 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed April 1 ........................: 11,638 11,576 99 Placed on feed during April ............: 1,613 1,702 106 Fed cattle marketed during April .......: 1,825 1,642 90 Other disappearance during April .......: 50 52 104 On feed May 1 ..........................: 11,376 11,584 102 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 11,577 11,549 100 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,843 1,711 93 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,727 1,634 95 Other disappearance during March .......: 55 50 91 On feed April 1 ........................: 11,638 11,576 99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : May 1, 2026 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : May 1, 2025 : April 1, 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 231 226 219 95 97 California .......: 485 505 495 102 98 Colorado .........: 960 915 920 96 101 Idaho ............: 335 355 355 106 100 Iowa .............: 680 690 680 100 99 Kansas ...........: 2,290 2,360 2,370 103 100 Nebraska .........: 2,550 2,640 2,640 104 100 Oklahoma .........: 325 335 335 103 100 South Dakota .....: 235 245 245 104 100 Texas ............: 2,590 2,560 2,580 100 101 Washington .......: 255 270 270 106 100 : Other States .....: 440 475 475 108 100 : United States ....: 11,376 11,576 11,584 102 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2025 : March 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 23 23 20 87 87 California .......: 51 62 53 104 85 Colorado .........: 120 125 140 117 112 Idaho ............: 38 49 45 118 92 Iowa .............: 87 107 89 102 83 Kansas ...........: 380 410 400 105 98 Nebraska .........: 445 425 435 98 102 Oklahoma .........: 45 45 49 109 109 South Dakota .....: 29 36 31 107 86 Texas ............: 310 315 335 108 106 Washington .......: 33 38 44 133 116 : Other States .....: 52 76 61 117 80 : United States ....: 1,613 1,711 1,702 106 99 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April 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 20 25 30 20 (D) (D) 120 Kansas ........: 45 55 115 105 60 (D) (D) 380 Nebraska ......: 30 45 100 160 110 (D) (D) 445 Texas .........: 110 55 65 55 25 (D) (D) 310 : Other States ..: 100 50 65 93 50 (D) (D) 358 : United States .: 310 225 370 443 (X) 195 70 1,613 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March 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 ......: 25 20 25 35 20 (D) (D) 125 Kansas ........: 40 60 125 125 60 (D) (D) 410 Nebraska ......: 25 60 115 140 85 (D) (D) 425 Texas .........: 115 55 70 55 20 (D) (D) 315 : Other States ..: 115 55 100 121 45 (D) (D) 436 : United States .: 320 250 435 476 (X) 170 60 1,711 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April 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 ......: 25 25 30 35 25 (D) (D) 140 Kansas ........: 45 60 120 110 65 (D) (D) 400 Nebraska ......: 30 45 100 150 110 (D) (D) 435 Texas .........: 120 60 70 60 25 (D) (D) 335 : Other States ..: 110 55 70 102 55 (D) (D) 392 : United States .: 330 245 390 457 (X) 210 70 1,702 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 April 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2025 : March 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 20 26 137 130 California .......: 60 63 59 98 94 Colorado .........: 155 130 130 84 100 Idaho ............: 42 43 42 100 98 Iowa .............: 86 95 97 113 102 Kansas ...........: 420 390 380 90 97 Nebraska .........: 485 445 425 88 96 Oklahoma .........: 54 39 47 87 121 South Dakota .....: 33 34 30 91 88 Texas ............: 380 275 305 80 111 Washington .......: 37 42 43 116 102 : Other States .....: 54 58 58 107 100 : United States ....: 1,825 1,634 1,642 90 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2025 : March 2026 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 6 4 4 67 100 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 1 1 3 300 300 Iowa .............: 1 2 2 200 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 10 10 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 2 200 200 South Dakota .....: 1 2 1 100 50 Texas ............: 10 10 10 100 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 3 3 3 100 100 : United States ....: 50 50 52 104 104 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.6 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 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 0.3 1 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 Shulonda Blackmon - Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses, Cold Storage............... (202) 720-3240 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 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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