Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released September 18, 2026, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 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 11.2 million head on September 1, 2026. The inventory was 1 percent above September 1, 2025. Placements in feedlots during August totaled 1.62 million head, 9 percent below 2025. Net placements were 1.57 million head. Placements were the lowest for August since the series began in 1996. During August, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 320,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 240,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 355,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 387,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 230,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.52 million head, 3 percent below 2025. Marketings were the lowest for August since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 52,000 head during August, 2 percent above 2025. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: September 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed August 1 .......................: 10,922 11,117 102 Placed on feed during August ...........: 1,780 1,617 91 Fed cattle marketed during August ......: 1,571 1,519 97 Other disappearance during August ......: 51 52 102 On feed September 1 ....................: 11,080 11,163 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: August 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed July 1 .........................: 11,124 11,370 102 Placed on feed during July .............: 1,598 1,422 89 Fed cattle marketed during July ........: 1,749 1,620 93 Other disappearance during July ........: 51 55 108 On feed August 1 .......................: 10,922 11,117 102 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : September 1, 2026 : : :-------------------------------------------- State :September 1, 2025: August 1, 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 220 217 218 99 100 California .......: 475 485 480 101 99 Colorado .........: 890 905 905 102 100 Idaho ............: 330 325 320 97 98 Iowa .............: 690 670 670 97 100 Kansas ...........: 2,350 2,260 2,320 99 103 Nebraska .........: 2,430 2,470 2,470 102 100 Oklahoma .........: 315 335 350 111 104 South Dakota .....: 195 210 205 105 98 Texas ............: 2,500 2,510 2,500 100 100 Washington .......: 265 265 270 102 102 : Other States .....: 420 465 455 108 98 : United States ....: 11,080 11,117 11,163 101 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During August 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : August 2025 : July 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 18 19 18 100 95 California .......: 51 48 49 96 102 Colorado .........: 140 85 115 82 135 Idaho ............: 45 28 40 89 143 Iowa .............: 65 55 61 94 111 Kansas ...........: 475 375 440 93 117 Nebraska .........: 475 380 410 86 108 Oklahoma .........: 49 39 53 108 136 South Dakota .....: 28 16 20 71 125 Texas ............: 340 290 320 94 110 Washington .......: 41 32 38 93 119 : Other States .....: 53 55 53 100 96 : United States ....: 1,780 1,422 1,617 91 114 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During August 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 25 35 30 (D) (D) 140 Kansas ........: 55 80 150 120 70 (D) (D) 475 Nebraska ......: 40 45 90 140 160 (D) (D) 475 Texas .........: 145 75 65 40 15 (D) (D) 340 : Other States ..: 90 40 60 85 75 (D) (D) 350 : United States .: 355 265 390 420 (X) 260 90 1,780 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During July 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 ......: 15 15 20 20 15 (D) (D) 85 Kansas ........: 50 65 110 95 55 (D) (D) 375 Nebraska ......: 35 40 80 110 115 (D) (D) 380 Texas .........: 130 60 55 30 15 (D) (D) 290 : Other States ..: 80 35 55 67 55 (D) (D) 292 : United States .: 310 215 320 322 (X) 185 70 1,422 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During August 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 20 20 30 25 (D) (D) 115 Kansas ........: 55 75 135 110 65 (D) (D) 440 Nebraska ......: 35 35 80 120 140 (D) (D) 410 Texas .........: 130 70 65 40 15 (D) (D) 320 : Other States ..: 80 40 55 87 70 (D) (D) 332 : United States .: 320 240 355 387 (X) 230 85 1,617 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 August 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : August 2025 : July 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 16 16 84 100 California .......: 45 59 50 111 85 Colorado .........: 125 105 110 88 105 Idaho ............: 39 42 43 110 102 Iowa .............: 63 63 59 94 94 Kansas ...........: 385 405 370 96 91 Nebraska .........: 425 435 400 94 92 Oklahoma .........: 43 42 36 84 86 South Dakota .....: 22 30 23 105 77 Texas ............: 320 330 320 100 97 Washington .......: 30 36 32 107 89 : Other States .....: 55 57 60 109 105 : United States ....: 1,571 1,620 1,519 97 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During August 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : August 2025 : July 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 2 200 200 Iowa .............: 2 2 2 100 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 15 10 100 67 Oklahoma .........: 1 2 2 200 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 2 200 200 Texas ............: 10 10 10 100 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 3 3 3 100 100 : United States ....: 51 55 52 102 95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.2 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service - Estimation Branch Contacts For more information about specific data items, please contact the Estimation Branch staff members below. You can also email inquiries to nass@usda.gov. Anthony Prillaman, Associate Deputy Administrator............................................................................... (202) 720-2127 Darin Jantzi, Section Chief (701) 412-5953 Broiler Hatchery, Chicken Hatchery, Eggs, Hogs and Pigs, Layers, Sheep and Goats Jeff Lemmons, Section Chief (202) 973-3272 Cattle, Cattle on Feed, Capacity of Refrigerated Warehouses, Cold Storage Fleming Gibson, Section Chief (Acting) (202) 236-2428 Catfish, Census of Aquaculture, Dairy Products, Livestock Slaughter, Poultry Slaughter, Trout, Turkey Hatchery, Turkey Raised Julie Weber, Section Chief (202) 317-0165 Cost of Pollination, Egg Products, Honey, Honey Bee Colonies, Milk Production 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. All email subscriptions containing reports will be sent from https://esmis.nal.usda.gov. To receive the reports via e-mail, you will have to go to the website, create a new account and subscribe to the reports. You should whitelist notifications@esmis.nal.usda.gov in your email client to avoid the emails going into spam/junk folders. 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@usda.gov. If you have specific questions you would like an expert to respond to, please visit our "Ask A Specialist" website at www.nass.usda.gov/Contact_Us/Ask_a_Specialist. In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690- 7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.