Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released October 23, 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 11.4 million head on October 1, 2026. The inventory was slightly below October 1, 2025. The inventory included 7.07 million steers and steer calves, up slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.30 million head, down 1 percent from 2025. Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.78 million head, 12 percent below 2025. Net placements were 1.73 million head. Placements were the lowest for September since the series began in 1996. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 360,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 260,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 385,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 422,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 255,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 95,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.52 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Marketings were the lowest for September since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 49,000 head during September, 4 percent below 2025. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: October 1, 2025 and 2026 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2025 : 2026 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed September 1 ....................: 11,080 11,168 101 Placed on feed during September ........: 2,021 1,777 88 Fed cattle marketed during September ...: 1,632 1,524 93 Other disappearance during September ...: 51 49 96 On feed October 1 ......................: 11,418 11,372 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 1,620 91 Fed cattle marketed during August ......: 1,571 1,517 97 Other disappearance during August ......: 51 52 102 On feed September 1 ....................: 11,080 11,168 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: October 1, 2025 and 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2025 : 2026 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed October 1 ................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,063 7,072 100 62 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,355 4,300 99 38 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : October 1, 2026 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : October 1, 2025 :September 1, 2026: : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 213 218 222 104 102 California .......: 480 480 485 101 101 Colorado .........: 920 905 905 98 100 Idaho ............: 345 320 330 96 103 Iowa .............: 690 670 670 97 100 Kansas ...........: 2,410 2,320 2,380 99 103 Nebraska .........: 2,560 2,470 2,550 100 103 Oklahoma .........: 320 350 355 111 101 South Dakota .....: 200 210 210 105 100 Texas ............: 2,570 2,500 2,520 98 101 Washington .......: 280 270 280 100 104 : Other States .....: 430 455 465 108 102 : United States ....: 11,418 11,168 11,372 100 102 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During September 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2025: August 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 13 18 19 146 106 California .......: 66 49 58 88 118 Colorado .........: 155 115 130 84 113 Idaho ............: 62 40 58 94 145 Iowa .............: 76 61 70 92 115 Kansas ...........: 465 440 420 90 95 Nebraska .........: 585 410 490 84 120 Oklahoma .........: 46 53 48 104 91 South Dakota .....: 40 23 31 78 135 Texas ............: 390 320 330 85 103 Washington .......: 49 38 44 90 116 : Other States .....: 74 53 79 107 149 : United States ....: 2,021 1,620 1,777 88 110 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September 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 30 45 35 (D) (D) 155 Kansas ........: 60 85 140 115 65 (D) (D) 465 Nebraska ......: 60 60 100 175 190 (D) (D) 585 Texas .........: 145 100 90 45 10 (D) (D) 390 : Other States ..: 115 45 75 106 85 (D) (D) 426 : United States .: 405 310 435 486 (X) 285 100 2,021 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 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 60 85 70 (D) (D) 335 : United States .: 320 240 360 385 (X) 230 85 1,620 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September 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 15 25 40 30 (D) (D) 130 Kansas ........: 55 75 125 105 60 (D) (D) 420 Nebraska ......: 50 50 85 140 165 (D) (D) 490 Texas .........: 125 80 75 40 10 (D) (D) 330 : Other States ..: 110 40 75 97 85 (D) (D) 407 : United States .: 360 260 385 422 (X) 255 95 1,777 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 September 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2025: August 2026 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 16 14 74 88 California .......: 55 50 49 89 98 Colorado .........: 120 110 125 104 114 Idaho ............: 46 43 47 102 109 Iowa .............: 74 59 68 92 115 Kansas ...........: 395 370 350 89 95 Nebraska .........: 445 400 400 90 100 Oklahoma .........: 40 36 42 105 117 South Dakota .....: 34 21 30 88 143 Texas ............: 310 320 300 97 94 Washington .......: 33 32 33 100 103 : Other States .....: 61 60 66 108 110 : United States ....: 1,632 1,517 1,524 93 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2025 and 2026 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During September 2026 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2025: August 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 2 1 100 50 Iowa .............: 2 2 2 100 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 10 10 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 2 1 100 50 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 ....: 51 52 49 96 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 : Oct 1, : Jul 1, : Oct 1, : Oct 1, : Jul 1, : Oct 1, : 2025 : 2026 : 2026 : 2025 : 2026 : 2026 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 198 205 207 15 10 15 California .........: 390 410 395 90 90 90 Colorado ...........: 485 495 480 435 435 425 Idaho ..............: 195 190 190 150 150 140 Iowa ...............: 550 540 530 140 140 140 Kansas .............: 1,460 1,390 1,430 950 910 950 Nebraska ...........: 1,650 1,660 1,640 910 880 910 Oklahoma ...........: 180 205 210 140 135 145 South Dakota .......: 115 140 130 85 85 80 Texas ..............: 1,400 1,400 1,380 1,170 1,160 1,140 Washington .........: 145 150 155 135 120 125 : Other States .......: 295 335 325 135 135 140 : United States ......: 7,063 7,120 7,072 4,355 4,250 4,300 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 11.4 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 2 0 20 7 2 : Marketings ...................: 0.0 0.1 0 0 2 4 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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).......................................................................................... 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