Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released July 24, 2020, 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 July 1, 2020. The inventory was slightly below July 1, 2019. This is the second highest July 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.03 million steers and steer calves, up slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.41 million head, down 1 percent from 2019. Placements in feedlots during June totaled 1.80 million head, 2 percent above 2019. Net placements were 1.74 million head. During June, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 430,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 310,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 360,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 413,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 200,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during June totaled 1.97 million head, 1 percent above 2019. Other disappearance totaled 62,000 head during June, 6 percent below 2019. United States All Cattle on Feed Unchanged Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for all feedlots totaled 13.6 million head on July 1, 2020. The inventory was unchanged from the July 1, 2019 total of 13.6 million head. Cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head accounted for 84 percent of the total cattle on feed on July 1, 2020, down slightly from the previous year. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: July 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed June 1 .........................: 11,728 11,671 100 Placed on feed during June .............: 1,761 1,798 102 Fed cattle marketed during June ........: 1,943 1,969 101 Other disappearance during June ........: 66 62 94 On feed July 1 .........................: 11,480 11,438 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: June 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed May 1 ..........................: 11,807 11,200 95 Placed on feed during May ..............: 2,063 2,052 99 Fed cattle marketed during May .........: 2,070 1,515 73 Other disappearance during May .........: 72 66 92 On feed June 1 .........................: 11,728 11,671 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: July 1, 2019 and 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :--------------------------------------------------------- : 2019 : 2020 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head --- percent percent : Class on feed July 1 ...................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,010 7,033 100 61 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,470 4,405 99 39 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Cattle on Feed - United States: July 1, 2019 and 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of State :---------------------------: : 2019 : 2020 :previous year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head ---- percent : United States .......................: 13,600 13,600 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : July 1, 2020 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : July 1, 2019 : June 1, 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 295 271 273 93 101 California .......: 535 545 545 102 100 Colorado .........: 1,030 1,010 1,020 99 101 Idaho ............: 290 280 280 97 100 Iowa .............: 650 640 630 97 98 Kansas ...........: 2,360 2,430 2,390 101 98 Minnesota ........: 125 130 125 100 96 Nebraska .........: 2,300 2,410 2,260 98 94 Oklahoma .........: 320 315 315 98 100 South Dakota .....: 210 200 185 88 93 Texas ............: 2,840 2,930 2,920 103 100 Washington .......: 235 230 225 96 98 : Other States .....: 290 280 270 93 96 : United States ....: 11,480 11,671 11,438 100 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During June 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2019 : May 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 26 23 22 85 96 California .......: 61 76 60 98 79 Colorado .........: 135 215 175 130 81 Idaho ............: 42 36 38 90 106 Iowa .............: 65 75 58 89 77 Kansas ...........: 430 495 425 99 86 Minnesota ........: 14 11 14 100 127 Nebraska .........: 415 410 420 101 102 Oklahoma .........: 62 65 55 89 85 South Dakota .....: 31 33 23 74 70 Texas ............: 400 565 440 110 78 Washington .......: 32 16 26 81 163 : Other States .....: 48 32 42 88 131 : United States ....: 1,761 2,052 1,798 102 88 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During June 2019 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 30 30 (D) (D) 135 Kansas ........: 60 80 130 105 55 (D) (D) 430 Nebraska ......: 40 55 80 115 125 (D) (D) 415 Texas .........: 160 90 80 50 20 (D) (D) 400 : Other States ..: 100 50 71 90 70 (D) (D) 381 : United States .: 385 295 391 390 (X) 190 110 1,761 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During May 2020 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 35 30 50 60 40 (D) (D) 215 Kansas ........: 55 70 140 140 90 (D) (D) 495 Nebraska ......: 30 35 80 145 120 (D) (D) 410 Texas .........: 150 120 145 110 40 (D) (D) 565 : Other States ..: 110 55 70 82 50 (D) (D) 367 : United States .: 380 310 485 537 (X) 235 105 2,052 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During June 2020 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ......: 45 35 30 35 30 (D) (D) 175 Kansas ........: 60 80 110 115 60 (D) (D) 425 Nebraska ......: 40 55 75 130 120 (D) (D) 420 Texas .........: 185 90 90 55 20 (D) (D) 440 : Other States ..: 100 50 55 78 55 (D) (D) 338 : United States .: 430 310 360 413 (X) 200 85 1,798 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During June 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2019 : May 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 28 16 19 68 119 California .......: 57 54 53 93 98 Colorado .........: 160 145 160 100 110 Idaho ............: 36 35 37 103 106 Iowa .............: 72 52 66 92 127 Kansas ...........: 440 375 455 103 121 Minnesota ........: 18 10 18 100 180 Nebraska .........: 520 355 555 107 156 Oklahoma .........: 56 44 54 96 123 South Dakota .....: 48 34 32 67 94 Texas ............: 420 315 440 105 140 Washington .......: 36 30 30 83 100 : Other States .....: 52 50 50 96 100 : United States ....: 1,943 1,515 1,969 101 130 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During June 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : June 2019 : May 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 4 7 7 175 100 Colorado .........: 5 10 5 100 50 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 3 3 2 67 67 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 25 15 15 60 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 3 4 6 200 150 Texas ............: 10 10 10 100 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 1 2 2 200 100 : United States ....: 66 66 62 94 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Jul 1, : Apr 1, : Jul 1, : Jul 1, : Apr 1, : Jul 1, : 2019 : 2020 : 2020 : 2019 : 2020 : 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 290 257 268 5 5 5 California .........: 460 465 465 75 70 80 Colorado ...........: 520 525 560 510 435 460 Idaho ..............: 195 190 170 95 95 110 Iowa ...............: 480 465 465 170 165 165 Kansas .............: 1,240 1,260 1,280 1,120 1,030 1,110 Minnesota ..........: 110 115 105 15 15 20 Nebraska ...........: 1,410 1,500 1,380 890 890 880 Oklahoma ...........: 155 165 160 165 140 155 South Dakota .......: 130 125 115 80 90 70 Texas ..............: 1,700 1,675 1,750 1,140 1,085 1,170 Washington .........: 140 140 135 95 95 90 : Other States .......: 180 200 180 110 100 90 : United States ......: 7,010 7,082 7,033 4,470 4,215 4,405 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 12 of the 16 States. Data collected from the remaining 4 States are used to establish the "Other States" estimates. These 4 States include Illinois, 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 0.1 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 0.1 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 4,000 head, ranging from 0 to 15,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 8 times 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 ---- : Number on feed ...............: 0.1 0.1 4 0 15 3 8 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.5 3 0 15 7 3 : Marketings ...................: 0.2 0.4 1 0 15 1 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 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 690-8632 Holly Brenize - Sheep and Goats .............. (202) 720-0585 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed .......... (202) 720-3040 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Suzanne Richards - Dairy Products ............ (202) 720-4448 Seth Riggins - Hogs and Pigs ................. (202) 720-3106 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 Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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