Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released March 24, 2017, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 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 10.8 million head on March 1, 2017. The inventory was slightly above March 1, 2016. Placements in feedlots during February totaled 1.69 million head, 1 percent below 2016. Net placements were 1.64 million head. During February, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 315,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 330,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 490,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 395,000, 900-999 pounds were 124,000, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 40,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during February totaled 1.65 million head, 4 percent above 2016. Other disappearance totaled 56,000 head during February, 3 percent below 2016. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2016 and 2017 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2016 : 2017 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 10,709 10,782 101 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,710 1,694 99 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,591 1,648 104 Other disappearance during February ....: 58 56 97 On feed March 1 ........................: 10,770 10,772 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: February 1, 2016 and 2017 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2016 : 2017 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed January 1 ......................: 10,575 10,605 100 Placed on feed during January ..........: 1,779 1,981 111 Fed cattle marketed during January .....: 1,589 1,751 110 Other disappearance during January .....: 56 53 95 On feed February 1 .....................: 10,709 10,782 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2016 and 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : March 1, 2017 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : March 1, 2016 :February 1, 2017 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 297 243 242 81 100 California .......: 440 425 420 95 99 Colorado .........: 890 900 910 102 101 Idaho ............: 240 250 250 104 100 Iowa .............: 630 640 650 103 102 Kansas ...........: 2,160 2,210 2,210 102 100 Minnesota ........: 163 159 160 98 101 Nebraska .........: 2,420 2,450 2,440 101 100 Oklahoma .........: 290 300 295 102 98 South Dakota .....: 270 240 250 93 104 Texas ............: 2,450 2,450 2,440 100 100 Washington .......: 195 185 185 95 100 : Other States .....: 325 330 320 98 97 : United States ....: 10,770 10,782 10,772 100 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2016 and 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2017 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2016 : January 2017 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 43 26 27 63 104 California .......: 46 50 47 102 94 Colorado .........: 170 180 180 106 100 Idaho ............: 38 35 36 95 103 Iowa .............: 92 128 102 111 80 Kansas ...........: 375 480 380 101 79 Minnesota ........: 23 25 21 91 84 Nebraska .........: 395 540 425 108 79 Oklahoma .........: 54 36 41 76 114 South Dakota .....: 48 45 44 92 98 Texas ............: 345 360 320 93 89 Washington .......: 38 36 34 89 94 : Other States .....: 43 40 37 86 93 : United States ....: 1,710 1,981 1,694 99 86 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2016 and 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2016 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs : 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800-899 lbs : 900+ lbs1/ : 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 40 40 40 25 (D) (D) 170 Kansas ........: 50 65 105 110 45 (D) (D) 375 Nebraska ......: 45 60 105 115 70 (D) (D) 395 Texas .........: 105 70 95 65 10 (D) (D) 345 : Other States ..: 110 65 100 100 50 (D) (D) 425 : United States .: 335 300 445 430 (X) 145 55 1,710 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During January 2017 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 50 45 35 15 (D) (D) 180 Kansas ........: 60 110 160 105 45 (D) (D) 480 Nebraska ......: 50 115 180 140 55 (D) (D) 540 Texas .........: 115 80 100 55 10 (D) (D) 360 : Other States ..: 120 90 100 75 36 (D) (D) 421 : United States .: 380 445 585 410 (X) 116 45 1,981 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2017 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 40 50 45 20 (D) (D) 180 Kansas ........: 50 70 120 100 40 (D) (D) 380 Nebraska ......: 40 75 140 115 55 (D) (D) 425 Texas .........: 100 70 85 55 10 (D) (D) 320 : Other States ..: 100 75 95 80 39 (D) (D) 389 : United States .: 315 330 490 395 (X) 124 40 1,694 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Not applicable. 1/ The 900+ weight group is the sum of 900-999 pound and 1,000+ pound weight group. Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2016 and 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2017 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2016 : January 2017 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 21 32 27 129 84 California .......: 46 52 49 107 94 Colorado .........: 155 175 165 106 94 Idaho ............: 41 43 35 85 81 Iowa .............: 78 86 89 114 103 Kansas ...........: 345 430 370 107 86 Minnesota ........: 17 15 19 112 127 Nebraska .........: 420 450 420 100 93 Oklahoma .........: 43 35 45 105 129 South Dakota .....: 37 34 33 89 97 Texas ............: 315 320 320 102 100 Washington .......: 36 33 33 92 100 : Other States .....: 37 46 43 116 93 : United States ....: 1,591 1,751 1,648 104 94 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2016 and 2017 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During February 2017 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :February 2016 : January 2017 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 5 3 3 60 100 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 2 2 1 50 50 Iowa .............: 4 2 3 75 150 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 10 15 100 150 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 1 1 100 100 Texas ............: 10 10 10 100 100 Washington .......: 2 3 1 50 33 : Other States .....: 1 4 4 400 100 : United States ....: 58 53 56 97 106 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 10.8 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 30,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 1 time and has been below the latest estimate 7 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 30 7 1 : Placements ...................: 0.4 0.7 3 0 28 7 2 : Marketings ...................: 0.1 0.2 0 0 10 0 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@nass.usda.gov. Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ........... (202) 720-3570 Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 720-3240 David Colwell - Sheep and Goats .............. (202) 720-8784 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236 Michael Klamm - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ....... (202) 720-3040 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 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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