Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released May 16, 2014, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 1 Percent Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.6 million head on May 1, 2014. The inventory was 1 percent below May 1, 2013. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.64 million, 5 percent below 2013. Net placements were 1.55 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 385,000, 600-699 pounds were 255,000, 700-799 pounds were 396,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 600,000. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.78 million, 2 percent below 2013. Marketings for April are the lowest for the month since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 83,000 during April, 20 percent above 2013. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: May 1, 2013 and 2014 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2013 : 2014 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed April 1 ........................: 10,924 10,873 100 Placed on feed during April ............: 1,720 1,636 95 Fed cattle marketed during April .......: 1,815 1,778 98 Other disappearance during April .......: 69 83 120 On feed May 1 ..........................: 10,760 10,648 99 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2013 and 2014 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2013 : 2014 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 10,845 10,790 99 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,884 1,808 96 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,724 1,660 96 Other disappearance during March .......: 81 65 80 On feed April 1 ........................: 10,924 10,873 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2013 and 2014 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : May 1, 2014 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : May 1, 2013 : April 1, 2014 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 275 277 277 101 100 California .......: 495 475 450 91 95 Colorado .........: 960 970 960 100 99 Idaho ............: 210 210 215 102 102 Iowa .............: 620 670 660 106 99 Kansas ...........: 2,070 2,090 2,010 97 96 Minnesota ........: 130 136 138 106 101 Nebraska .........: 2,400 2,500 2,490 104 100 Oklahoma .........: 295 275 255 86 93 South Dakota .....: 225 240 235 104 98 Texas ............: 2,540 2,500 2,430 96 97 Washington .......: 220 210 208 95 99 : Other States .....: 320 320 320 100 100 : United States ....: 10,760 10,873 10,648 99 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2013 and 2014 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2014 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2013 : March 2014 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 26 30 26 100 87 California .......: 62 53 57 92 108 Colorado .........: 140 165 130 93 79 Idaho ............: 33 34 32 97 94 Iowa .............: 89 71 69 78 97 Kansas ...........: 335 390 325 97 83 Minnesota ........: 16 18 16 100 89 Nebraska .........: 440 410 420 95 102 Oklahoma .........: 51 52 43 84 83 South Dakota .....: 26 37 28 108 76 Texas ............: 435 470 420 97 89 Washington .......: 26 43 35 135 81 : Other States .....: 41 35 35 85 100 : United States ....: 1,720 1,808 1,636 95 90 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2013 and 2014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 20 25 35 25 40 35 45 45 140 130 Kansas ...........: 55 60 50 50 90 90 140 125 335 325 Nebraska .........: 70 65 70 65 105 95 195 195 440 420 Texas ............: 140 140 65 70 115 110 115 100 435 420 : Other States .....: 85 95 50 45 90 66 145 135 370 341 : United States ....: 370 385 270 255 440 396 640 600 1,720 1,636 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 : 2013 : 2014 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 25 35 30 30 55 50 50 50 160 165 Kansas ...........: 60 65 60 55 130 110 175 160 425 390 Nebraska .........: 55 55 60 65 110 105 175 185 400 410 Texas ............: 170 170 115 90 160 125 85 85 530 470 : Other States .....: 100 100 50 55 80 78 139 140 369 373 : United States ....: 410 425 315 295 535 468 624 620 1,884 1,808 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2013 and 2014 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2014 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2013 : March 2014 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 28 24 25 89 104 California .......: 49 70 67 137 96 Colorado .........: 150 130 130 87 100 Idaho ............: 36 33 26 72 79 Iowa .............: 97 69 76 78 110 Kansas ...........: 350 345 385 110 112 Minnesota ........: 18 16 13 72 81 Nebraska .........: 460 395 415 90 105 Oklahoma .........: 60 46 62 103 135 South Dakota .....: 30 35 30 100 86 Texas ............: 460 430 480 104 112 Washington .......: 35 29 36 103 124 : Other States .....: 42 38 33 79 87 : United States ....: 1,815 1,660 1,778 98 107 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2013 and 2014 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2014 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2013 : March 2014 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 3 8 15 500 188 Colorado .........: 10 5 10 100 200 Idaho ............: 2 1 1 50 100 Iowa .............: 2 2 3 150 150 Kansas ...........: 15 15 20 133 133 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 15 15 150 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 1 2 3 300 150 Texas ............: 15 10 10 67 100 Washington .......: 4 2 1 25 50 : Other States .....: 4 2 2 50 100 : United States ....: 69 65 83 120 128 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Terms and Definitions of Cattle on Feed Estimates Cattle on feed are animals 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 cattle 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 cattle 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. Reliability of Cattle on Feed Estimates 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 each State office. 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 10.6 million head by more than 0.1 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.2 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 9,000 head, ranging from 0 to 34,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 9 times 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 0.2 9 0 34 7 9 : Placements ...................: 1.6 2.8 16 0 88 4 13 : Marketings ...................: 1.3 2.3 14 0 67 1 12 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Travis Averill - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ...... (202) 720-3040 Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106 Alissa Cowell-Mytar - Sheep and Goats......... (202) 720-4751 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236 Tiffany Hora - Livestock Slaughter ........... (515) 284-4340 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 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: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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