Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released April 24, 2015, 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 slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.8 million head on April 1, 2015. The inventory was slightly above April 1, 2014. The inventory included 7.46 million steers and steer calves, up 5 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 69 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 3.34 million head, down 10 percent from 2014. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.81 million, slightly above 2014. Net placements were 1.74 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 365,000, 600-699 pounds were 275,000, 700-799 pounds were 449,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 720,000. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.63 million, 2 percent below 2014. March marketings are the lowest since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 69,000 during March, 6 percent above 2014. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2014 and 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2014 : 2015 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 10,716 10,688 100 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,801 1,809 100 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,660 1,631 98 Other disappearance during March .......: 65 69 106 On feed April 1 ........................: 10,792 10,797 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2014 and 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2014 : 2015 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 10,678 10,713 100 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,658 1,551 94 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,549 1,516 98 Other disappearance during February ....: 71 60 85 On feed March 1 ........................: 10,716 10,688 100 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2014 and 2015 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2014 : 2015 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head --- percent : Class on feed April 1 : Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,075 7,455 105 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 3,717 3,342 90 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : April 1, 2015 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : April 1, 2014 : March 1, 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 277 243 241 87 99 California .......: 475 440 445 94 101 Colorado .........: 950 890 890 94 100 Idaho ............: 205 230 230 112 100 Iowa .............: 670 660 670 100 102 Kansas ...........: 2,090 2,080 2,110 101 101 Minnesota ........: 135 145 146 108 101 Nebraska .........: 2,470 2,500 2,530 102 101 Oklahoma .........: 275 275 285 104 104 South Dakota .....: 225 235 235 104 100 Texas ............: 2,500 2,450 2,470 99 101 Washington .......: 200 215 225 113 105 : Other States .....: 320 325 320 100 98 : United States ....: 10,792 10,688 10,797 100 101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2014 :February 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 30 19 25 83 132 California .......: 53 48 55 104 115 Colorado .........: 165 150 150 91 100 Idaho ............: 34 31 30 88 97 Iowa .............: 71 85 90 127 106 Kansas ...........: 390 355 410 105 115 Minnesota ........: 18 18 23 128 128 Nebraska .........: 410 400 440 107 110 Oklahoma .........: 52 42 49 94 117 South Dakota .....: 42 41 33 79 80 Texas ............: 470 285 420 89 147 Washington .......: 31 43 39 126 91 : Other States .....: 35 34 45 129 132 : United States ....: 1,801 1,551 1,809 100 117 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 35 30 30 25 50 40 50 55 165 150 Kansas ...........: 65 60 55 65 110 110 160 175 390 410 Nebraska .........: 55 55 65 65 105 100 185 220 410 440 Texas ............: 170 115 90 70 125 120 85 115 470 420 : Other States .....: 100 105 50 50 76 79 140 155 366 389 : United States ....: 425 365 290 275 466 449 620 720 1,801 1,809 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .........: 30 25 25 25 35 40 45 60 135 150 Kansas ...........: 60 60 60 65 90 95 125 135 335 355 Nebraska .........: 65 60 90 65 105 100 170 175 430 400 Texas ............: 155 100 90 45 100 75 65 65 410 285 : Other States .....: 80 85 65 65 88 86 115 125 348 361 : United States ....: 390 330 330 265 418 396 520 560 1,658 1,551 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2014 :February 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 24 19 21 88 111 California .......: 70 43 46 66 107 Colorado .........: 130 145 140 108 97 Idaho ............: 33 29 29 88 100 Iowa .............: 69 74 79 114 107 Kansas ...........: 345 355 370 107 104 Minnesota ........: 16 13 21 131 162 Nebraska .........: 395 385 395 100 103 Oklahoma .........: 46 30 38 83 127 South Dakota .....: 35 35 32 91 91 Texas ............: 430 315 385 90 122 Washington .......: 29 36 28 97 78 : Other States .....: 38 37 47 124 127 : United States ....: 1,660 1,516 1,631 98 108 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2015 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2014 :February 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 4 6 600 150 California .......: 8 5 4 50 80 Colorado .........: 5 5 10 200 200 Idaho ............: 1 2 1 100 50 Iowa .............: 2 1 1 50 100 Kansas ...........: 15 10 10 67 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 15 15 15 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 2 1 100 50 South Dakota .....: 2 1 1 50 100 Texas ............: 10 10 15 150 150 Washington .......: 2 2 1 50 50 : Other States .....: 2 2 3 150 150 : United States ....: 65 60 69 106 115 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2014 and 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : 2014 : 2015 : 2015 : 2014 : 2015 : 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 272 246 237 5 3 4 California .........: 435 395 410 40 30 35 Colorado ...........: 630 580 610 320 320 280 Idaho ..............: 120 140 150 85 90 80 Iowa ...............: 490 490 520 180 150 150 Kansas .............: 1,130 1,100 1,190 960 950 920 Minnesota ..........: 103 109 128 32 28 18 Nebraska ...........: 1,690 1,620 1,830 780 840 700 Oklahoma ...........: 180 170 200 95 85 85 South Dakota .......: 135 145 150 90 85 85 Texas ..............: 1,550 1,600 1,680 950 900 790 Washington .........: 125 123 140 75 87 85 : Other States .......: 215 230 210 105 110 110 : United States ......: 7,075 6,948 7,455 3,717 3,678 3,342 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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 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 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 0.6 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 0.6 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 1.0 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 53,000 head, ranging from 0 to 97,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 19 times and has been below the latest estimate 4 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 ...............: 0.6 1.0 53 0 97 4 19 : Placements ...................: 1.1 2.0 14 1 55 11 13 : Marketings ...................: 0.9 1.6 8 0 47 0 8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 720-3240 Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Evan Schulz - Sheep and Goats ................ (202) 720-6147 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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