Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released October 23, 2020, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 4 Percent Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.7 million head on October 1, 2020. The inventory was 4 percent above October 1, 2019. This is the highest October 1 inventory since the series began in 1996. The inventory included 7.31 million steers and steer calves, up 6 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.41 million head, down slightly from 2019. Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.23 million head, 6 percent above 2019. Net placements were 2.17 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 445,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 360,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 500,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 517,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 300,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 105,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.85 million head, 6 percent above 2019. Other disappearance totaled 58,000 head during September, 2 percent below 2019. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: October 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed September 1 ....................: 10,982 11,394 104 Placed on feed during September ........: 2,103 2,227 106 Fed cattle marketed during September ...: 1,738 1,846 106 Other disappearance during September ...: 59 58 98 On feed October 1 ......................: 11,288 11,717 104 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: September 1, 2019 and 2020 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2019 : 2020 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed August 1 .......................: 11,112 11,284 102 Placed on feed during August ...........: 1,884 2,057 109 Fed cattle marketed during August ......: 1,953 1,892 97 Other disappearance during August ......: 61 55 90 On feed September 1 ....................: 10,982 11,394 104 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: October 1, 2019 and 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2019 : 2020 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed October 1 ................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 6,868 7,312 106 62 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,420 4,405 100 38 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : October 1, 2020 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : October 1, 2019 :September 1, 2020: : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 253 264 257 102 97 California .......: 525 535 545 104 102 Colorado .........: 990 1,040 1,110 112 107 Idaho ............: 275 255 270 98 106 Iowa .............: 640 610 610 95 100 Kansas ...........: 2,380 2,470 2,540 107 103 Minnesota ........: 105 110 105 100 95 Nebraska .........: 2,270 2,280 2,410 106 106 Oklahoma .........: 315 310 315 100 102 South Dakota .....: 210 190 190 90 100 Texas ............: 2,790 2,850 2,870 103 101 Washington .......: 225 220 220 98 100 : Other States .....: 310 260 275 89 106 : United States ....: 11,288 11,394 11,717 104 103 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During September 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2019: August 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 16 15 16 100 107 California .......: 50 52 68 136 131 Colorado .........: 240 180 245 102 136 Idaho ............: 58 41 54 93 132 Iowa .............: 82 75 72 88 96 Kansas ...........: 435 540 490 113 91 Minnesota ........: 22 12 19 86 158 Nebraska .........: 530 505 600 113 119 Oklahoma .........: 46 58 62 135 107 South Dakota .....: 53 47 45 85 96 Texas ............: 465 440 450 97 102 Washington .......: 46 40 45 98 113 : Other States .....: 60 52 61 102 117 : United States ....: 2,103 2,057 2,227 106 108 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September 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 ......: 30 25 50 70 65 (D) (D) 240 Kansas ........: 60 90 130 100 55 (D) (D) 435 Nebraska ......: 50 60 95 150 175 (D) (D) 530 Texas .........: 170 130 105 50 10 (D) (D) 465 : Other States ..: 120 50 80 105 78 (D) (D) 433 : United States .: 430 355 460 475 (X) 273 110 2,103 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During August 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 ......: 25 30 35 50 40 (D) (D) 180 Kansas ........: 60 100 170 150 60 (D) (D) 540 Nebraska ......: 45 50 105 165 140 (D) (D) 505 Texas .........: 180 110 90 50 10 (D) (D) 440 : Other States ..: 95 45 70 107 75 (D) (D) 392 : United States .: 405 335 470 522 (X) 230 95 2,057 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September 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 ......: 30 30 55 65 65 (D) (D) 245 Kansas ........: 65 95 155 115 60 (D) (D) 490 Nebraska ......: 55 60 115 180 190 (D) (D) 600 Texas .........: 175 125 95 45 10 (D) (D) 450 : Other States ..: 120 50 80 112 80 (D) (D) 442 : United States .: 445 360 500 517 (X) 300 105 2,227 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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 September 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2019: August 2020 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 19 19 22 116 116 California .......: 50 54 49 98 91 Colorado .........: 175 155 170 97 110 Idaho ............: 50 45 38 76 84 Iowa .............: 70 83 70 100 84 Kansas ...........: 385 470 410 106 87 Minnesota ........: 16 21 23 144 110 Nebraska .........: 410 435 460 112 106 Oklahoma .........: 44 52 56 127 108 South Dakota .....: 46 34 44 96 129 Texas ............: 390 430 415 106 97 Washington .......: 40 44 44 110 100 : Other States .....: 43 50 45 105 90 : United States ....: 1,738 1,892 1,846 106 98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2019 and 2020 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During September 2020 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State :September 2019: August 2020 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 5 8 9 180 113 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 3 1 1 33 100 Iowa .............: 2 2 2 100 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 10 10 100 100 Oklahoma .........: 2 1 1 50 100 South Dakota .....: 2 3 1 50 33 Texas ............: 15 10 15 100 150 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 2 1 50 50 : United States ....: 59 55 58 98 105 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 : Oct 1, : Jul 1, : Oct 1, : Oct 1, : Jul 1, : Oct 1, : 2019 : 2020 : 2020 : 2019 : 2020 : 2020 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 248 268 252 5 5 5 California .........: 455 465 465 70 80 80 Colorado ...........: 520 560 645 470 460 465 Idaho ..............: 180 170 150 95 110 120 Iowa ...............: 440 465 460 200 165 150 Kansas .............: 1,270 1,280 1,380 1,110 1,110 1,160 Minnesota ..........: 90 105 90 15 20 15 Nebraska ...........: 1,360 1,380 1,500 910 880 910 Oklahoma ...........: 175 160 175 140 155 140 South Dakota .......: 120 115 115 90 70 75 Texas ..............: 1,690 1,750 1,780 1,100 1,170 1,090 Washington .........: 130 135 120 95 90 100 : Other States .......: 190 180 180 120 90 95 : United States ......: 6,868 7,033 7,312 4,420 4,405 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 11.7 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 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 ......................: 0.1 0.1 4 0 15 2 8 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.5 3 0 15 6 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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