Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released April 17, 2025, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 2 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 11.6 million head on April 1, 2025. The inventory was 2 percent below April 1, 2024. The inventory included 7.26 million steers and steer calves, down slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.38 million head, down 4 percent from 2024. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.84 million head, 5 percent above 2024. Net placements were 1.79 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 335,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 285,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 475,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 506,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 175,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 65,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent above 2024. Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during March, 4 percent below 2024. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2024 and 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2024 : 2025 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 11,838 11,577 98 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,752 1,841 105 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,707 1,725 101 Other disappearance during March .......: 57 55 96 On feed April 1 ........................: 11,826 11,638 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2024 and 2025 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2024 : 2025 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 11,797 11,716 99 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,890 1,554 82 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,793 1,633 91 Other disappearance during February ....: 56 60 107 On feed March 1 ........................: 11,838 11,577 98 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2024 and 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2024 : 2025 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed April 1 ..................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,266 7,258 100 62 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,560 4,380 96 38 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : April 1, 2025 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : April 1, 2024 : March 1, 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 256 227 228 89 100 California .......: 530 510 500 94 98 Colorado .........: 990 1,010 1,000 101 99 Idaho ............: 345 335 340 99 101 Iowa .............: 660 670 680 103 101 Kansas ...........: 2,400 2,320 2,340 98 101 Minnesota ........: 105 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 2,540 2,590 2,600 102 100 Oklahoma .........: 330 340 335 102 99 South Dakota .....: 250 235 240 96 102 Texas ............: 2,840 2,640 2,670 94 101 Washington .......: 250 260 260 104 100 : Other States .....: 330 440 445 135 101 : United States ....: 11,826 11,577 11,638 98 101 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2024 :February 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 22 17 24 109 141 California .......: 65 55 54 83 98 Colorado .........: 135 130 135 100 104 Idaho ............: 37 36 42 114 117 Iowa .............: 105 94 104 99 111 Kansas ...........: 400 365 430 108 118 Minnesota ........: 14 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 450 440 500 111 114 Oklahoma .........: 41 35 40 98 114 South Dakota .....: 40 35 41 103 117 Texas ............: 365 260 370 101 142 Washington .......: 33 35 33 100 94 : Other States .....: 45 52 68 151 131 : United States ....: 1,752 1,554 1,841 105 118 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March 2024 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 40 20 (D) (D) 135 Kansas ........: 40 55 125 125 55 (D) (D) 400 Nebraska ......: 25 60 130 140 95 (D) (D) 450 Texas .........: 135 70 80 60 20 (D) (D) 365 : Other States ..: 105 55 100 102 40 (D) (D) 402 : United States .: 330 260 465 467 (X) 170 60 1,752 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 2025 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 25 30 30 20 (D) (D) 130 Kansas ........: 40 65 115 100 45 (D) (D) 365 Nebraska ......: 30 65 135 140 70 (D) (D) 440 Texas .........: 100 55 55 40 10 (D) (D) 260 : Other States ..: 100 65 85 74 35 (D) (D) 359 : United States .: 295 275 420 384 (X) 130 50 1,554 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March 2025 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 40 20 (D) (D) 135 Kansas ........: 45 65 125 135 60 (D) (D) 430 Nebraska ......: 30 70 135 165 100 (D) (D) 500 Texas .........: 130 75 85 60 20 (D) (D) 370 : Other States ..: 105 55 100 106 40 (D) (D) 406 : United States .: 335 285 475 506 (X) 175 65 1,841 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2024 :February 2025 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 23 20 22 96 110 California .......: 49 58 58 118 100 Colorado .........: 160 140 140 88 100 Idaho ............: 36 35 36 100 103 Iowa .............: 93 93 93 100 100 Kansas ...........: 390 405 400 103 99 Minnesota ........: 13 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 460 425 475 103 112 Oklahoma .........: 40 39 44 110 113 South Dakota .....: 33 29 34 103 117 Texas ............: 330 310 330 100 106 Washington .......: 37 29 32 86 110 : Other States .....: 43 50 61 142 122 : United States ....: 1,707 1,633 1,725 101 106 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2025 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2024 :February 2025 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ----- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 6 7 6 100 86 Colorado .........: 5 10 5 100 50 Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100 Iowa .............: 2 1 1 50 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 (NA) (NA) (NA) (NA) Nebraska .........: 10 15 15 150 100 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 2 1 2 100 200 Texas ............: 15 10 10 67 100 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 2 2 100 100 : United States ....: 57 60 55 96 92 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2024 and 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : 2024 : 2025 : 2025 : 2024 : 2025 : 2025 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 246 218 213 10 15 15 California .........: 435 420 410 95 100 90 Colorado ...........: 530 550 535 460 500 465 Idaho ..............: 195 175 180 150 155 160 Iowa ...............: 510 500 530 150 150 150 Kansas .............: 1,340 1,410 1,350 1,060 990 990 Minnesota ..........: 90 (NA) (NA) 15 (NA) (NA) Nebraska ...........: 1,660 1,630 1,710 880 950 890 Oklahoma ...........: 185 205 195 145 155 140 South Dakota .......: 155 135 150 95 95 90 Texas ..............: 1,570 1,570 1,530 1,270 1,210 1,140 Washington .........: 135 140 140 115 115 120 : Other States .......: 215 295 315 115 140 130 : United States ......: 7,266 7,248 7,258 4,560 4,575 4,380 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (NA) Not available. 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 11 of the 16 States. In 2025, data collected from the remaining 5 States are used to establish the "Other States" estimates. These 5 States include Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Wyoming and in 2025, Minnesota was added. 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 0.2 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 11.6 million head by more than 0.2 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.3 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 13,000 head, ranging from 0 to 46,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 1 time and has been below the latest estimate 10 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 ......................: 0.2 0.3 13 0 46 10 1 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.5 3 0 20 6 6 : Marketings ...................: 0.1 0.2 1 0 6 6 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Vacant, Head, Livestock Section Vacant - Dairy Products Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ... (202) 690-8632 Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ....... (202) 720-3040 Kim DaPra - Milk Production and Milk Cows.. (202) 720-3278 Ralph Mondesir - Hogs and Pigs ............ (202) 720-3106 Suzanne Richards - Sheep and Goats ........ (202) 720-4448 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. To set-up this free subscription, visit www.nass.usda.gov and click on "National" or "State" in upper right corner above "search" box to create an account and select the reports you would like to receive. 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