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USDA Cattle on Feed 05/24
Cattle on Feed
ISSN: 1948-9080
Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
United States Cattle on Feed Up 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 11.8 million head on May
1, 2019. The inventory was 2 percent above May 1, 2018. This is the highest
May 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.84 million head, 9 percent
above 2018. Net placements were 1.78 million head. During April, placements
of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 355,000 head,
600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 447,000 head,
800-899 pounds were 495,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 210,000 head,
and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.93 million head, 7 percent
above 2018.
Other disappearance totaled 60,000 head during April, 5 percent below 2018.
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on
1,000+ Capacity Feedlots United States: May 1, 2018 and 2019
Number Percent of
Item
2018 2019 previous year
(1,000 head) %
On feed April 1
11,729 11,964 102
Placed on feed during April
1,695 1,842 109
Fed cattle marketed during April
1,803 1,928 107
Other disappearance during April
63 60 95
On feed May 1
11,558 11,818 102
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on
1,000+ Capacity Feedlots United States: April 1, 2018 and 2019
Number Percent of
Item
2018 2019 previous year
(1,000 head) %
On feed March 1
11,715 11,796 101
Placed on feed during March
1,921 2014 105
Fed cattle marketed during March
1,840 1,777 97
Other disappearance during March
67 69 103
On feed April 1
11,729 11,964 102
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month States and
United States: 2018 and 2019
May 1, 2019
State May 1, 2018 April 1, 2019 Percent of
Number previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 298 314 313 105 100
CA 500 535 530 106 99
CO 940 1,060 1,060 113 100
ID 255 285 285 112 100
IA 730 710 680 93 96
KS 2,290 2,380 2,380 104 100
MN 155 150 140 90 93
NE 2,660 2,580 2,560 96 99
OK 310 315 305 98 97
SD 255 250 245 96 98
TX 2,630 2,850 2,790 106 98
WA 210 225 235 112 104
OtrSt 325 310 295 91 95
US 11,558 11,964 11,818 102 99
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month States and United
States: 2018 and 2019
During April 2019
During
State April 2018 March 2019 Percent of
Number previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 26 31 25 96 81
CA 59 71 63 107 89
CO 145 200 170 117 85
ID 28 44 31 111 70
IA 80 104 85 106 82
KS 380 470 435 114 93
MN 12 17 11 92 65
NE 420 425 435 104 102
OK 60 60 58 97 97
SD 25 29 27 108 93
TX 385 480 415 108 86
WA 27 34 40 148 118
OtrSt 48 49 47 98 96
US 1,695 2014 1,842 109 91
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month
States and United States: 2018 and 2019
During April 2018
State Under 600 6-699 7-799 8-899 9+ lbs1/ 9-999 1,000+ lbs Total
lbs
(1,000 head)
CO 25 20 35 40 25 (D) (D) 145
KS 40 55 105 110 70 (D) (D) 380
NE 40 45 95 125 115 (D) (D) 420
TX 115 70 100 75 25 (D) (D) 385
OtrSt 100 40 80 95 50 (D) (D) 365
US 320 230 415 445 (X) 205 80 1,695
During March 2019
State Under 600 6-699 7-799 8-899 9+ lbs1/ 9-999 1,000+ lbs Total
lbs
(1,000 head)
CO 30 35 55 55 25 (D) (D) 200
KS 45 55 170 140 60 (D) (D) 470
NE 25 55 115 130 100 (D) (D) 425
TX 115 100 140 100 25 (D) (D) 480
OtrSt 110 55 115 114 45 (D) (D) 439
US 325 300 595 539 (X) 185 70 2014
During April 2019
State Under 600 6-699 7-799 8-899 9+ lbs1/ 9-999 1,000+ lbs Total
lbs
(1,000 head)
CO 30 30 40 45 25 (D) (D) 170
KS 45 60 125 130 75 (D) (D) 435
NE 40 50 95 130 120 (D) (D) 435
TX 125 70 105 90 25 (D) (D) 415
OtrSt 115 40 82 100 50 (D) (D) 387
US 355 250 447 495 (X) 210 85 1,842
(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 on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month States and United States:
2018 and 2019
During April 2019
During
State April 2018 March 2019 Percent of
Number previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 21 27 25 119 93
CA 56 57 65 116 114
CO 150 185 165 110 89
ID 21 32 30 143 94
IA 87 100 113 130 113
KS 420 375 420 100 112
MN 16 16 20 125 125
NE 430 425 440 102 104
OK 59 53 67 114 126
SD 27 37 30 111 81
TX 445 390 465 104 119
WA 26 33 28 108 85
OtrSt 45 47 60 133 128
US 1,803 1,777 1,928 107 108
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month States and
United States: 2018 and 2019
During April 2019
During
State April 2018 March 2019 Percent of
Number previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 1 1 1 100 100
CA 3 4 3 100 75
CO 5 5 5 100 100
ID 2 2 1 50 50
IA 3 4 2 67 50
KS 10 15 15 150 100
MN 1 1 1 100 100
NE 20 20 15 75 75
OK 1 2 1 100 50
SD 3 2 2 67 100
TX 10 10 10 100 100
WA 1 1 2 200 200
OtrSt 3 2 2 67 100
US 63 69 60 95 87
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 0.0 percent. This means that chances are
2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current
estimate of 11.8 million head by more than 0.0 percent. Chances are 9 out of
10 that the difference will not exceed 0.0 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 1,000 head,
ranging from 0 to 10,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has
been above the latest estimate 0 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.
Cattle on Feed: Released May 24, 2019, by the National Agricultural Statistics
Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
Reliability of Monthly Cattle on Feed Estimates
[Based on data for the past 24 months]
mean90 percent Difference between first and latest estimate
square confidence
error
level
Item Months
Average Smallest Largest Below latest Above latest
% (1,000) (number)
Number on feed
0 0 1 0 10 2 0
Placements
0.1 0.2 1 0 10 2 0
Marketings
0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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.
Travis Averill, Chief, Livestock Branch ......... (202) 720-3570
Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424
Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 690-8632
Holly Brenize - Sheep and Goats .............. (202) 720-0585
Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 720-4448
Heidi Gleich - 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
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nass@nass.usda.gov.
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