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USDA Cattle on Feed 05/21
Cattle on Feed
ISSN: 1948-9080
Released May 21, 2021, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
United States Cattle on Feed Up 5 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
May 1, 2021. The inventory was 5 percent above May 1, 2020. This is the
second highest May 1 inventory since the series began in 1996.
Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.82 million head, 27 percent
above 2020. Net placements were 1.77 million head. During April, placements
of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 380,000 head,
600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 420,000 head,
800-899 pounds were 481,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 220,000 head, and
1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.
Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.94 million head, 33 percent
above 2020.
Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during April, 21 percent below 2020.
Other disappearance was the lowest for April since the series began in 1996.
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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, 2020 and 2021
Percent of
Item 2020 2021 previous year
(1,000 head) %
On feed April 1
11,297 11,897 105
Placed on feed during April
1,432 1,821 127
Fed cattle marketed during April
1,459 1,938 133
Other disappearance during April
70 55 79
On feed May 1
11,200 11,725 105
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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, 2020 and 2021
Percent of
Item 2020 2021 previous year
(1,000 head) %
On feed March 1
11,811 12,000 102
Placed on feed during March
1,557 1,998 128
Fed cattle marketed during March
2010 2,041 102
Other disappearance during March
61 60 98
On feed April 1
11,297 11,897 105
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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: 2020 and 2021
May 1, 2021
State May 1, 2020 April 1, 2021 Percent of
Inventory previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 265 272 275 104 101
CA 530 555 545 103 98
CO 950 1,060 1,040 109 98
ID 280 290 295 105 102
IA 620 630 630 102 100
KS 2,320 2,480 2,470 106 100
MN 130 115 110 85 96
NE 2,370 2,580 2,530 107 98
OK 295 300 275 93 92
SD 205 240 235 115 98
TX 2,690 2,870 2,820 105 98
WA 245 205 200 82 98
OtrSt 300 300 300 100 100
US 11,200 11,897 11,725 105 99
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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: 2020 and 2021
During April 2021
During
State April 2020 March 2021 Percent of
Placements previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 25 30 27 108 90
CA 68 63 62 91 98
CO 115 180 160 139 89
ID 26 35 43 165 123
IA 62 112 101 163 90
KS 355 490 435 123 89
MN 13 16 13 100 81
NE 310 440 425 137 97
OK 37 55 39 105 71
SD 23 39 36 157 92
TX 330 465 410 124 88
WA 34 19 26 76 137
OtrSt 34 54 44 129 81
US 1,432 1,998 1,821 127 91
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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: 2020 and 2021
During April 2020
State Under600lbs 6-699lbs 7-799lbs 8-899lbs 900+lbs 1/ 9-999lbs 1,000+lbs Total
(1,000 head)
CO 25 15 25 30 20 (D) (D) 115
KS 35 45 100 115 60 (D) (D) 355
NE 20 30 65 105 90 (D) (D) 310
TX 110 55 65 70 30 (D) (D) 330
OtrSt 105 35 60 72 50 (D) (D) 322
US 295 180 315 392 (X) 180 70 1,432
During March 2021
State Under600lbs 6-699lbs 7-799lbs 8-899lbs 900+lbs 1/ 9-999lbs 1,000+lbs Total
(1,000 head)
CO 35 30 45 45 25 (D) (D) 180
KS 45 75 160 150 60 (D) (D) 490
NE 30 60 115 145 90 (D) (D) 440
TX 170 100 95 80 20 (D) (D) 465
OtrSt 125 60 95 103 40 (D) (D) 423
US 405 325 510 523 (X) 175 60 1,998
During April 2021
State Under600lbs 6-699lbs 7-799lbs 8-899lbs 900+lbs 1/ 9-999lbs 1,000+lbs Total
(1,000 head)
CO 30 25 35 40 30 (D) (D) 160
KS 45 55 130 135 70 (D) (D) 435
NE 30 45 95 145 110 (D) (D) 425
TX 150 80 85 70 25 (D) (D) 410
OtrSt 125 45 75 91 55 (D) (D) 391
US 380 250 420 481 (X) 220 70 1,821
(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 21, 2021, 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:
2020 and 2021
During April 2021
During
State April 2020 March 2021 Percent of
Marketings previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 21 27 23 110 85
CA 62 66 65 105 98
CO 120 215 175 146 81
ID 30 34 37 123 109
IA 68 109 98 144 90
KS 310 470 435 140 93
MN 12 15 17 142 113
NE 315 455 465 148 102
OK 46 69 63 137 91
SD 30 41 38 127 93
TX 390 455 450 115 99
WA 23 38 30 130 79
OtrSt 32 47 42 131 89
US 1,459 2,041 1,938 133 95
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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: 2020 and 2021
During April 2021
During
State April 2020 March 2021 Other Percent of
disappearance previous yearprevious month
(1,000 head) %
AZ 1 1 1 100 100
CA 11 7 7 64 100
CO 5 5 5 100 100
ID 1 1 1 100 100
IA 4 3 3 75 100
KS 15 10 10 67 100
MN 1 1 1 100 100
NE 15 15 10 67 67
OK 1 1 1 100 100
SD 3 3 3 100 100
TX 10 10 10 100 100
WA 1 1 1 100 100
OtrSt 2 2 2 100 100
US 70 60 55 79 92
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 11.7 million head by more than 0.0 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 3,000 head,
ranging from 0 to 15,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has
been above the latest estimate 4 times and has been below the latest estimate
3 times. This does not imply that the initial estimate is likely to
understate or overstate final inventory.
Cattle on Feed: Released May 21, 2021, 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
verage Smallest Largest Below latest Above latest
% (1,000) (number)
On feed
0 0.1 3 0 15 3 4
Placements
0.3 0.4 3 0 15 8 3
Marketings
0.2 0.4 1 0 15 4 2
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
Ryan Cowen - Cattle, Cattle on Feed .......... (202) 720-3040
Anthony Fischer - Hogs and Pigs .............. (202) 720-3106
Logan Hartley-Sanguinett - Sheep and Goats ... (202) 690-3236
Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278
Suzanne Richards - Dairy Products ............ (202) 720-4448
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