Cattle on Feed
ISSN: 1948-9080
Released September 18, 2015, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA).
United States Cattle on Feed Up 3 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 9.99 million head on
September 1, 2015. The inventory was 3 percent above September 1, 2014.
Placements in feedlots during August totaled 1.63 million head, 5 percent
below 2014. Net placements were 1.57 million head. During August, placements
of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 395,000 head, 600-699
pounds were 215,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 362,000 head, and 800 pounds
and greater were 660,000 head. Placements are the lowest for August since the
series began in 1996.
Marketings of fed cattle during August totaled 1.59 million head, 6 percent
below 2014. Marketings are the lowest for August since the series began in
1996.
Other disappearance totaled 60,000 head during August, 9 percent below 2014.
Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on
1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: September 1, 2014 and 2015
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Number : Percent of
Item :---------------------------:
: 2014 : 2015 :previous year
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ---- 1,000 head --- percent
:
On feed August 1 .......................: 9,752 10,002 103
Placed on feed during August ...........: 1,725 1,632 95
Fed cattle marketed during August ......: 1,692 1,588 94
Other disappearance during August ......: 66 60 91
On feed September 1 ....................: 9,719 9,986 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on
1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: August 1, 2014 and 2015
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: Number : Percent of
Item :---------------------------:
: 2014 : 2015 :previous year
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ---- 1,000 head ---- percent
:
On feed July 1 .........................: 10,043 10,236 102
Placed on feed during July .............: 1,559 1,547 99
Fed cattle marketed during July ........: 1,787 1,725 97
Other disappearance during July ........: 63 56 89
On feed August 1 .......................: 9,752 10,002 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States:
2014 and 2015
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : : September 1, 2015
: : :--------------------------------------------
State :September 1, 2014: August 1, 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of
: : : Number :previous year :previous month
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: -------------- 1,000 head ------------- ----- percent ----
:
Arizona ..........: 257 239 241 94 101
California .......: 415 455 455 110 100
Colorado .........: 780 790 780 100 99
Idaho ............: 170 220 215 126 98
Iowa .............: 580 630 620 107 98
Kansas ...........: 1,950 1,930 1,950 100 101
Minnesota ........: 112 133 140 125 105
Nebraska .........: 2,110 2,200 2,200 104 100
Oklahoma .........: 245 250 250 102 100
South Dakota .....: 175 210 205 117 98
Texas ............: 2,450 2,440 2,450 100 100
Washington .......: 180 210 195 108 93
:
Other States .....: 295 295 285 97 97
:
United States ....: 9,719 10,002 9,986 103 100
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and
United States: 2014 and 2015
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : : During August 2015
: During : During :--------------------------------------------
State : August 2014 : July 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of
: : : Number :previous year :previous month
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----
:
Arizona ..........: 21 23 21 100 91
California .......: 40 41 41 103 100
Colorado .........: 145 90 130 90 144
Idaho ............: 33 37 36 109 97
Iowa .............: 63 71 70 111 99
Kansas ...........: 410 395 370 90 94
Minnesota ........: 15 11 22 147 200
Nebraska .........: 425 390 410 96 105
Oklahoma .........: 50 38 50 100 132
South Dakota .....: 35 17 31 89 182
Texas ............: 410 365 385 94 105
Washington .......: 44 34 30 68 88
:
Other States .....: 34 35 36 106 103
:
United States ....: 1,725 1,547 1,632 95 105
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month -
States and United States: 2014 and 2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: During August
:---------------------------------------------------------------------
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 20 15 10 35 30 65 70 145 130
Kansas ...........: 75 65 80 65 110 95 145 145 410 370
Nebraska .........: 55 50 50 35 95 85 225 240 425 410
Texas ............: 170 175 95 70 85 85 60 55 410 385
:
Other States .....: 80 85 45 35 70 67 140 150 335 337
:
United States ....: 410 395 285 215 395 362 635 660 1,725 1,632
:---------------------------------------------------------------------
: During July
:---------------------------------------------------------------------
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 .........: 25 20 15 15 20 15 30 40 90 90
Kansas ...........: 80 65 70 70 110 115 140 145 400 395
Nebraska .........: 55 40 50 50 85 85 185 215 375 390
Texas ............: 185 155 85 70 85 65 55 75 410 365
:
Other States .....: 80 85 40 30 54 47 110 145 284 307
:
United States ....: 425 365 260 235 354 327 520 620 1,559 1,547
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States:
2014 and 2015
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : : During August 2015
: During : During :--------------------------------------------
State : August 2014 : July 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of
: : : Number :previous year :previous month
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ----
:
Arizona ..........: 25 22 17 68 77
California .......: 40 41 36 90 88
Colorado .........: 150 125 135 90 108
Idaho ............: 37 41 40 108 98
Iowa .............: 80 80 77 96 96
Kansas ...........: 345 395 340 99 86
Minnesota ........: 17 18 14 82 78
Nebraska .........: 440 455 400 91 88
Oklahoma .........: 44 47 49 111 104
South Dakota .....: 34 34 34 100 100
Texas ............: 415 395 360 87 91
Washington .......: 33 38 44 133 116
:
Other States .....: 32 34 42 131 124
:
United States ....: 1,692 1,725 1,588 94 92
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States:
2014 and 2015
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: : : During August 2015
: During : During :--------------------------------------------
State : August 2014 : July 2015 : : Percent of : Percent of
: : : Number :previous year :previous month
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ----
:
Arizona ..........: 1 2 2 200 100
California .......: 5 5 5 100 100
Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100
Idaho ............: 1 1 1 100 100
Iowa .............: 3 1 3 100 300
Kansas ...........: 15 10 10 67 100
Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100
Nebraska .........: 15 15 10 67 67
Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100
South Dakota .....: 1 3 2 200 67
Texas ............: 15 10 15 100 150
Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100
:
Other States .....: 2 1 4 200 400
:
United States ....: 66 56 60 91 107
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 9.99 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 49,000 head,
ranging from 0 to 97,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has
been above the latest estimate 16 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 49 0 97 4 16
:
Placements ...................: 0.8 1.4 10 0 37 11 9
:
Marketings ...................: 0.4 0.8 3 0 29 0 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
[email protected].
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch ........... (202) 720-3570
Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ........... (202) 690-2424
Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (202) 720-3240
Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106
Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ................. (202) 690-3236
Michael Klamm - Cattle, Cattle on Feed ....... (202) 720-3040
Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278
Vacant - Sheep and Goats ..................... (202) 720-3570
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