Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released April 19, 2024, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Up 1 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 April 1, 2024. The inventory was 1 percent above April 1, 2023. The inventory included 7.27 million steers and steer calves, up 2 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.56 million head, up 1 percent from 2023. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.75 million head, 12 percent below 2023. Net placements were 1.69 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 330,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 260,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 460,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 466,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 170,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.71 million head, 14 percent below 2023. Other disappearance totaled 57,000 head during March, 8 percent above 2023. Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2023 and 2024 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2023 : 2024 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 11,685 11,838 101 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,992 1,746 88 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,977 1,706 86 Other disappearance during March .......: 53 57 108 On feed April 1 ........................: 11,647 11,821 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: March 1, 2023 and 2024 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : 2023 : 2024 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed February 1 .....................: 11,754 11,797 100 Placed on feed during February .........: 1,723 1,890 110 Fed cattle marketed during February ....: 1,734 1,793 103 Other disappearance during February ....: 58 56 97 On feed March 1 ........................: 11,685 11,838 101 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2023 and 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Percent of Item : : :----------------------------- : 2023 : 2024 :previous year : inventory -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head --- percent percent : Class on feed April 1 ..................: Steers and steer calves ..............: 7,142 7,266 102 61 Heifers and heifer calves ............: 4,505 4,555 101 39 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : April 1, 2024 : : :-------------------------------------------- State : April 1, 2023 : March 1, 2024 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Inventory :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------------- 1,000 head -------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 257 258 256 100 99 California .......: 525 520 530 101 102 Colorado .........: 980 1,020 990 101 97 Idaho ............: 320 345 345 108 100 Iowa .............: 640 650 660 103 102 Kansas ...........: 2,430 2,400 2,400 99 100 Minnesota ........: 95 105 105 111 100 Nebraska .........: 2,530 2,560 2,540 100 99 Oklahoma .........: 260 330 330 127 100 South Dakota .....: 220 245 250 114 102 Texas ............: 2,810 2,820 2,840 101 101 Washington .......: 255 255 245 96 96 : Other States .....: 325 330 330 102 100 : United States ....: 11,647 11,838 11,821 101 100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2024 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2023 :February 2024 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Placements :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ---- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 28 22 22 79 100 California .......: 73 66 65 89 98 Colorado .........: 155 150 135 87 90 Idaho ............: 37 43 36 97 84 Iowa .............: 109 118 105 96 89 Kansas ...........: 460 460 400 87 87 Minnesota ........: 15 14 14 93 100 Nebraska .........: 480 505 450 94 89 Oklahoma .........: 43 38 41 95 108 South Dakota .....: 44 42 40 91 95 Texas ............: 455 355 365 80 103 Washington .......: 40 33 29 73 88 : Other States .....: 53 44 44 83 100 : United States ....: 1,992 1,890 1,746 88 92 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots and Month - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March 2023 :----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 35 45 20 (D) (D) 155 Kansas ........: 50 70 150 135 55 (D) (D) 460 Nebraska ......: 30 65 140 150 95 (D) (D) 480 Texas .........: 160 95 105 75 20 (D) (D) 455 : Other States ..: 120 60 110 112 40 (D) (D) 442 : United States .: 390 315 540 517 (X) 170 60 1,992 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February 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 30 35 35 25 (D) (D) 150 Kansas ........: 45 75 155 135 50 (D) (D) 460 Nebraska ......: 35 75 155 165 75 (D) (D) 505 Texas .........: 140 75 70 55 15 (D) (D) 355 : Other States ..: 115 75 100 95 35 (D) (D) 420 : United States .: 360 330 515 485 (X) 150 50 1,890 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 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 95 101 40 (D) (D) 396 : United States .: 330 260 460 466 (X) 170 60 1,746 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (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: 2023 and 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2024 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2023 :February 2024 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Marketings :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ---- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 30 25 23 77 92 California .......: 61 60 49 80 82 Colorado .........: 180 135 160 89 119 Idaho ............: 41 41 35 85 85 Iowa .............: 107 106 93 87 88 Kansas ...........: 480 440 390 81 89 Minnesota ........: 14 13 13 93 100 Nebraska .........: 470 480 460 98 96 Oklahoma .........: 52 37 40 77 108 South Dakota .....: 37 36 33 89 92 Texas ............: 415 345 330 80 96 Washington .......: 39 37 38 97 103 : Other States .....: 51 38 42 82 111 : United States ....: 1,977 1,793 1,706 86 95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During March 2024 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : March 2023 :February 2024 : Other : Percent of : Percent of : : :disappearance :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 7 6 6 86 100 Colorado .........: 5 5 5 100 100 Idaho ............: 1 2 1 100 50 Iowa .............: 2 2 2 100 100 Kansas ...........: 10 10 10 100 100 Minnesota ........: 1 1 1 100 100 Nebraska .........: 10 15 10 100 67 Oklahoma .........: 1 1 1 100 100 South Dakota .....: 2 1 2 100 200 Texas ............: 10 10 15 150 150 Washington .......: 1 1 1 100 100 : Other States .....: 2 1 2 100 200 : United States ....: 53 56 57 108 102 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed by Class on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Quarter - States and United States: 2023 and 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers and steer calves : Heifers and heifer calves :----------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : Apr 1, : Jan 1, : Apr 1, : 2023 : 2024 : 2024 : 2023 : 2024 : 2024 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : Arizona ............: 247 250 246 10 15 10 California .........: 440 415 435 85 105 95 Colorado ...........: 545 540 530 435 480 460 Idaho ..............: 175 180 195 145 155 150 Iowa ...............: 485 475 510 155 155 150 Kansas .............: 1,330 1,380 1,340 1,100 1,100 1,060 Minnesota ..........: 80 85 90 15 20 15 Nebraska ...........: 1,650 1,590 1,660 880 970 880 Oklahoma ...........: 145 195 185 115 140 145 South Dakota .......: 135 135 155 85 95 95 Texas ..............: 1,560 1,610 1,570 1,250 1,250 1,270 Washington .........: 140 145 135 115 125 110 : Other States .......: 210 195 215 115 125 115 : United States ......: 7,142 7,195 7,266 4,505 4,735 4,555 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 0.6 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 11.8 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 55,000 head, ranging from 0 to 115,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 0 times and has been below the latest estimate 21 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 ......................: 0.6 1.0 55 0 115 21 0 : Placements ...................: 0.5 0.9 7 0 24 10 11 : Marketings ...................: 0.1 0.2 2 0 6 10 8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Kim DaPra - Milk Production and Milk Cows .................................................. (512) 501-3266 Donnie Fike - Dairy Products ............................................................... (202) 690-3347 Anthony Fischer - Hogs and Pigs............................................................. (202) 720-3106 Suzanne Richards - Sheep and Goats ......................................................... 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