Cattle on Feed - Publication

Cattle on Feed
ISSN: 1948-9080

Released November 22, 2013, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA).

United States Cattle on Feed Down 6 Percent
Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head
totaled 10.6 million head on November 1, 2013. The inventory was 6 percent below November 1, 2012.
Placements in feedlots during October totaled 2.39 million, 10 percent above 2012. Net placements were 2.32 million
head. During October, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 720,000, 600-699 pounds were
584,000, 700-799 pounds were 510,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 580,000.
Marketings of fed cattle during October totaled 1.86 million, 1 percent above 2012.
Other disappearance totaled 75,000 during October, 4 percent below 2012.

Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity
Feedlots – United States: November 1, 2012 and 2013
Item

Number
2012
(1,000 head)

On feed October 1 .................................................................................
Placed on feed during October ...............................................................
Fed cattle marketed during October .......................................................
Other disappearance during October .....................................................
On feed November 1 ..............................................................................

Percent of
previous year

2013
(1,000 head)

10,989
2,180
1,837
78
11,254

(percent)

10,144
2,394
1,856
75
10,607

92
110
101
96
94

Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity
Feedlots – United States: October 1, 2012 and 2013
Item

Number
2012
(1,000 head)

On feed September 1 .............................................................................
Placed on feed during September ..........................................................
Fed cattle marketed during September ..................................................
Other disappearance during September .................................................
On feed October 1 .................................................................................

2

Percent of
previous year

2013

10,647
2,004
1,598
64
10,989

(1,000 head)
9,876
2,025
1,695
62
10,144

(percent)
93
101
106
97
92

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month – States and United States:
2012 and 2013
November 1, 2013
State

November 1, 2012

October 1, 2013

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

Number
(1,000 head)

Percent of
previous year

Percent of
previous month

(percent)

(percent)

Arizona ............................
California .........................
Colorado ..........................
Idaho ...............................
Iowa .................................
Kansas ............................
Nebraska .........................
Oklahoma ........................
South Dakota ...................
Texas ..............................
Washington .....................

265
480
1,030
240
590
2,220
2,480
345
220
2,670
248

268
500
870
210
560
2,000
2,210
285
180
2,460
184

270
505
950
220
590
2,050
2,370
270
200
2,530
203

102
105
92
92
100
92
96
78
91
95
82

101
101
109
105
105
103
107
95
111
103
110

Other States ....................

466

417

449

96

108

United States ...................

11,254

10,144

10,607

94

105

Cattle on Feed Inventory on 1,000+ Capacity
Feedlots – United States
Million head
12.0
11.5
11.0

10.5
10.0
2012

2013

9.5
Jan

Feb

Mar

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

3

Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month – States and United States:
2012 and 2013
State

During October 2013

During
October 2012

During
September 2013

Number

Percent of
previous year

Percent of
previous month

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

(percent)

(percent)

Arizona ..............................
California ...........................
Colorado ............................
Idaho ..................................
Iowa ...................................
Kansas ...............................
Nebraska ...........................
Oklahoma ..........................
South Dakota .....................
Texas .................................
Washington ........................

19
62
195
55
146
380
590
65
71
450
74

23
50
190
62
101
390
520
67
43
480
37

28
61
230
56
128
470
630
65
59
530
59

147
98
118
102
88
124
107
100
83
118
80

122
122
121
90
127
121
121
97
137
110
159

Other States .......................

73

62

78

107

126

United States .....................

2,180

2,025

2,394

110

118

Number of Cattle Placed on 1,000+ Capacity
Feedlots – United States
Million head
2.5

2.0

1.5
2012

2013

1.0
Jan

4

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month – States and
United States: 2012 and 2013
During October
State

Under 600 lbs

600-699 lbs

700-799 lbs

800+ lbs

Total

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

(1,000
head)

(1,000
head)

(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 ...............................
Kansas .................................
Nebraska ..............................
Texas ...................................

65
80
190
165

80
90
170
190

45
95
130
125

50
120
170
125

35
120
80
100

45
140
90
150

50
85
190
60

55
120
200
65

195
380
590
450

230
470
630
530

Other States .........................

180

190

110

119

100

85

175

140

565

534

United States ........................

680

720

505

584

435

510

560

580

2,180

2,394

During September
State

Under 600 lbs

600-699 lbs

700-799 lbs

800+ lbs

Total

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

2012

2013

(1,000
head)

(1,000
head)

(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 ...............................
Kansas .................................
Nebraska ..............................
Texas ...................................

40
80
90
185

35
70
75
185

20
85
60
130

20
85
70
110

55
105
100
100

50
120
105
115

110
105
220
65

85
115
270
70

225
375
470
480

190
390
520
480

Other States .........................

120

110

60

50

84

90

190

195

454

445

United States ........................

515

475

355

335

444

480

690

735

2,004

2,025

Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month – States and United States:
2012 and 2013
State

During
October 2012
(1,000 head)

During October 2013

During
September 2013

Number

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

Percent of
previous year

Percent of
previous month

(percent)

(percent)

Arizona ..............................
California ...........................
Colorado ............................
Idaho .................................
Iowa ...................................
Kansas ..............................
Nebraska ...........................
Oklahoma ..........................
South Dakota .....................
Texas ................................
Washington .......................

25
54
160
44
143
365
425
54
45
440
38

20
53
145
41
89
355
390
60
32
430
36

25
52
145
45
96
400
455
78
38
440
39

100
96
91
102
67
110
107
144
84
100
103

125
98
100
110
108
113
117
130
119
102
108

Other States ......................

44

44

43

98

98

United States .....................

1,837

1,695

1,856

101

109

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

5

Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity
Feedlots – United States
Million head
2.2

2.0

1.8

1.6
2012

2013

1.4
Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month – States and United States:
2012 and 2013
State

During October 2013

During
October 2012

During
September 2013

Number

Percent of
previous year

Percent of
previous month

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

(1,000 head)

(percent)

(percent)

Arizona ..............................
California ...........................
Colorado ............................
Idaho ..................................
Iowa ...................................
Kansas ...............................
Nebraska ...........................
Oklahoma ..........................
South Dakota .....................
Texas .................................
Washington ........................

1
3
5
1
3
25
15
1
1
20
1

1
2
5
1
2
15
10
2
1
20
1

1
4
5
1
2
20
15
2
1
20
1

100
133
100
100
67
80
100
200
100
100
100

100
200
100
100
100
133
150
100
100
100
100

Other States .......................

2

2

3

150

150

United States .....................

78

62

75

96

121

6

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Terms and Definitions of Cattle on Feed Estimates
Cattle on feed are animals 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 cattle 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 cattle 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 11 of the 16 States. Data collected from the remaining 5
States are used to establish the “Other States” estimates. These 5 States include Illinois, Minnesota, 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 0.1 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the
final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 10.6 million head by more than 0.1 percent. Chances are
9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.2 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 4,000 head, ranging from 0 to 35,000 head. During this period the
initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 3 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 (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

7

Reliability of Monthly Cattle on Feed Estimates
[Based on data for the past 24 months]
Item

Difference between first and latest estimate

Root mean
square error

90 percent
confidence
level

Average

Smallest

Largest

(percent)

(percent)

(1,000)

(1,000)

(1,000)

Months
Below latest

Above latest

(number)

(number)

Number on feed .............................

0.1

0.2

4

0

35

3

3

Placements ....................................

0.3

0.4

2

0

20

4

3

Marketings .....................................

0.2

0.4

1

0

20

3

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@nass.usda.gov
Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch .......................................................................................................... (202) 720-3570
Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section ............................................................................................................. (202) 690-2424
Travis Averill – Cattle, Cattle on Feed ..................................................................................................... (202) 720-3040
Doug Bounds – Hogs and Pigs ................................................................................................................. (202) 720-3106
Alissa Cowell-Mytar – Sheep and Goats .................................................................................................. (202) 720-4751
Donnie Fike – Dairy Products .................................................................................................................. (202) 690-3236
Tiffany Hora – Livestock Slaughter ......................................................................................................... (515) 284-4340
Mike Miller – Milk Production and Milk Cows ....................................................................................... (202) 720-3278

8

Cattle on Feed (November 2013)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

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