Mt An 2-1 (4-04) Cattle on Feed National Agricultural Statistics Service USDA Washington, D.C. Released April 16, 2004, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on Cattle on Feed call Steve Anderson at (202) 720-3040, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. U.S. Cattle on Feed Up Slightly Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.75 million head on April 1, 2004. The inventory was slightly above April 1, 2003 and 7 percent below April 1, 2002. The inventory included 6.62 million steers and steer calves, down 2 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.06 million head, up 4 percent from 2003. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.80 million, 11 percent below 2003 and 8 percent below 2002. Net placements were 1.74 million. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 347,000, 600-699 pounds were 346,000, 700-799 pounds were 641,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 470,000. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.97 million, 9 percent above 2003 and 8 percent above 2002. Other disappearance totaled 67,000 during March, 8 percent above 2003 and 3 percent below 2002. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, April 1, 2002-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : 2004 as % of Item :-------------------------------------------- : 2002 : 2003 : 2004 : 2002 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 Head ------ Percent : On Feed Mar 1 1/ : 11,518 10,546 10,977 95 104 Placed on Feed During Mar : 1,953 2,032 1,804 92 89 Fed Cattle Marketed During Mar : 1,825 1,803 1,966 108 109 Other Disappearance During Mar 2/ : 69 62 67 97 108 On Feed Apr 1 1/ : 11,577 10,713 10,748 93 100 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass that will grade select or better. 2/ Includes death loss, movement from feedlots to pasture, and shipments to other feedlots for further feeding. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, March 1, 2002-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : 2004 as % of Item :-------------------------------------------- : 2002 : 2003 : 2004 : 2002 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 Head ------ Percent : On Feed Feb 1 1/ : 11,572 10,700 11,128 96 104 Placed on Feed During Feb : 1,810 1,650 1,610 89 98 Fed Cattle Marketed During Feb : 1,801 1,733 1,692 94 98 Other Disappearance During Feb 2/ : 63 71 69 110 97 On Feed Mar 1 1/ : 11,518 10,546 10,977 95 104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass that will grade select or better. 2/ Includes death loss, movement from feedlots to pasture, and shipments to other feedlots for further feeding. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed by Class, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, April 1, 2002-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : 2004 as % of Item :-------------------------------------------- : 2002 : 2003 : 2004 : 2002 : 2003 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ 1,000 Head ----- Percent : Class on Feed Apr 1 : Steers and Steer Calves : 7,232 6,722 6,620 92 98 Heifers and Heifer Calves : 4,302 3,921 4,061 94 104 Cows and Bulls : 43 70 67 156 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2003-2004 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Apr 1, 2004 : : :------------------------------------------ State : Apr 1, 2003 : Mar 1, 2004 : : as % of : as % of : : : Number : 2003 : Mar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 Head ------------ ---- Percent ---- : AZ : 278 295 293 105 99 CA : 475 500 495 104 99 CO : 970 1,020 970 100 95 ID : 280 265 255 91 96 IA : 375 405 415 111 102 KS : 2,320 2,390 2,360 102 99 NE : 2,190 2,270 2,210 101 97 NM : 105 112 105 100 94 OK : 340 335 330 97 99 SD : 210 210 205 98 98 TX : 2,670 2,690 2,640 99 98 WA : 180 175 170 94 97 : Oth Sts: 320 310 300 94 97 : US : 10,713 10,977 10,748 100 98 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Cattle and calves on feed are animals for slaughter market being fed a ration of grain or other concentrates and are expected to produce a carcass that will grade select or better. Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Mar 2004 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Mar 2003 : Feb 2004 : : as % of : as % of : : : Number : 2003 : Feb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 Head ----------- ---- Percent ---- : AZ : 31 27 33 106 122 CA : 62 56 70 113 125 CO : 160 155 150 94 97 ID : 58 43 39 67 91 IA : 56 61 69 123 113 KS : 510 390 460 90 118 NE : 320 350 295 92 84 NM : 16 16 16 100 100 OK : 94 47 74 79 157 SD : 39 43 33 85 77 TX : 600 350 490 82 140 WA : 31 24 29 94 121 : Oth Sts: 55 48 46 84 96 : US : 2,032 1,610 1,804 89 112 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed by Weight Group, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States, 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 15 15 26 30 61 60 58 45 160 150 KS : 45 55 105 95 200 195 160 115 510 460 NE : 22 32 55 47 113 106 130 110 320 295 TX : 78 120 128 120 248 180 146 70 600 490 : Oth Sts : 110 125 75 54 120 100 137 130 442 409 : US : 270 347 389 346 742 641 631 470 2,032 1,804 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During February :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 15 13 37 38 67 58 41 46 160 155 KS : 35 55 105 85 165 150 105 100 410 390 NE : 40 51 69 63 124 125 97 111 330 350 TX : 70 85 100 100 137 125 63 40 370 350 : Oth Sts : 100 115 60 65 100 90 120 95 380 365 : US : 260 319 371 351 593 548 426 392 1,650 1,610 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed: Number Marketed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Mar 2004 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Mar 2003 : Feb 2004 : : as % of : as % of : : : Number : 2003 : Feb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 Head ----------- ---- Percent ---- : AZ : 29 25 32 110 128 CA : 58 52 71 122 137 CO : 175 165 190 109 115 ID : 57 52 46 81 88 IA : 60 40 56 93 140 KS : 410 405 470 115 116 NE : 310 345 350 113 101 NM : 22 20 21 95 105 OK : 71 59 77 108 131 SD : 43 32 36 84 113 TX : 480 420 530 110 126 WA : 30 32 33 110 103 : Oth Sts: 58 45 54 93 120 : US : 1,803 1,692 1,966 109 116 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed: Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2003-2004 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Mar 2004 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Mar 2003 : Feb 2004 : : as % of : as % of : : : Number : 2003 : Feb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 Head ---------- ---- Percent ---- : AZ : 3 3 3 100 100 CA : 4 4 4 100 100 CO : 5 10 10 200 100 ID : 1 1 3 300 300 IA : 1 1 3 300 300 KS : 20 15 20 100 133 NE : 10 15 5 50 33 NM : 1 1 2 200 200 OK : 3 3 2 67 67 SD : 1 1 2 200 200 TX : 10 10 10 100 100 WA : 1 2 1 100 50 : Oth Sts: 2 3 2 100 67 : US : 62 69 67 108 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Includes death loss, movement from feedlots to pasture, and shipments to other feedlots for further feeding. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed by Class, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Quarter, State, and United States, 2003-2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers & Steer Calves :Heifers & Heifer Calves: Cows and Bulls :----------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Apr 1, :Jan 1, :Apr 1, :Apr 1, :Jan 1, :Apr 1, :Apr 1, :Jan 1, :Apr 1, : 2003 : 2004 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2004 : 2003 : 2004 : 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : AZ : 274 289 289 4 4 4 0 0 0 CA : 445 470 465 30 40 30 0 0 0 CO : 590 625 575 375 410 390 5 5 5 ID : 179 191 160 100 108 95 1 1 0 IA : 240 250 260 134 119 154 1 1 1 KS : 1,270 1,270 1,230 1,030 1,150 1,110 20 10 20 NE : 1,305 1,310 1,300 860 940 890 25 30 20 NM : 52 50 49 53 65 56 0 0 0 OK : 220 200 200 118 155 129 2 0 1 SD : 107 110 112 95 74 81 8 16 12 TX : 1,710 1,720 1,670 955 1,107 967 5 3 3 WA : 100 125 105 80 73 65 0 2 0 : Oth Sts : 230 235 205 87 85 90 3 10 5 : US : 6,722 6,845 6,620 3,921 4,330 4,061 70 78 67 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 U.S. 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 17 States are surveyed. The 17 States account for 98 percent of the cattle on feed. 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 setting 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. The next Cattle on Feed report will be released at 3 p.m. ET on May 21, 2004. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 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