Mt An 2-1 (10-09) Cattle on Feed Washington, D.C. Released October 16, 2009, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Cattle on Feed" call Jason Hardegree at (202) 720-3040, office hours 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. U.S. Cattle on Feed Up 1 Percent Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.5 million head on October 1, 2009. The inventory was 1 percent above October 1, 2008. The inventory included 6.42 million steers and steer calves, down 1 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.01 million head, up 4 percent from 2008. Placements in feedlots during September totaled 2.39 million, 5 percent above 2008. Net placements were 2.34 million head. During September, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 490,000, 600-699 pounds were 450,000, 700-799 pounds were 593,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 855,000. Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.75 million, 4 percent below 2008. This is the third lowest fed cattle marketings for the month of September since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 47,000 during September, 8 percent below 2008. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, October 1, 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2008 : 2009 :Previous Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head ---- Percent : On Feed Sep 1 : 9,997 *9,879 99 Placed on Feed During Sep : 2,281 2,388 105 Fed Cattle Marketed During Sep : 1,812 1,746 96 Other Disappearance During Sep : 51 47 92 On Feed Oct 1 : 10,415 10,474 101 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, September 1, 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2008 : 2009 :Previous Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head --- Percent : On Feed Aug 1 : 9,869 9,637 98 Placed on Feed During Aug : 2,061 *2,113 103 Fed Cattle Marketed During Aug : 1,884 *1,815 96 Other Disappearance During Aug : 49 *56 114 On Feed Sep 1 : 9,997 *9,879 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed by Class, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, October 1, 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2008 : 2009 :Previous Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 Head --- Percent : Class on Feed Oct 1 : Steers and Steer Calves : 6,513 6,416 99 Heifers and Heifer Calves : 3,848 4,012 104 Cows and Bulls : 54 46 85 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : Oct 1, 2009 : : :------------------------------------------ State : Oct 1, 2008 : Sep 1, 2009 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----------- 1,000 Head ----------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 360 275 275 76 100 CA : 505 455 465 92 102 CO : 870 860 960 110 112 ID : 195 195 205 105 105 IA : 475 510 520 109 102 KS : 2,160 2,050 2,220 103 108 NE : 2,110 2,020 2,170 103 107 NM : 173 (D) (D) (D) (D) OK : 315 325 355 113 109 SD : 175 185 195 111 105 TX : 2,590 *2,530 2,600 100 103 WA : 157 140 147 94 105 : Oth Sts1/: 330 334 362 (X) 108 : US : 10,415 *9,879 10,474 101 106 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2008 is not applicable. 1/ Includes unpublished New Mexico totals for 2009. Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Sep 2009 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Sep 2008 : Aug 2009 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 Head ---------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 24 28 27 113 96 CA : 55 53 56 102 106 CO : 255 205 260 102 127 ID : 57 42 53 93 126 IA : 81 74 105 130 142 KS : 485 550 510 105 93 NE : 550 460 550 100 120 NM : 27 (D) (D) (D) (D) OK : 60 73 80 133 110 SD : 56 36 52 93 144 TX : 510 *510 570 112 112 WA : 44 31 35 80 113 : Oth Sts1/: 77 51 90 (X) 176 : US : 2,281 *2,113 2,388 105 113 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2008 is not applicable. 1/ Includes unpublished New Mexico totals for 2009. Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed by Weight Group, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States, 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During September :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 20 20 30 25 45 65 160 150 255 260 KS : 80 85 100 115 155 155 150 155 485 510 NE : 80 65 70 90 120 120 280 275 550 550 TX : 145 175 150 160 130 160 85 75 510 570 : Oth Sts : 120 145 65 60 91 93 205 200 481 498 : US : 445 490 415 450 541 593 880 855 2,281 2,388 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During August :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 15 15 20 20 50 50 105 120 190 205 KS : 65 60 105 100 190 175 160 215 520 550 NE : 60 60 60 80 105 100 220 220 445 460 TX : 125 *200 170 140 140 110 75 60 510 *510 : Oth Sts : 100 100 55 55 81 *78 160 *155 396 *388 : US : 365 *435 410 395 566 *513 720 *770 2,061 *2,113 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number Marketed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Sep 2009 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Sep 2008 : Aug 2009 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 Head ---------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 25 27 26 104 96 CA : 53 46 44 83 96 CO : 150 190 155 103 82 ID : 41 40 42 102 105 IA : 75 73 94 125 129 KS : 400 405 330 83 81 NE : 390 350 395 101 113 NM : 20 (D) (D) (D) (D) OK : 49 56 48 98 86 SD : 44 40 41 93 103 TX : 490 *480 485 99 101 WA : 24 28 27 113 96 : Oth Sts1/: 51 80 59 (X) 74 : US : 1,812 *1,815 1,746 96 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2008 is not applicable. 1/ Includes unpublished New Mexico totals for 2009. Cattle on Feed: Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Sep 2009 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Sep 2008 : Aug 2009 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------- 1,000 Head --------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 1 1 1 100 100 CA : 2 2 2 100 100 CO : 5 5 5 100 100 ID : 1 2 1 100 50 IA : 1 1 1 100 100 KS : 15 15 10 67 67 NE : 10 10 5 50 50 NM : 1 (D) (D) (D) (D) OK : 1 2 2 200 100 SD : 2 1 1 50 100 TX : 10 10 15 150 150 WA : 1 1 1 100 100 : Oth Sts1/: 1 6 3 (X) 50 : US : 51 *56 47 92 84 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2008 is not applicable. 1/ Includes unpublished New Mexico totals for 2009. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed by Class, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Quarter, State, and United States, 2008-2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Steers & Steer Calves :Heifers & Heifer Calves: Cows and Bulls :---------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Oct 1, :Jul 1, :Oct 1, :Oct 1, :Jul 1, :Oct 1, :Oct 1, :Jul 1, :Oct 1, : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 : 2008 : 2009 : 2009 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : AZ : 359 286 272 1 1 1 0 0 2 CA : 455 410 410 50 50 55 0 0 0 CO : 515 615 650 350 290 305 5 5 5 ID : 101 105 113 89 94 91 5 1 1 IA : 345 365 365 130 155 155 0 0 0 KS : 1,225 970 1,210 920 945 1,005 15 5 5 NE : 1,200 1,130 1,240 900 785 915 10 5 15 NM : 77 58 (D) 96 36 (D) 0 0 (D) OK : 225 173 215 90 122 140 0 0 0 SD : 82 105 100 78 80 81 15 20 14 TX : 1,590 1,500 1,520 998 989 1,079 2 1 1 WA : 84 80 87 72 65 59 1 1 1 : Oth Sts1/: 255 195 234 74 107 126 1 3 2 : US : 6,513 5,992 6,416 3,848 3,719 4,012 54 41 46 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. 1/ Includes unpublished New Mexico totals for October 2009. 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 16 States are surveyed. The 16 States account for 98 percent of the cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head. 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. To assist users in evaluating the reliability of estimates in this report, the "Root Mean Square Error" is shown for selected items in the following table. 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 less than 0.1 percent (0.04). This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 10.5 million head by more than 0.04 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.1 percent. The following table also 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 2,000 head, ranging from 0 to 18,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the final estimate 3 times and has been below the final estimate 5 times. This does not imply that the initial estimate is likely to understate or overstate final inventory. Reliability of Monthly Cattle on Feed Estimates 1/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : 90% : Difference Between : : : Confidence : First and Final : Number of : Root : Level : Estimates : Months Item : Mean :--------------------------------------------------------- : Square : : : : : : First : First : Error :Percent: (000) :Average:Smallest:Largest: Above : Below : : : Head : : : : Final : Final -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent -------- 1,000 Head -------- Number : Number on : Feed : 0.0 0.1 10.5 2 0 18 3 5 : Placements : 0.2 0.3 7.2 2 0 10 2 7 : Marketings : 0.2 0.3 5.2 2 0 10 4 4 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1/ Based on data for the past 24 months. Information Contacts Listed below are the commodity specialists in the Livestock Branch of the National Agricultural Statistics Service to contact for additional information. Dan Kerestes, Chief, Livestock Branch............................(202) 720-3570 Livestock Section Scott Hollis, Head, Livestock Section............................(202) 690-2424 Jim Collom - Dairy Products..............................(202) 690-3236 Joe Gaynor - Dairy Products Prices.......................(202) 690-2168 Jason Hardegree - Cattle, Cattle on Feed.................(202) 720-3040 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter..................(515) 284-4340 Everett Olbert - Sheep and Goats.........................(202) 720-4751 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows..............(202) 720-3278 Nick Streff - Hogs and Pigs (202) 720-3106 ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge. For free access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: www.nass.usda.gov. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. Starting with the NASS Home Page at www.nass.usda.gov, under the right navigation, Receive reports by Email, click on National or State. Follow the instructions on the screen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-605-6220 FAX: 703-605-6880 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.