Mt An 2-1 (5-10) Cattle on Feed Washington, D.C. Released May 21, 2010, 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 Down 3 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 May 1, 2010. The inventory was 3 percent below May 1, 2009. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.63 million, 2 percent above 2009. Net placements were 1.54 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 365,000, 600-699 pounds were 300,000, 700-799 pounds were 469,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 495,000. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.85 million, 1 percent below 2009. Other disappearance totaled 89,000 during April, 29 percent above 2009. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, May 1, 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2009 : 2010 :Previous Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 Head ---- Percent : On Feed Apr 1 : 11,162 *10,767 96 Placed on Feed During Apr : 1,600 1,629 102 Fed Cattle Marketed During Apr : 1,871 1,854 99 Other Disappearance During Apr : 69 89 129 On Feed May 1 : 10,822 10,453 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, United States, April 1, 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2009 : 2010 :Previous Year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- 1,000 Head ---- Percent : On Feed Mar 1 : 11,228 10,874 97 Placed on Feed During Mar : 1,808 *1,856 103 Fed Cattle Marketed During Mar : 1,824 *1,903 104 Other Disappearance During Mar : 50 60 120 On Feed Apr 1 : 11,162 *10,767 96 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : May 1, 2010 : : :------------------------------------------ State : May 1, 2009 : Apr 1, 2010 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----------- 1,000 Head ----------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 311 278 268 86 96 CA : 450 440 435 97 99 CO : 1,010 930 940 93 101 ID : 210 205 210 100 102 IA : 540 600 600 111 100 KS : 2,180 2,240 2,130 98 95 NE : 2,270 2,290 2,240 99 98 NM : 120 D D D D OK : 315 340 325 103 96 SD : 230 235 235 102 100 TX : 2,680 2,640 2,510 94 95 WA : 161 171 175 109 102 : Oth Sts1/: 345 *398 385 X 97 : US : 10,822 *10,767 10,453 97 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2009 is not applicable. 1/ Beginning in July 2009, New Mexico is included in the Other State total. Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Apr 2010 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Apr 2009 : Mar 2010 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 Head ---------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 21 20 16 76 80 CA : 68 47 49 72 104 CO : 150 185 170 113 92 ID : 30 34 27 90 79 IA : 79 77 76 96 99 KS : 330 440 315 95 72 NE : 350 380 400 114 105 NM : 11 D D D D OK : 52 64 57 110 89 SD : 39 42 39 100 93 TX : 395 490 400 101 82 WA : 26 32 29 112 91 : Oth Sts1/: 49 *45 51 X 113 : US : 1,600 *1,856 1,629 102 88 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2009 is not applicable. 1/ Beginning in July 2009, New Mexico is included in the Other State total. Cattle on Feed: Number Placed on Feed by Weight Group, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : During April :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 20 30 30 35 40 45 60 60 150 170 KS : 55 55 70 60 90 100 115 100 330 315 NE : 55 70 65 70 90 120 140 140 350 400 TX : 125 115 90 85 95 120 85 80 395 400 : Oth Sts : 100 95 60 50 90 84 125 115 375 344 : US : 355 365 315 300 405 469 525 495 1,600 1,629 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : Under 600 : 600-699 : 700-799 : 800 Plus : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 : 2009 : 2010 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 Head : CO : 20 30 25 40 55 70 65 45 165 185 KS : 45 70 85 90 135 165 130 115 395 440 NE : 40 60 60 70 110 120 150 130 360 380 TX : 90 145 110 125 200 150 110 70 510 490 : Oth Sts : 110 90 60 50 93 *96 115 125 378 *361 : US : 305 395 340 375 593 *601 570 485 1,808 *1,856 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. Cattle on Feed: Number Marketed, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Apr 2010 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Apr 2009 : Mar 2010 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 Head ---------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 38 27 24 63 89 CA : 61 51 51 84 100 CO : 165 190 145 88 76 ID : 29 23 21 72 91 IA : 68 84 72 106 86 KS : 410 410 405 99 99 NE : 395 430 435 110 101 NM : 25 D D D D OK : 66 77 70 106 91 SD : 33 45 38 115 84 TX : 510 485 510 100 105 WA : 24 28 24 100 86 : Oth Sts1/: 47 *53 59 X 111 : US : 1,871 *1,903 1,854 99 97 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Revised. (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2009 is not applicable. 1/ Beginning in July 2009, New Mexico is included in the Other State total. Cattle on Feed: Other Disappearance, 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots, by Month, State, and United States 2009-2010 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During Apr 2010 : During : During :------------------------------------------ State : Apr 2009 : Mar 2010 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :Previous Year :Previous Month -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : --------- 1,000 Head --------- ----- Percent ---- : AZ : 2 1 2 100 200 CA : 2 6 3 150 50 CO : 15 5 15 100 300 ID : 1 1 1 100 100 IA : 1 3 4 400 133 KS : 20 10 20 100 200 NE : 5 10 15 300 150 NM : 3 D D D D OK : 1 2 2 200 100 SD : 1 2 1 100 50 TX : 15 15 20 133 133 WA : 1 1 1 100 100 : Oth Sts1/: 2 4 5 X 125 : US : 69 60 89 129 148 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations. (X) Comparison to 2009 is not applicable. 1/ Beginning in July 2009, New Mexico is included in the Other State total. 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 0.05 percent . This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 10.5 million head by more than 0.05 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 3,000 head, ranging from 0 to 18,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the final estimate 5 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 : 0.05 0.10 10.5 3 0 18 5 5 : Placements : 0.18 0.30 4.9 2 0 9 4 6 : Marketings : 0.30 0.50 9.3 3 0 21 4 7 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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. 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