Cattle on Feed ISSN: 1948-9080 Released May 18, 2012, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). United States Cattle on Feed Down 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 11.1 million head on May 1, 2012. The inventory was 1 percent below May 1, 2011. Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.52 million, 15 percent below 2011. Net placements were 1.44 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 355,000, 600-699 pounds were 250,000, 700-799 pounds were 380,000, and 800 pounds and greater were 536,000. Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.82 million, slightly above 2011. Other disappearance totaled 78,000 during April, 30 percent above 2011. Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: May 1, 2011 and 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2011 : 2012 :previous year -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed April 1 .....................: 11,257 11,482 102 Placed on feed during April .........: 1,785 1,521 85 Fed cattle marketed during April ....: 1,807 1,815 100 Other disappearance during April ....: 60 78 130 On feed May 1 .......................: 11,175 11,110 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed, Placements, Marketings, and Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots - United States: April 1, 2011 and 2012 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Number : Percent of Item :---------------------------: : 2011 : 2012 :previous year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- 1,000 head ---- percent : On feed March 1 ........................: 11,386 11,677 103 Placed on feed during March ............: 1,914 1,792 94 Fed cattle marketed during March .......: 1,990 1,918 96 Other disappearance during March .......: 53 69 130 On feed April 1 ........................: 11,257 11,482 102 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : May 1, 2012 : : :----------------------------------------- State : May 1, 2011 : April 1, 2012 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : -------------- 1,000 head ------------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ........: 282 278 276 98 99 California .....: 450 490 475 106 97 Colorado .......: 1,100 1,070 1,030 94 96 Idaho ..........: 230 225 215 93 96 Iowa ...........: 640 670 650 102 97 Kansas .........: 2,170 2,170 2,080 96 96 Nebraska .......: 2,370 2,530 2,460 104 97 Oklahoma .......: 355 320 295 83 92 South Dakota ...: 255 255 245 96 96 Texas ..........: 2,730 2,780 2,710 99 97 Washington .....: 200 233 224 112 96 : Other States ...: 393 461 450 115 98 : United States ..: 11,175 11,482 11,110 99 97 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2012 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2011 : March 2012 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 25 27 26 104 96 California .......: 57 53 45 79 85 Colorado .........: 165 160 120 73 75 Idaho ............: 34 34 28 82 82 Iowa .............: 69 73 55 80 75 Kansas ...........: 380 375 300 79 80 Nebraska .........: 370 440 370 100 84 Oklahoma .........: 76 56 47 62 84 South Dakota .....: 31 45 32 103 71 Texas ............: 500 430 410 82 95 Washington .......: 28 37 28 100 76 : Other States .....: 50 62 60 120 97 : United States ....: 1,785 1,792 1,521 85 85 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Cattle Placed on Feed by Weight Group on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : During April :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : 1,000 head : Colorado .....: 35 25 30 20 45 30 55 45 165 120 Kansas .......: 60 60 60 55 130 85 130 100 380 300 Nebraska .....: 60 50 60 50 100 90 150 180 370 370 Texas ........: 190 130 95 80 120 105 95 95 500 410 : Other States .: 100 90 65 45 90 70 115 116 370 321 : United States : 445 355 310 250 485 380 545 536 1,785 1,521 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : During March :--------------------------------------------------------------------- State :Under 600 lbs: 600-699 lbs : 700-799 lbs : 800+ lbs : Total :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 : 2011 : 2012 :--------------------------------------------------------------------- : 1,000 head : Colorado .....: 40 30 35 25 70 45 70 60 215 160 Kansas .......: 55 60 70 65 145 125 145 125 415 375 Nebraska .....: 60 50 70 70 120 120 140 200 390 440 Texas ........: 135 155 110 90 150 115 95 70 490 430 : Other States .: 90 95 75 50 104 95 135 147 404 387 : United States : 380 390 360 300 589 500 585 602 1,914 1,792 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Number of Cattle Marketed on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2012 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2011 : March 2012 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------------ 1,000 head ----------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 18 27 27 150 100 California .......: 55 61 58 105 95 Colorado .........: 150 175 150 100 86 Idaho ............: 23 38 36 157 95 Iowa .............: 76 71 72 95 101 Kansas ...........: 385 395 380 99 96 Nebraska .........: 370 460 420 114 91 Oklahoma .........: 74 74 70 95 95 South Dakota .....: 39 48 40 103 83 Texas ............: 530 470 465 88 99 Washington .......: 33 36 34 103 94 : Other States .....: 54 63 63 117 100 : United States ....: 1,807 1,918 1,815 100 95 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Disappearance on 1,000+ Capacity Feedlots by Month - States and United States: 2011 and 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : During April 2012 : During : During :-------------------------------------------- State : April 2011 : March 2012 : : Percent of : Percent of : : : Number :previous year :previous month --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---------- 1,000 head ---------- ----- percent ---- : Arizona ..........: 1 1 1 100 100 California .......: 2 2 2 100 100 Colorado .........: 5 5 10 200 200 Idaho ............: 1 1 2 200 200 Iowa .............: 3 2 3 100 150 Kansas ...........: 15 10 10 67 100 Nebraska .........: 10 20 20 200 100 Oklahoma .........: 2 2 2 100 100 South Dakota .....: 2 2 2 100 100 Texas ............: 10 20 15 150 75 Washington .......: 2 1 3 150 300 : Other States .....: 7 3 8 114 267 : United States ....: 60 69 78 130 113 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 0.2 percent. This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 11.1 million head by more than 0.1 percent. Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.3 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 14,000 head, ranging from 0 to 47,000 head. During this period the initial estimate has been above the latest estimate 13 times and has been below the latest estimate 7 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 ---- : Number on feed ...............: 0.2 0.3 14 0 47 7 13 : Placements ...................: 0.3 0.5 4 0 18 9 8 : Marketings ...................: 0.3 0.5 3 0 20 7 6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Sherry Bertramsen - Livestock Slaughter ...... (515) 284-4340 Doug Bounds - Hogs and Pigs .................. (202) 720-3106 James Collom - Dairy Products ................ (202) 690-3236 Mike Miller - Milk Production and Milk Cows .. (202) 720-3278 Vacant - Sheep and Goats ..................... (202) 720-4751 Access to NASS Reports For your convenience, you may access NASS reports and products the following ways: All reports are available electronically, at no cost, on the NASS web site: http://www.nass.usda.gov Both national and state specific reports are available via a free e- mail subscription. 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