Friday January 23 Cattle on Feed report - Q4 '25 Milk Production report - Monthly Cold Storage report - Friday USDA reports

United States Cattle on Feed Down 3 Percent

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on January 1, 2026. The inventory was 3 percent below January 1, 2025. The inventory included 7.02 million steers and steer calves, down 3 percent from the previous year. This group accounted for 61 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.44 million head, down 3 percent from 2025.

On Feed, by State  (1,000 hd  -  % Jan 1 '25)
Colorado .......:        890           85        
Iowa .............:         680          105        
Kansas .........:        2,390         100        
Nebraska .....:        2,620         102       
Texas ..........:         2,530          91           

Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.55 million head, 5 percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.50 million head. During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 365,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 360,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 355,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 274,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 115,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head.

Placements by State  (1,000 hd  - % Nov '24)
Colorado .......:           120          92            
Iowa ..............:             82          90             
Kansas ..........:           380          93              
Nebraska .......:           425          92              
Texas ............:           280          110          

Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.77 million head, 2 percent above 2024. Other disappearance totaled 58,000 head during December, 2 percent below 2024.

Marketings by State  (1,000 hd  - % Nov '24)
Colorado .......:         130          100         
Iowa ..............:         100          100         
Kansas ..........:         420          100          
Nebraska .......:         465          100          
Texas .............:         345          100     



October-December Milk Production up 4.2 percent

Milk production in the United States during the October - December quarter totaled 57.8 billion pounds, up 4.2 percent from the October - December quarter last year. The average number of milk cows in the United States during the quarter was 9.56 million head, 23,000 head more than the July - September quarter, and 202,000 head more than the same period last year.

By State           million pounds - % of Q4 '24
Nebraska .......:       309.0            Unch   
Iowa ..............:      1,513.0            0.9      



USDA Cold Storage December 2025 Highlights

Total red meat supplies in freezers on December 31, 2025 were up 4 percent from the previous month but down 3 percent from last year. Total pounds of beef in freezers were up 3 percent from the previous month but down 4 percent from last year. Frozen pork supplies were up 5 percent from the previous month but down 2 percent from last year. Stocks of pork bellies were up 74 percent from last month and up 8 percent from last year.

Total frozen poultry supplies on December 31, 2025 were up 2 percent from the previous month but down 2 percent from a year ago. Total stocks of chicken were up 2 percent from the previous month and up 4 percent from last year. Total pounds of turkey in freezers were up 4 percent from last month but down 25 percent from December 31, 2024.

Total natural cheese stocks in refrigerated warehouses on December 31, 2025 were up 1 percent from the previous month and up 1 percent from December 31, 2024. Butter stocks were down 5 percent from last month and down 7 percent from a year ago.

Total frozen fruit stocks on December 31, 2025 were up 2 percent from last month and up slightly from a year ago. Total frozen vegetable stocks were down 4 percent from last month and down 7 percent from a year ago.