Friday April 17 Cattle on Feed Report - Fairly Close to Pre-report Estimates

 United States Cattle on Feed Down 1 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 11.6 million head on April 1, 2026. The inventory was 1 percent below April 1, 2025.  The range of estimates was 99.1% to 100.1%. The inventory included 7.26 million steers and steer calves, down slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 63 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.32 million head, down 1 percent from 2025.

Cattle on Feed Inventory (1,000 hd - % April 1 '26)
Colorado .......:             915           92       
Iowa ..............:             690          101         
Kansas ..........:            2,360         101        
Nebraska ......:            2,640         102        
Texas ............:            2,560          96      


Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.71 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Net placements were 1.66 million head. Placements were the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996.  The placement range of estimates was 89.8% to 95.4%. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 320,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 250,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 435,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 474,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 170,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 60,000 head. 

Cattle Placed       (1,000 hd   -   % March '25)
Colorado ......:            125           93      
Iowa .............:            105          101     
Kansas .........:            410           95       
Nebraska .....:             425           85    
Texas ...........:             315           85     


Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.63 million head, 6 percent below 2025. Marketings were the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996.  The pre-report guesses had a range of 92.3% to 95.3%. Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during March, 9 percent below 2025. 

Cattle Marketed    (1,000 hd   -   % March '25)
Colorado ......:            130           93     
Iowa .............:             93          100     
Kansas .........:            390           98     
Nebraska .....:            445           94       
Texas ...........:            275           83