Friday August 21 Ag News Extra - Cattle on Feed up 2% as of Aug 1 - US Milk Production up 2.2% in July - says USDA Reports

United States Cattle on Feed Up 2 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 11.1 million head on August 1, 2026, according to USDA's monthly Cattle on Feed report released Friday, August 21. The inventory was 2 percent above August 1, 2025.

On Feed - by State    Aug 01 '26  -  % Aug 01 '25
Colorado .......:               905     -      103             
Iowa ..............:               670     -       97              
Kansas ..........:              2,260    -      100              
Nebraska ......:              2,470    -      103                
Texas ............:              2,510    -      101           

Placements in feedlots during July totaled 1.42 million head, 11 percent below 2025. Net placements were 1.37 million head. Placements were the lowest for July since the series began in 1996. During July, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 310,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 215,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 320,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 322,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 185,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.

Placements by State  July '26   -  % July '25
Colorado .......:              85     -      77         
Iowa ..............:              55     -      83        
Kansas ..........:              375    -      86      
Nebraska ......:              380    -      86      
Texas ............:              290    -      100      

Marketings of fed cattle during July totaled 1.62 million head, 7 percent below 2025. Marketings were the lowest for July since the series began in 1996. Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during July, 8 percent above 2025.

Marketings by State  July '26   -  % July '25
Colorado .......:              105      -      84    
Iowa ..............:               63       -     97      
Kansas ..........:              405      -      95        
Nebraska ......:              435      -      91       
Texas ............:              330      -      92      


The estimates ahead of the report broke down like this: 
  - On-feed numbers on Aug. 1 at 102.5% of a year ago - Range of 102.3% - 102.9% 
  - Placements in July at 93.5% - Range of 92.3% - 95.1%  
  - Marketings in July at 92.6% - Range of 92.2% - 93.4%. 


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July Milk Production in the United States up 2.2 Percent

Milk production in the United States during July totaled 20.1 billion pounds, up 2.2 percent from July 2025. Production per cow in the United States averaged 2,075 pounds for July, 3 pounds above July 2025. The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.71 million head, 199,000 head more than July 2025, but unchanged from June 2026.