How to Read the USDA Cattle on Feed Report — Inventory, Placements, Marketings and Rounded Percentages
USDA Cattle on Feed of October 23, 2026: 11.4 million head on feed in 1,000+ head feedlots on October 1 (slightly below 2025); September placements 1.78 million, 12% lower; next report November 20.
Key figures (Cattle on Feed, October 2026)
As of 29 October 2026 (KST); most recently published report: Cattle on Feed, released October 23, 2026, by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), with inventory as of October 1, 2026 and placements and marketings for September. The publication page lists the next releases on November 20 and December 18, 2026, at 3:00 PM without a time zone; the NASS reports-by-date calendar for October 2026 lists the October 23 Cattle on Feed release at 3:00 pm ET. Primary source: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796119/cofd1026.txt[1][2][3]
| Indicator (U.S., feedlots with capacity of 1,000+ head, 1,000 head) | Previous (preceding month; class rows July 1, 2026) | Current (October 2026 report) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago (2025) | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle on feed, first of month | 11,168 (September 1) | 11,372 (October 1) | +204; published 102% of previous month | -46 from 11,418; published 100% of previous year, "slightly below" in the text | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
| Placements during the month | 1,620 (August) | 1,777 (September) | +157; published 110% | -244 from 2,021; published 88% | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
| Fed cattle marketings during the month | 1,517 (August) | 1,524 (September) | +7; published 100% | -108 from 1,632; published 93% | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
| Other disappearance during the month | 52 (August) | 49 (September) | -3; published 94% | -2 from 51; published 96% | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
| Steers and steer calves on feed | 7,120 (July 1) | 7,072 (October 1) | -48 (quarterly series) | +9 from 7,063; published 100% | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
| Heifers and heifer calves on feed | 4,250 (July 1) | 4,300 (October 1) | +50 (quarterly series) | -55 from 4,355; published 99% | levels and published percentages: USDA NASS primary statistical record (report tables); head differences: this page's subtraction |
Comparison basis: all figures cover only feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head and are in thousands of head as published; the percentages are the report's own percent-of-previous-year and percent-of-previous-month columns, which are rounded to whole numbers, while the head differences are this page's subtraction. The report's headline text rounds the same figures to millions (for example 11.4 million head on feed). The text release and the publication page are both from USDA and count as one source.[1]
In three lines
1. The monthly NASS report counts cattle being fattened for slaughter in U.S. feedlots of 1,000+ head, and the cattle placed into and marketed out of them.
2. As published on October 23, 2026, 11.4 million head were on feed on October 1, slightly below a year earlier, and September placements of 1.78 million head were 12% below 2025.
3. The next reports are listed for November 20 and December 18, 2026.[1][2]
What the report counts (in NASS's words)
"Cattle on feed are steers and heifers 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." "Placements are steers and heifers 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 steers and heifers 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."[1]
The headline. "Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head on October 1, 2026." "The inventory was slightly below October 1, 2025." "Placements in feedlots during September totaled 1.78 million head, 12 percent below 2025." "Marketings of fed cattle during September totaled 1.52 million head, 7 percent below 2025."[1]
Who is surveyed. "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." In other months all known feedlots in 16 states are surveyed, and "The 16 States account for approximately 98 percent of the cattle on feed in feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head." Eleven states are published individually; the other five form the "Other States" line.[1]
Reading in pairs
Stock vs flows. The inventory is a stock on the first of the month; placements, marketings and other disappearance are flows during the previous month. In the October report they balance: 11,168 on September 1 plus 1,777 placed minus 1,524 marketed minus 49 other disappearance equals 11,372 on October 1 (thousand head; this page's arithmetic). The report's net placements figure of 1.73 million head match placements minus other disappearance (1,777 minus 49 is 1,728 thousand), though the report does not define the term.[1]
Rounded percent vs the words. The October 1 inventory is shown as 100 percent of the previous year, yet the text says: "The inventory was slightly below October 1, 2025." The unrounded ratio, 11,372 to 11,418 thousand, is 99.6 percent (this page's calculation), so a 100 in the table can still be a small decline.[1]
This month vs the record. "Placements were the lowest for September since the series began in 1996." "Marketings were the lowest for September since the series began in 1996." By weight, September placements were 360,000 head under 600 pounds, 260,000 at 600-699, 385,000 at 700-799, 422,000 at 800-899, 255,000 at 900-999 and 95,000 at 1,000 pounds and over, which add to 1,777 thousand. The report does not give reasons for the low placements.[1]
First estimate vs later revisions. "Estimates for the previous month are subject to revision in all States each month when current estimates are made." The reliability section adds: "This means that chances are 2 out of 3 that the final estimate will not be above or below the current estimate of 11.4 million head by more than 0.0 percent." "Chances are 9 out of 10 that the difference will not exceed 0.1 percent." "This does not imply that the initial estimate is likely to understate or overstate final inventory."[1]
Table notes
Weight-group detail for some states is suppressed: "(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations." The class breakdown (steers versus heifers) is published quarterly, so the October table compares October 1 with July 1 rather than with September 1.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
Cattle and calves on feed in U.S. feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.4 million head (11,372 thousand) on October 1, 2026, slightly below the 11,418 thousand of October 1, 2025.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Placements in those feedlots during September 2026 totaled 1.78 million head, 12 percent below September 2025 and the lowest for September since the series began in 1996.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
Marketings of fed cattle during September 2026 totaled 1.52 million head, 7 percent below September 2025 and the lowest for September since the series began in 1996.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
On October 1, 2026, steers and steer calves accounted for 7.07 million head (62 percent of the inventory) and heifers and heifer calves for 4.30 million head.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
The USDA publication page lists the next Cattle on Feed releases on November 20 and December 18, 2026.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
The October 1, 2026 inventory equals the September 1 inventory plus September placements minus marketings and other disappearance: 11,168 + 1,777 - 1,524 - 49 = 11,372 thousand head.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's arithmetic from the U.S. table
The October 1, 2026 inventory was 99.6 percent of a year earlier (11,372 vs 11,418 thousand head), which the table rounds to 100 percent and the text describes as slightly below.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the U.S. table
Timeline
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- Why were September 2026 placements and marketings the lowest for September since 1996?
- Will the September 1, 2026 inventory be revised again?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 10/29/2026, 14:26
- Body characters
- 6,904
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 10/29/2026, 14:34
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 10/29/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 10/29/2026 | First version. Read in full the USDA NASS Cattle on Feed text release of October 23, 2026, including every state and weight-group table, the definitions, methodology, revision policy and reliability table, and the publication page listing upcoming releases; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 10/29/2026 | Revised after review: the survey FAQ now states that NASS surveys all known 1,000+ head feedlots in January and July and those in 16 states in other months; the release time is given as 3:00 PM without a time zone on the publication page, with the NASS October 2026 calendar showing 3:00 pm ET for the October 23 report; the reliability FAQ describes the 0.0 percent root mean square error as at the report's displayed precision. | Updated |
Frequently asked
How many cattle were on feed in U.S. feedlots of 1,000+ head on October 1, 2026?
11.4 million head (11,372 thousand), slightly below October 1, 2025, according to the NASS report of October 23, 2026.[1]
How many cattle were placed in U.S. feedlots of 1,000+ head in September 2026?
1.78 million head, 12 percent below September 2025 and the lowest for September since the series began in 1996; the report does not give a reason.[1]
What counts as other disappearance in the U.S. Cattle on Feed report?
Death loss, movement from feedlots to pasture and shipments to other feedlots; it was 49,000 head in September 2026, 4 percent below 2025.[1]
Why is the October 1, 2026 U.S. inventory shown as 100 percent of last year but described as slightly below?
Because the table rounds to whole percentages: 11,372 thousand against 11,418 thousand is 99.6 percent (this page's calculation), which the October 2026 table shows as 100.[1]
Does the monthly U.S. Cattle on Feed report survey every feedlot?
No: in January and July NASS surveys all known U.S. feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head; in other months, including the October 2026 report, it surveys such feedlots in 16 states, which account for about 98 percent of cattle on feed in those feedlots.[1]
How reliable is the October 2026 U.S. cattle-on-feed inventory estimate?
NASS reports a 24-month root mean square error of 0.0 percent at the report's displayed precision: chances are 9 out of 10 that the final estimate will differ from 11.4 million head by no more than 0.1 percent.[1]