Cattle On Feed

United States Cattle on Feed Down 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 11.4 million head on May 1, 2025. The inventory was 2 percent below May 1, 2024.

Placements in feedlots during April totaled 1.61 million head, 3 percent below 2024. Net placements were 1.56 million head. During April, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 310,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 225,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 370,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 443,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 195,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 70,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during April totaled 1.83 million head, 3 percent below 2024.

Other disappearance totaled 50,000 head during April, 11 percent below 2024.

In May 2025, cattle on feed inventory across the major feeding states of Texas, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, and Iowa showed a notable downward trend compared to April, reflecting a broader contraction in U.S. feedlot numbers. Texas recorded the largest month-to-month decline, down 80,000 head to 2.59 million. Nebraska and Kansas each saw inventories drop by 50,000 head, reporting 2.55 million and 2.29 million, respectively. Colorado feedyards also pulled back by 40,000 head, bringing their total to 960,000. Iowa was the only among these five to maintain steady levels, holding firm at 680,000 head, unchanged from the previous month. Nationally, the total on-feed inventory dropped by 262,000 head, signaling tightening supplies and possibly reflecting early placements pulled forward in response to strong feeder markets and drought-impacted grazing decisions. Notably, every state reported lower inventory month-over-month except Arizona, which posted a modest gain of 3,000 head, rising to 231,000. This broad-based decline reinforces expectations of tighter fed cattle supplies heading into summer.