PURPOSE
The Cattle on Feed surveys provide estimates of the number
of cattle being fed a ration of grain, silage, hay and/or
protein supplements for the slaughter market that are expected
to produce a carcass that will grade select or better.
COVERAGE
The Cattle on Feed survey is conducted in the 17 largest
cattle-feeding States. About 2,000 known cattle feeders with
a capacity of 1,000 or more head are enumerated. Feedlots
with 1,000 or more head capacity represent about 84 percent
of all fed cattle in the U.S. The 17 largest states represent
98 percent of U.S. cattle on feed in lots of 1,000 head or
more capacity. Data are used in conjunction with Cattle Inventory
data from January and July to obtain a measure of cattle on
feed not included in the survey.
CONTENT
Cattle feeders provide data on inventory, placement into
feedlots, marketings from feedlots, and other disappearance
from feedlots (deaths, returned to grazing, movement to another
feedlot). They provide further information on placement by
weight group, and inventory by class. Supplemental data about
the number of lots by size group including lots with less
than 1,000 head capacity are published annually in February.
FREQUENCY
The Cattle on Feed survey is conducted monthly. Inventory
by class, which breaks inventory into steers, heifers, and
cows and bulls is asked on a quarterly basis. Estimates are
published for the 12 largest states and the U.S.
METHODS
The reference date for the surveys is the first day of each
month. Data collection occurs for 7 to 10 days beginning at
the reference date. Due to the repeated contact of the respondents,
convenience of reporting by respondents is critical to the
success of the program. A considerable amount of time and
effort is expended to tailor the data collection to the operation
as well as coordinate the data collection with other surveys
underway. Mail out/mail back data collection is used and emphasized
as a cost effective and less burdensome method of data collection.
Relative to other surveys, a substantial number of personal
interviews are conducted for operators who prefer and request
this method. There are many extremely large cattle feeders
who play a key role in many states’ cattle industries,
and every effort is put forth to build a partnership with
them as reporters. However, the primary method of collecting
data is phone enumeration.
Phone enumerators utilize Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing
(CATI), a sophisticated software which allows them to verbally
maintain a conversation with the respondent while following
the instrument flow and question text. Reported data are entered
directly into an electronic format and the software performs
simple consistency checks as well as checks against previously
reported data which drastically reduce the need to make follow
up contacts to the respondent.
PRODUCTS
The monthly Cattle on Feed report is normally released on
the third Friday of each month with inventory data pertaining
to the first of that month.
USES
The cattle on feed estimates provide an important near-term
outlook for beef supplies coming to market. Current marketings
are heavily correlated with Livestock Slaughter. Cattle on
feed placements by size group provide producers and analysts
information to forecast marketings in a time period from approximately
three to eight months following each monthly report.
Cumulative placements can be used with January and July Cattle
reports to monitor feeder cattle supplies. Inventory by class
can be used with January and July Cattle reports to monitor
heifer retention in the cow/calf breeding herd.
Benefactors of these data series’ range throughout
the beef marketing channel. These would include cow/calf producers,
backgrounding operations, cattle feeders, meat packers, wholesalers,
and retailers. Cattle on feed inventories correlate with the
utilization of feed grains, impacting these and other input
suppliers.
SPECIAL FEATURES
In February, estimates of the total number of operations
feeding cattle and the number of operations by herd size are
also made. The total inventory for each range of herd size
is included.
RELATED PROGRAMS
Cattle Inventory
Meat Animals: Production, Disposition, and Income
Livestock Slaughter
Farm Numbers, Land in Farms, and Livestock Operations
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