The U.S. cattle on feed inventory for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.5 million head on January 1, 2026, down 3 percent from the previous year, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service Cattle on Feed report.
The inventory included 7.02 million steers and steer calves, a 3 percent decrease from 2025, accounting for 61 percent of the total. Heifers and heifer calves numbered 4.44 million head, also down 3 percent.
Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.55 million head, 5 percent below December 2024. Net placements were 1.5 million head, with the largest groups weighing between 600 and 799 pounds. Marketings of fed cattle during December rose 2 percent to 1.77 million head compared to the previous year. Other disappearance, which includes death loss and movement to pasture, totaled 58,000 head, 2 percent below 2024.
State-level data showed mixed trends, with some states like Nebraska and Kansas maintaining stable placements, while others saw declines. Overall, the report reflects a tightening cattle supply in feedlots as marketings increase slightly amid lower placements.
