Cattle on Feed report April 17, 2025

REGIONAL NEWS RELEASE

United States Department of Agriculture
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
MOUNTAIN REGIONAL FIELD OFFICE
P.O. BOX 150969 · Lakewood, CO 80215-0969

CATTLE ON FEED

NOTE: This will be the last issue of the state-level Cattle on Feed report made by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. You can access the National Cattle on Feed report, which includes state-level data, from www.nass.usda.gov/publications.

ARIZONA

The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Arizona feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or larger was estimated at 228,000 head as of April 1, 2025. The latest inventory was up less than 1 percent from March 1, 2025 but 11 percent below April 1, 2024. The inventory included 213,000 steers and steer calves, 13 percent below the previous year. Heifers and heifer calves, at 15,000 head, are up 5,000 head from last year. Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 22,000 head of fed cattle during March 2025, 10 percent above the previous month’s marketings but 4 percent below the March 2024 marketings. An estimated 24,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during March 2025, up 41 percent from last month and 9 percent above the March 2024 placements. Other disappearance for March 2025 is estimated at 1,000 head, no change from last month or last year.

COLORADO

The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Colorado feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or larger was estimated at 1.0 million head as of April 1, 2025. The latest inventory was down 1 percent from March 1, 2025 but 1 percent above April 1, 2024. The inventory included 535,000 steers and steer calves, 1 percent above the previous year. The number of heifers and heifer calves, at 465,000 head, are up 1 percent from a year ago. Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 140,000 head of fed cattle during March 2025. This was unchanged from the previous month’s marketings but 13 percent below marketings one year earlier. An estimated 135,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during March 2025, 4 percent above the previous month’s placements and unchanged from the March 2024 placements. Of the number placed in March, 19 percent weighed
less than 600 pounds, 15 percent weighed from 600-699 pounds, 22 percent weighed from 700-799 pounds, 30 percent weighed 800 899 pounds, and 15 percent weighed 900 pounds or greater. Other disappearance for March 2025, at 5,000 head, was down 5,000 head from last month and the same as last year.

UNITED STATES

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 11.6 million head on April 1, 2025. The inventory was 2 percent below April 1, 2024. The inventory included 7.26 million steers and steer calves, down slightly from the previous year. This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.38 million head, down 4 percent from 2024. Placements in feedlots during March totaled 1.84 million head, 5 percent above 2024. Net placements were 1.79 million head. During March, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 335,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 285,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 475,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 506,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 175,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 65,000 head. Marketings of fed cattle during March totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent above 2024. Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during March, 4 percent below 2024.

For a full copy of the April 2025 Cattle on Feed report, please visit www.nass.usda.gov.