NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States totaled 11.5 million on February 1, 2026, marking a two percent decline from the same date in 2025, according to the February report (PDF Version) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
January Feedlot Activity
Placements in feedlots during January totaled 1.74 million head, 5 percent below 2025 levels.
Net placements were 1.68 million head. Breaking down placements by weight category:
- Less than 600 pounds: 360,000 head
- 600–699 pounds: 365,000 head
- 700–799 pounds: 455,000 head
- 800–899 pounds: 381,000 head
- 900–999 pounds: 105,000 head
- 1,000 pounds and greater: 70,000 head
Marketings of fed cattle during January totaled 1.63 million head, a 13 percent drop from the previous year.
Other disappearances, which include death loss and movements to other states, totaled 55,000 head, 8 percent below January 2025.
Annual Size Group Trends
Feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head represented 82.7 percent of all cattle on feed in the U.S. on January 1, 2026, slightly up from 82.5 percent in 2025. Marketings of fed cattle from these larger feedlots during 2025 accounted for 87.1 percent of total U.S. feedlot cattle marketed, a slight decrease from 87.2 percent in 2024.
These numbers reflect ongoing tightness in the U.S. cattle supply and could continue to influence beef prices in 2026.
A fast-moving series of trade signals from the White House and key partners is resetting the near-term outlook for U.S. agriculture.
October 27, 2025 11:41 AM
·
Stay alert for trade announcements—especially border reopening timelines, tariff threats, and developments in Brazil’s export flows.
October 24, 2025 01:56 PM
·
For aging operators and their rural neighbors, staying socially engaged is a practical strategy to preserve decision-making capacity and farm vitality.
October 24, 2025 01:37 PM
·
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard joins Market Day Report for his insight on the USDA’s plan to strengthen the U.S. beef industry.
October 24, 2025 01:28 PM
·
Until a phased reopening is inked, plan for tighter feeder availability, firmer basis near border yards, and continued reliance on domestic and Canadian sources.
October 24, 2025 11:42 AM
·
Set targets and use forwards, futures, or options to manage downside while preserving room for rallies.
October 24, 2025 11:05 AM
·
RFD-TV Markets Expert Tony St. James breaks down the USDA’s newly unveiled plan to rebuild the US beef herd and the industry’s spectrum of responses to it.
October 23, 2025 03:06 PM
·
Rising demand for Comfort Colors t-shirts reinforces the pull for U.S.-grown cotton, linking rural fiber production to a fast-growing mainstream apparel brand.
October 23, 2025 03:06 PM
·
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Bernt Nelson provides an updated outlook on the current U.S. cattle market.
October 23, 2025 02:20 PM
·
