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.
Cottage cheese sales are on the rise across the U.S., and industry leaders believe interest on social media is contributing to the surge in consumer demand.
October 14, 2025 04:16 PM
·
“USDA can no longer keep wasting its time and personnel to deploy Commissioner Miller’s infamous traps, which USDA has deployed, tested, and has proven ineffective.”
October 14, 2025 01:19 PM
·
Even in this strong market, some beef producers are leaving money on the table by not following proven marketing practices.
October 14, 2025 12:03 PM
·
New U.S. fees on Chinese-owned and built ships took effect overnight, marking the latest escalation in maritime trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.
October 14, 2025 11:33 AM
·
President Trump is expected to press Argentina to take a tougher stance on China in exchange for political and economic support.
October 14, 2025 11:12 AM
·
Tammi Arender takes us to 3 Board Farm to meet some first-generation farmers who took a leap of faith and, in the process, found a new purpose.
October 13, 2025 02:11 PM
·
“Good flies? Is that like a good fire ant?” Miller said. “I don’t know what a good fly is. I don’t know if they’re afraid to kill house flies or stable flies, but I’m ready to kill the screwworm fly.”
October 13, 2025 01:28 PM
·
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) is urging Congress and the Trump Administration to act quickly on behalf of American agriculture.
October 13, 2025 11:42 AM
·
Better yield measurement means fairer grids, more precise breeding targets, and more dollars for truly efficient cattle.
October 13, 2025 10:45 AM
·
