WASHINGTON (RFD-TV)— The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) latest Cattle on Feed Report (PDF Version) for September 2025 shows a one-percent drop in cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States.
The U.S. cattle on feed inventory for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or more totaled 11.1 million head on September 1, 2025, down 1 percent from the same date last year.
Ahead of the report, analysts expected August placements at 88.6 to 93.4 percent of last year, averaging about 91.3 percent. The USDA’s reported figure came in on the lower end of that range, underscoring a slowdown in feeder cattle availability.
Contributing factors include fewer Mexican feeder imports, earlier marketing of lighter-weight calves, and a historically small beef cow herd. Other disappearance was 51,000 head, down 6 percent.
August Placements and Marketing
Placements in August totaled 1.78 million head, 10 percent below 2024, with net placements at 1.73 million. Marketings reached 1.57 million head, 14 percent lower year over year, marking the lowest August marketing level since the data series began in 1996.
- Cattle placed in feedlots during August totaled 1.78 million head, 10% below 2024 levels.
- By weight: under 600 lbs – 355,000; 600–699 lbs – 265,000; 700–799 lbs – 390,000; 800–899 lbs – 420,000; 900–999 lbs – 260,000; 1,000+ lbs – 90,000.
- Fed cattle marketings in August were 1.57 million head, 14% lower than a year ago, marking the lowest August marketings since the series began in 1996.
- Other disappearances (death, movement, or transfers) totaled 51,000 head, down 6 percent from 2024.
State Highlights
- Texas led in on-feed inventory with 2.5 million head, up slightly from August.
- Kansas reported 2.35 million head on feed, an increase over last year.
- Other major states, including Nebraska, Colorado, and Iowa, showed modest gains or declines in line with national trends.
The monthly Cattle on Feed Report is one of two major cattle-related reports released by the USDA, the other being the biannual (January and July) Cattle Inventory Report.
Comparison of this month’s Cattle Inventory Report with the same report from August shows that the herd size, 11.1 million head for September, has remained relatively steady thus far in the third quarter. The year-over-year numbers are likewise steady, with only a 1% decline compared with September, 2024.
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