Cattle on Feed Quality Measures

Cattle on Feed Methodology and
Quality Measures
ISSN: 2372-0557

Released February 21, 2020, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA).

Scope and Purpose: The Cattle on Feed surveys are conducted monthly in 16 States for all known feedlots with capacity
of 1,000 or more head. The monthly States include Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. The surveys
collect data for total cattle on feed inventory, placements, marketings, other disappearance, and placements by weight
groups. During quarterly months (January, April, July, and October) surveys collect data inventory by class for steers and
heifers.
Survey Timeline: The reference dates for the monthly surveys are the first of each month with data collection periods of
approximately 15 days, surrounding the reference date. Regional Field Offices may begin data collection one day prior to
the reference date. Data collection continues until a scheduled ending date and Regional Field Offices have one to two
business days to complete editing and analysis, execute the summary, and interpret the survey results. The Agricultural
Statistics Board (ASB) must perform the national review, reconcile State estimates to the national estimates on a monthly
basis, and prepare the official estimates for release in two to three business days. The estimates are released to the public
on the third or fourth Friday of every month.
Sampling: The Cattle on Feed surveys are conducted monthly in 16 states for all known feedlots in the United States with
capacity of 1,000 or more head. The target population includes all agricultural establishments with at least 1,000 head
feedlot capacity on the total land operated. This survey is a complete census of the records on the National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS) List Frame. The List Frame is a current list of agricultural operations, and all feedlot operations
are accounted for on the list. If a new feedlot is found at any time, the operation is added to the List Frame, and the
operation can be added to the survey sample in any month. Since this is a census of 1,000+ feedlot operations, no sample
weights exist. Each respondent operation accounts only for itself.
Data Collection and Editing: For consistency across modes, the paper version is considered the master questionnaire and
the Computer Assisted Self Interview (CASI), Mobile Computer Assisted Personal Interview (mCAPI), and Computer
Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) instruments are built to model the paper instrument. Questionnaire content and
format are evaluated annually through a specifications process where requests for changes are evaluated and approved or
disapproved. Input may vary from question wording or formatting to a program change involving the deletion or
modification of current questions or addition of new ones. If there are significant changes to either the content or format
proposed, a NASS survey methodologist will pre-test the changes for usability. Prior to the start of data collection, all
modes of instruments are reviewed and the CASI, mCAPI, and CATI instruments are thoroughly tested.
All federal data collections require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). NASS must document the
public need for the data, apply sound statistical practice, prove the data does not already exist elsewhere, and ensure the
public is not excessively burdened. The questionnaire must display an active OMB number that gives NASS the authority
to conduct the survey, a statement of the purpose of the survey and the use of the data being collected, a response burden
statement that gives an estimate of the time required to complete the form, a confidentiality statement that the
respondent’s information will only be used for statistical purposes in combination with other producers, and a statement
saying that response to the survey is voluntary and not required by law.
In addition to asking the specific cattle on feed items, all instruments collect information to verify the sampled unit,
determine any changes in the name or address and verify the farm still qualifies for the target population.

Sampled farms and ranches receive a presurvey letter explaining the survey and that they will be contacted for survey
purposes only. The letter provides the questions to be asked to allow respondents to prepare in advance and also provides
a pass code they can use to complete the survey on the internet. All modes of data collection are utilized for Cattle on
Feed surveys. Regional Field Offices are given the option of conducting a mail out/mail back phase. While mail is the
least costly mode of collection, the short data collection period and the uncertainty of postal delivery times limit its
effectiveness. Most of the data are collected on paper by phone and face-to-face. A program is run to determine if any
sampled cattle feedlots are in multiple on-going surveys, so data collection can be coordinated.
Survey Edit: As survey data are collected and captured, they are edited for consistency and reasonableness using
automated systems. The edit logic ensures the coding of administrative data follows the methodological rules associated
with the survey design. Relationships between data items on the current survey are verified and in certain situations those
items may be compared to data from earlier surveys to make sure certain relationships are logical. The edit will determine
the status of each record to be either “dirty” or “clean”. Dirty records must be updated and reedited or certified by an
analyst to be clean. If updates are needed, they are reedited interactively. Only clean records are eligible for analysis and
summary.
Analysis Tools: Edited data are processed through an interactive analysis tool which displays data for all reports by item.
The tool provides scatter plots, tables, charts, and special tabulations that allow the analyst to compare an individual
record to other similar records within their State. Outliers and unusual data relationships become evident and Regional
Field Office staff will review them to determine if they are correct. The tool also allows comparison to previously
reported data to detect data trends and/or large changes in the feedlot operation inventory items. Suspect data found to be
in error are corrected, while data found to be correct are kept.
Nonsampling Errors: Nonsampling errors are present in any survey process. These errors include reporting, recording,
editing, and imputation errors. Steps are taken to minimize the impact of these errors, such as questionnaire testing,
comprehensive interviewer training, validation and verification of processing systems, detailed computer edits, and the
analysis tool.
Estimators: The Cattle on Feed surveys are a complete enumeration of all known feedlot operations with at least 1,000
head capacity. Feedlot operations are selected from the list of all agricultural operations, and new operations are added to
the sample when discovered. No coverage adjustment is made. Response to the Cattle on Feed surveys are voluntary.
Producers may refuse to participate in the survey, may not be located during the data collection period, or may submit
incomplete reports. All non-response is handled via manual and machine imputations. Cattle on feed inventory and feedlot
capacity are manually estimated for all non-respondents. The item level non response requiring machine imputation for
placements, marketings, other disappearance, placements by weight groups, and inventory classes of steers and heifers in
the quarterly months, are handled by a computer algorithm. Data are post stratified based on inventory levels, and ratios
(using only data from completed reports) are generated and applied to the cattle on feed inventory items to impute for
missing data. The measurement of error due to sampling in the current survey period is irrelevant for a fully enumerated
census. Moreover, standard errors and coefficients of variation (CVs) are zero for all current data items collected.
Estimation: When all samples are accounted for, all responses fully edited, and the analysis material is reviewed, each
Regional Field Office executes the summary for each State being summarized. When summaries for all 16 States have
run, Headquarters executes the national summary. Identical surveys are conducted in each of the 16 States allowing for
the samples to be pooled and national survey results computed. The summary results provide multiple point estimates for
each data series being estimated. It also provides information used to assess the performance of the current survey and
evaluate the quality of the survey estimates, such as response rates and percent of the estimate from reported data.
Regional Field Offices are responsible for performing a detailed review of their survey results. Any irregularities revealed
by the summary must be investigated and, if necessary, resolved. Using the historical relationship of the survey estimates
to the official estimate, Regional Field Offices interpret the survey results and submit a recommended estimate to
Headquarters. The data are viewed in tabular and graphical form and a consensus estimate is established. Regional Field
Offices see their survey results only and do not have access to State results of other Regional Field Offices.
For the national estimates, NASS assembles a panel of statisticians to serve as the ASB which reviews the national results
and establishes the national estimates. Since larger sample sizes yield more precise results, NASS employs the “top2

Cattle on Feed Methodology and Quality Measures (March 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

down” approach by determining the national estimates first and reconciling the State estimates to the national number for
cattle on feed inventory and other components of the survey. The ASB has the advantage of being able to examine results
across states, compare the state recommendations, and utilize administrative data available only at the United States level.
The same estimators used in the State summaries are produced by the national summary. The Board follows the same
approach the States do in determining the national estimate. The historical relationship of the survey estimates to the
official estimate is evaluated over time to determine accuracy and bias using tables and graphs. Every five years NASS
conducts the Census of Agriculture, which is an exhaustive data collection effort for all known farm operations across the
U.S. The information gathered from the Census of Agriculture is used to establish bench mark levels by which the survey
estimators can be compared and bias determined. Survey based estimators can also be impacted by outliers – individual
reports that have excessive influence on the results due to either improper classification or extremely unusual data for a
given operation (i.e. operation is not representative of other operations). NASS thoroughly reviews the survey data to
identify these situations and consider their impact on the survey results when establishing the official estimates.
External information (administrative data) is also utilized in the process of setting estimates. In order to be considered,
these data must be deemed to be reliable and come from unbiased sources. The most common administrative data is
commercial slaughter. NASS employs a balance sheet approach whenever possible to ensure that estimates are as accurate
as possible. This approach typically is limited to national level estimates. A balance sheet and its components are
reviewed when the inventory numbers are established. Commercial slaughter is an important element of the balance sheet
at the national level since its high degree of reliability is based on a near-actual count of animals slaughtered. Live U.S.
imports from other countries are also considered.

Quality Metrics for Cattle on Feed
Purpose and Definitions: Under the guidance of the Statistical Policy Office of the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides data
users with quality metrics for its published data series. The metrics tables below describe the performance data for all
surveys contributing to the publication. The accuracy of data products may be evaluated through sampling and
nonsampling error. The measurement of error due to sampling in the current period is irrelevant for a fully enumerated
data series. Non-sampling error is evaluated by response rates and the percent of the estimate from reported data. For the
monthly Cattle on Feed survey both state-level and US-level estimates are published.
Sample size is the number of observations selected from the population to represent a characteristic of the
population. Operations that did not have the item of interest, did not meet the 1,000 head capacity threshold, or
were out of business at the time of data collection have been excluded.
Response rate is the proportion of the above sample that completed the survey.
Percent of estimate from reported data is the percent of the estimate that is from complete reports and not
imputed.
Cattle on Feed Survey Sample Size and Response Rate: To assist in evaluating the performance of the estimates in the
Cattle on Feed report, the average monthly sample size and response rates are displayed.

Cattle on Feed Methodology and Quality Measures (March 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

3

Cattle on Feed Survey Sample Size and Response Rate - United States: 2018 and 2019
Sample size

State

United States ..........................................................

Response rate

2018

2019

2018

2019

(number)

(number)

(percent)

(percent)

1,309

1,302

67.0

63.1

Quality Metrics for Cattle on Feed by Class – United States: 2018 and 2019
Percent of estimate
from reported data

Class

Inventory .........................................................................................................
Placements .....................................................................................................
Marketings ......................................................................................................

4

2018

2019

(percent)

(percent)
80.4
72.5
72.5

77.7
70.1
70.1

Cattle on Feed Methodology and Quality Measures (March 2020)
USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service

Information Contacts
Process
Estimation ....................................
Data Collection ............................
Questionnaires ............................
Sampling and Editing ...................
Summary and Estimators .............
Dissemination ..............................
Media Contact and Webmaster ....

Unit
Livestock Branch
Survey Administration Branch
Data Collection Branch
Sampling Editing and Imputation Methodology Branch
Summary Estimation and Disclosure Methodology Branch
Data Dissemination Office
Public Affairs Office

Telephone
(202) 720-3570
(202) 720-3895
(202) 720-6201
(202) 720-5805
(202) 720-4008
(202) 720-3869
(202) 720-2639

Email
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

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