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USDA numbers product of statistics

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Lack of accuracy is a frequent criticism of several USDA reports.

Derrell Peel, Livestock Marketing Specialist at Oklahoma State University tells Brownfield, as an example, the July USDA cattle on feed report was less accurate than January because of a smaller statistical base, but long term, these reports give the best indication of what’s out there, “As long as that estimate is done consistently over time, when you look at the trends, from one year to the next, in those data series as they continue over time, it still provides, in my mind, a very and useful frame of reference for what’s going on in the industry.”

Peel says a bigger issue is USDA’s suspension of a mid-year cattle inventory report, “In my mind, its’ part of a bigger picture of trying to whittle away at our data system and reduce data that’s needed for the cattle industry. Very importantly, the July report is typically where we get our first estimate of what the 2016 calf crop would be.”

The USDA’s next set of cattle on feed numbers is out August 19th.

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