Nebraska feedlots say the number of cattle on feed grew 5 percent to 2.55 million at the start of the year.

The Nebraska Field Office of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service says that's the largest January inventory figure since the count began in 1994.

The figures are from feedlots with capacities of greater than 1,000 cattle.

The national cattle on feed inventory was up 3 percent on January 1st with 11.9 million cattle on feed.