December 27, 2004

Cattle On Feed In US State Down From 2003

The 1,000-plus capacity feedlots in US South Dakota reported 186,000 cattle on feed for the slaughter market on Dec. 1. The figure is down 14,000 head from last year but up 17,000 head from November, according to a report from the South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service.

Feedlot placements during November totaled 51,000 head, down 3,000 from last year and down 14,000 head from October, according to the service, an agency of the US Department of Agriculture.

Sales of fed cattle during November totaled 33,000 head, up 3,000 head from last year but down 5,000 head from October.