News Release

SIOUX FALLS, January 21, 2005 -- South Dakota's 1,000+ capacity feedlots reported 192,000 cattle on feed for the slaughter market on January 1, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. The January 1 number is down 8,000 head from a year ago but up 6,000 from December.

Placements during December totaled 42,000 head, up 11,000 from a year earlier but down 9,000 from November.

Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 34,000 head, up 4,000 head from last year and up 1,000 from November.

Other disappearance during December totaled 2,000 head, up 1,000 from both last year and last month.

Steer and steer calves totaled 98,000 head, 51 percent of the total cattle on feed. Heifer and heifer calves totaled 74,000 head, 39 percent of the total cattle on feed. Bulls and cows totaled 20,000 head, accounting for 10 percent of the total cattle on feed.
    

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