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More South Dakota Cattle In Feedlots Than Year Ago

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Large South Dakota feedlots have more cattle than a year ago.

The U.S. Agriculture Department’s National Agricultural Statistics Service says lots with capacities of 1,000 or more head contained 230,000 cattle on feed on Feb. 1. That’s up 5 percent from last year.

Placements for cattle headed to slaughter during January totaled 30,000 head, down 23 percent from 2014.

The ag service says it revised monthly cattle on feed estimates back to February 2013 to better align with the definition that cattle should grade select or better to be counted in the cattle on feed program. That means cows and bulls have been removed from these previous estimates and future cattle on feed estimates.