Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Minnesota for feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 135,000 head on January 1, 2020, according to the latest USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Cattle on Feed report. 

This is down 5,000 head from December 1, 2019, and down 20,000 head from January 1, 2019.

Placements during December totaled 10,000 head, down 15,000 head from November 2019 and down 2,000 head from December 2018. 

Marketings for December were 14,000 head, unchanged from November 2019 but down 2,000 head from December 2018. 

Meanwhile, nationally cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on January 1, 2020. The inventory was 2 percent above January 1, 2019. 

The inventory included 7.37 million steers and steer calves, up 1 percent from the previous year. 

This group accounted for 62 percent of the total inventory. 

Heifers and heifer calves accounted for 4.59 million head, up 4 percent from 2019.

Placements in feedlots during December totaled 1.83 million head, 3 percent above 2019. 

Net placements were 1.76 million head. 

During December, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 465,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 455,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 413,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 295,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 95,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 105,000 head.

Marketings of fed cattle during December totaled 1.83 million head, 5 percent above 2018.