how many operating cattle stockyards are there in the u.s?

Answer 1

A large number of cattle are sent to feedlots in United States, which may be what are referring to. Stock yards as many know them are few and far between. The famous stockyards such as the Union Stockyards in Chicago and the Kansas City Stockyards have closed. Today most beef is delivered to the packing plants such as Tyson where the cattle first go through a stock yard like area, but are not kept in holding as long as they were in the "old days." I would compare today's feedlots to the stockyards of yester years.
AS of 2002 there were 684 farms/feedlots across the country with more than 5,000 cattle. There were 298 operations with 2,500 to 4,999 cattle and 968 operations with 1,000 to 2,499 cattle. Though some of these could be cow/calf operations or stockers, it does give you some idea of the larger beef cattle operations in the United States.

Answer 2

I don't think any traditional stock yards are still open. Livestock are just trucked to the packing plants since the '70's so all stock yards closed. Sioux Falls is called a stock yard. I know Sioux City and Omaha are closed and redeveloped now. There are alot of sale barns left open auctioning off calves, yearlings, and some fats.

Answer 3

Way too many to count! There are at least three within five miles of the tiny town I live in.


Do you realize how many cows it takes to feed this country?