Nearly all feedlot owners are required to register with the state. Feedlot registration is necessary to maintain accurate data about the number, location, and size of animal feedlots in Minnesota. Feedlot owners are required to update their registration data every four years unless they have applied for a feedlot permit during that time.
Feedlot registration is not a feedlot permit and does not authorize construction or expansion of an animal feedlot. Learn if you need a permit on the Feedlot permits page.
Who must register
| Animal type | AU factor |
|---|---|
| Dairy cow over 1,000 lbs | 1.4 |
| Dairy cow under 1,000 lbs | 1.0 |
| Dairy heifer | 0.7 |
| Dairy calf | 0.2 |
| Beef steer or stock cow | 1.0 |
| Beef heifer or backgrounding | 0.7 |
| Beef cow calf pair | 1.2 |
| Beef calf | 0.2 |
| Swine over 300 lbs | 0.4 |
| Swine 55 to 300 lbs | 0.3 |
| Swine under 55 lbs | 0.05 |
| Horse | 1.0 |
| Sheep or lamb | 0.1 |
| Chicken (liquid manure system) | 0.033 |
| Chicken over 5 lbs (dry manure) | 0.005 |
| Chicken under 5 lbs (dry manure) | 0.003 |
| Turkey over 5 lbs | 0.018 |
| Turkey under 5 lbs | 0.005 |
Owners must register feedlots with 50 or more animal units (AU), or 10 or more AUs in a shoreland area.
Animal units are calculated by multiplying the number of animals by the AU factors listed in the table to the right (e.g., 50 dairy calves x 0.2 = 10 AU).
Shoreland, in most instances, refers to land that is 1,000 feet or less from a lake or 300 feet or less from a river or stream. In rare instances, land near large ponds, wetlands, or ditches is classified as shoreland.
How to register
The recommended browsers for accessing the online registration are Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Firefox, or Safari. Internet Explorer is not recommended.
Some counties delegated to administer the feedlot program may assist with feedlot registration by collecting registration information and then entering that information into the online service for feedlot owners.