Cattle Market Pulse

Alabama Daily Cattle Auction Summary

Alabama Daily Auction Summary, Alabama · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

1,940 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Alabama Daily Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $241.06/cwt +2.33 vs last sale · ≈ $909/hd at 377 lb · 26 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 2 heifers $229.38/cwt -5.52 vs last sale · ≈ $876/hd at 382 lb · 26 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $218.47/cwt -0.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,040/hd at 476 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,940 3,435 435
Feeder cattle 1,301 2,360 306
Slaughter cattle 365 691 18
Replacement cattle 274 384 111

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to one week ago: Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher, slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder steers sold 1.00 to 5.00 lower, feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher, and feeder bulls sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher. Trade active with good to very good demand on feeder cattle. Replacement cows and pairs sold steady.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 329 14 250.00–277.00 $266.68 $877 -20.58
355–385 372 6 240.00–272.00 $263.35 $980 -11.89
405–440 429 21 230.00–269.00 $263.87 $1,132 -0.05
470–485 481 4 228.00–257.00 $249.92 $1,202 -2.54
505–525 512 6 220.00–247.00 $234.61 $1,201 -7.45
560–585 572 5 210.00–245.00 $235.40 $1,346 +0.73
610–630 621 4 180.00–235.00 $208.28 $1,293 -12.64
655 655 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,127 -39.54
775 775 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,318 -31.34
800 800 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,280 -20.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–325 318 2 270.00–280.00 $274.88 $874 +4.88
310–348 value added 342 6 300.00–302.00 $301.70 $1,032 —
370–390 380 2 250.00–255.00 $252.43 $959 -33.05
400 value added 400 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,040 —
400–445 418 6 240.00–280.00 $260.30 $1,088 -13.51
515 515 2 259.00 $259.00 $1,334 -0.95
520 value added 520 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,404 —
555–585 571 6 210.00–246.00 $234.16 $1,337 -6.17
600–645 631 6 200.00–208.00 $203.12 $1,282 -31.11
660 660 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,307 -17.00
705 705 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,354 -15.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 262.00 $262.00 $878 -8.00
385 385 2 252.00 $252.00 $970 —
435 435 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,088 +11.02
515–545 535 3 235.00–238.00 $235.96 $1,262 —
645 645 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,451 +5.00
770 770 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,348 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 279 12 240.00–248.00 $244.09 $681 -4.29
305–345 327 15 210.00–242.00 $236.32 $773 -2.69
355–395 382 26 208.00–238.00 $229.38 $876 -5.52
410–435 422 10 206.00–232.00 $224.96 $949 +0.26
455–495 476 25 203.00–235.00 $218.47 $1,040 -0.69
505–545 520 12 202.00–222.00 $208.74 $1,085 -5.57
555–585 573 13 190.00–210.00 $200.49 $1,149 -2.76
605–625 615 2 180.00–185.00 $182.46 $1,122 -13.01
650–665 658 2 178.00–185.00 $181.54 $1,195 +1.54
700–720 712 3 150.00–160.00 $154.99 $1,104 -27.23
750 750 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,178 +2.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–285 278 14 250.00–260.00 $253.27 $704 +13.27
310–345 327 10 213.00–255.00 $244.53 $800 +1.04
365–395 377 26 235.00–250.00 $241.06 $909 +2.33
405–445 425 21 210.00–244.00 $233.73 $993 -5.37
455–490 474 16 220.00–238.00 $226.41 $1,073 -12.20
510–545 519 13 203.00–232.00 $216.88 $1,126 -6.21
560 560 2 202.00–215.00 $208.50 $1,168 -6.93
630–640 633 4 190.00–200.00 $192.53 $1,219 -15.09
655–690 668 3 170.00–190.00 $179.83 $1,201 -21.70
735 735 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,250 -37.59
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–295 280 6 230.00–240.00 $232.10 $650 -12.90
310–325 321 8 220.00–230.00 $223.68 $718 -3.79
355–395 382 13 210.00–235.00 $216.98 $829 -8.12
425–445 440 4 215.00–219.00 $218.03 $959 +4.28
465–485 468 8 200.00–210.00 $201.26 $942 -4.22
535–540 536 8 200.00–205.00 $201.26 $1,079 +6.02
575–590 587 5 185.00–195.00 $189.97 $1,115 +0.95
600 600 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,050 -1.94
655–675 660 4 160.00–180.00 $165.11 $1,090 -7.91

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 3 280.00 $280.00 $770 +1.51
315–335 325 5 270.00–280.00 $273.03 $887 +2.48
360–395 377 14 240.00–277.00 $265.08 $999 +7.31
405–445 432 21 230.00–268.00 $255.45 $1,104 +6.90
455–490 477 22 225.00–266.00 $244.79 $1,168 +6.28
500–545 531 19 217.00–240.00 $229.11 $1,217 -3.75
550–599 581 13 203.00–240.00 $215.07 $1,250 -7.88
605–635 625 11 200.00–210.00 $202.29 $1,264 -4.94
670 670 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,273 -11.17
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 2 290.00 $290.00 $783 —
300–345 333 9 280.00–295.00 $284.98 $949 +1.69
355–395 368 18 267.00–286.00 $278.07 $1,023 +6.92
400–445 424 19 240.00–282.00 $269.11 $1,141 +4.98
460–480 471 16 230.00–278.00 $263.23 $1,240 +9.07
500–525 519 7 229.00–240.00 $237.05 $1,230 -3.81
555–585 573 16 220.00–230.00 $224.37 $1,286 -13.14
600 600 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 -2.04
665 665 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,303 —
710–720 715 2 175.00–180.00 $177.52 $1,269 -22.48
765 765 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,224 —
800 800 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,200 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 4 260.00 $260.00 $897 -6.04
365–385 376 11 230.00–260.00 $253.07 $952 +5.28
410–445 437 9 240.00–250.00 $247.82 $1,083 +6.90
465–490 481 4 215.00–245.00 $235.99 $1,135 +9.45
525–535 530 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,113 -10.00
570–590 578 8 175.00–211.00 $193.35 $1,118 -6.45
640 640 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,248 -10.00
660–685 674 8 160.00–180.00 $169.87 $1,145 -17.28
770–780 775 2 168.00–170.00 $169.01 $1,310 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1365 1140 80-85% 58 81.00–91.00 $86.72 $989 —
905–1430 1154 80-85% 48 88.00–97.00 $92.71 $1,070 +0.16
950–1600 1291 80-85% 25 95.00–103.00 $98.50 $1,272 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–1280 998 85-90% 29 62.00–82.00 $76.39 $762 —
835–1135 1005 85-90% 23 72.00–86.00 $80.13 $805 -5.43
1095 1095 85-90% 1 79.00 $79.00 $865 -0.34
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1425 1345 75-80% 3 102.00–106.00 $104.59 $1,407 +1.48
1310–1555 1438 75-80% 4 90.00–92.00 $91.31 $1,313 —
1275–1655 1449 75-80% 10 89.00–100.00 $94.41 $1,368 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1765 1550 14 90.00–106.00 $101.74 $1,577 —
1505–1790 1695 11 100.00–113.00 $109.29 $1,852 -1.12
1565–2200 1726 5 112.00–126.00 $119.85 $2,069 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,550.00–1,650.00 $1,591.67
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 875.00–1,075.00 $962.50
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 52 1,000.00–1,550.00 $1,316.35
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 25 900.00–1,600.00 $1,385.00
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,600.00–1,700.00 $1,666.67
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,000.00–1,200.00 $1,129.17
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,000.00–1,175.00 $1,063.89
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 775.00–800.00 $791.67
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 900.00–1,020.00 $960.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 900.00–1,025.00 $966.67
— — Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 700.00–725.00 $712.50

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 10 1,100.00–1,300.00 $1,229.00 —
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 44 1,000.00–1,950.00 $1,693.75 —
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 12 2,000.00–2,300.00 $2,175.00 —
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,250.00–1,400.00 $1,325.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.