Cattle Market Pulse

Alabama Daily Cattle Auction Summary

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

Sale of Wednesday, May 1, 2024

1,290 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $238.77/cwt -16.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,287/hd at 539 lb · 65 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $281.50/cwt ≈ $1,647/hd at 585 lb · 40 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $248.43/cwt -21.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,195/hd at 481 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,290 3,810 1,823
Feeder cattle 1,043 3,074 1,258
Slaughter cattle 183 528 276
Replacement cattle 64 208 289

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to one week ago: Slaughter cattle sold steady to 2.00 higher. All feeder classes sold 3.00 to 10.00 lower. Trade active with good demand on feeder cattle. Replacement cows sold steady.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
439 439 4 335.00 $335.00 $1,471 +1.04
515–540 527 11 294.00–300.00 $296.84 $1,564 -10.96
575–580 576 4 290.00–292.00 $290.50 $1,673 +6.05
600–615 605 12 257.50–275.00 $259.36 $1,569 -12.61
652 value added 652 9 260.00 $260.00 $1,695 —
670 670 1 263.00 $263.00 $1,762 -1.68
705–746 743 16 230.00–239.00 $238.47 $1,772 -5.92
760–763 762 19 225.00–228.00 $226.42 $1,725 -9.11
825 825 8 211.00 $211.00 $1,741 -17.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 2 318.00 $318.00 $1,192 -13.42
410–440 432 18 305.00–318.00 $310.65 $1,342 -11.99
473–495 484 16 290.00–305.00 $302.20 $1,463 -2.74
515–520 519 10 288.00 $288.00 $1,495 -8.90
560–585 573 6 275.00–284.00 $279.40 $1,601 +5.28
615–645 624 10 251.00–260.00 $253.79 $1,584 -14.55
665 665 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,530 -22.83
730–740 735 2 227.00–237.00 $232.03 $1,705 -5.49
915 915 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,830 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 40 281.50 $281.50 $1,647 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–380 379 4 290.00–312.00 $303.04 $1,149 -9.54
410–435 420 3 300.00–305.00 $302.38 $1,270 +0.46
520–548 541 4 265.00–280.00 $268.60 $1,453 -10.60
565–590 573 6 266.00–270.00 $268.31 $1,537 +3.18
618–625 620 3 225.00–252.00 $234.07 $1,451 -22.03
670–695 683 2 236.00–238.00 $236.98 $1,619 -14.72

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–325 318 2 275.00–277.00 $275.98 $878 -30.00
365–390 383 21 260.00–290.00 $279.17 $1,069 -10.24
425–445 436 23 242.00–277.50 $266.58 $1,162 -10.22
460–495 481 24 235.00–264.00 $248.43 $1,195 -21.62
500–545 539 65 230.00–250.00 $238.77 $1,287 -16.09
550–590 567 10 225.00–245.00 $230.89 $1,309 -16.48
605–648 628 11 215.00–227.00 $223.37 $1,403 -10.60
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 2 326.00 $326.00 $913 -20.75
305 305 1 320.00 $320.00 $976 -12.03
355–360 357 5 292.00–300.00 $296.77 $1,059 -12.67
410–430 419 10 276.00–280.00 $278.28 $1,166 -10.81
455–480 463 3 270.00–278.00 $275.24 $1,274 -3.72
525–540 530 3 250.00–260.00 $256.60 $1,360 -8.05
565–570 566 7 238.00–240.00 $238.29 $1,349 -22.25
605–640 610 12 228.00–243.00 $240.63 $1,468 -4.92
670–690 680 3 220.00–226.00 $223.34 $1,519 -16.42
705–738 727 3 210.00–222.00 $213.88 $1,555 -9.83
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 328 8 260.00–303.00 $287.34 $942 +12.34
355–375 360 4 274.00–278.00 $276.96 $997 +0.95
410–445 435 11 258.00–260.00 $259.49 $1,129 -2.14
465–475 470 6 250.00–252.00 $250.99 $1,180 -7.26
525–545 535 4 230.00–240.00 $234.77 $1,256 -6.95
575 575 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,208 -26.85
645 645 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,393 -7.20
710–745 728 2 200.00–204.00 $201.95 $1,470 +6.92
760 760 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,406 -6.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–330 325 6 320.00–325.00 $321.62 $1,045 -9.27
365–395 378 8 315.00–320.00 $317.79 $1,201 -7.19
410–445 429 14 292.00–310.00 $302.43 $1,297 -5.35
455–480 469 13 282.00–300.00 $293.44 $1,376 -1.33
510–545 526 16 270.00–280.00 $274.68 $1,445 -5.57
560–590 573 10 262.00–272.00 $268.99 $1,541 +11.37
675 675 3 230.00–235.00 $231.67 $1,564 -13.24
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 318.00 $318.00 $1,034 +3.00
380–390 383 7 300.00–305.00 $301.46 $1,155 -12.14
405–435 424 8 285.00–295.00 $290.43 $1,231 -8.04
460–490 482 7 275.00–285.00 $280.89 $1,354 +0.13
505–525 520 4 256.00–260.00 $259.03 $1,347 -6.21
575 575 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,466 +3.10
675 675 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,472 -14.51
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 2 355.00 $355.00 $994 -5.00
355–390 379 6 325.00–330.00 $326.87 $1,239 -13.69
510–540 531 9 280.00–286.00 $281.94 $1,497 -8.54
555 555 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,554 +0.53
615 615 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,599 -0.07

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770–1245 1135 80-85% 23 120.00–128.00 $124.41 $1,412 —
900–1395 1161 80-85% 17 112.00–122.00 $117.77 $1,367 +0.09
1020–1300 1173 80-85% 8 126.00–134.00 $130.16 $1,527 +12.48
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1445 1260 75-80% 15 112.00–129.00 $115.74 $1,458 -14.85
1330–1570 1452 75-80% 9 107.00–116.00 $111.28 $1,616 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–1110 959 85-90% 6 91.00–105.00 $99.20 $951 —
885–1225 1051 85-90% 10 104.00–111.00 $108.47 $1,140 -2.82
1005–1255 1089 85-90% 4 110.00–116.00 $112.42 $1,224 +6.16

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1865 1423 14 114.00–144.00 $136.96 $1,949 —
1545–2005 1696 6 147.00–151.00 $148.97 $2,527 —
1650–1950 1844 4 139.00–160.00 $146.86 $2,708 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,000.00–1,200.00 $1,100.00
— fancy — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,700.00–1,800.00 $1,750.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,400.00–1,600.00 $1,520.00
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,200.00–1,500.00 $1,337.50
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
— — Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,150.00 $1,075.00
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,275.00 $1,262.50
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 875.00–975.00 $925.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,010.00–1,225.00 $1,103.33

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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
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 1,875.00–2,000.00 $1,975.00 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 6 1,350.00–1,550.00 $1,466.67 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 1,175.00–1,325.00 $1,250.00 —

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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.