light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers$254.88/cwt+23.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,571/hd at 616 lb · 368 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$301.34/cwt+36.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,744/hd at 579 lb · 278 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$259.60/cwt+16.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,734/hd at 668 lb · 243 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,938
2,380
1,463
Feeder cattle
3,756
1,870
746
Slaughter cattle
98
287
505
Replacement cattle
84
223
212
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last report: The last feeder special was one month ago so no comparisons can be made, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on steer calves under 550 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on all steers over 550 lbs. All weights of heifers sold with higher undertones. Quality this week was mixed from average to very attractive. Package sizes this week were mostly moderate with several partial loads on offer. Buyers showed very good demand for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Buyers purchased heavier weight cattle this week to send to grass this week. Steers up to 660 lbs and heifers up to 625 lbs were purchased for this purpose. Flesh conditions were mixed this week. Some backgrounded cattle out of grow yards were carrying more flesh, and consequently more tag. Calves that were hay fed and weaned on pasture were very green and in light flesh, these offerings were met with very good demand. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Most of the offering was comprised of weaned calves this week. Most calves were weaned 50-100 days. CME positions improved throughout the day, helping spur buyer demand. The January contract closed at 226.275, 1.65 higher than yesterdays close. The March contract closed at 227.40, up 1.275 than yesterdays close. Market activity was mostly active to very active today with a large crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. All cows were last tested over a month ago so no comparisons can be made, however higher undertones were noticed on both slaughter and feeding cows. Packers, in a surprising move, purchased several packages of thin cows to feed. These offerings are usually only purchased in November and December, however packers opted to put this class of cows away on feed in the event supplies tighten. Slaughter bulls sold with higher undertones as well. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand, no comparisons are available.
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to last report: The last feeder special was one month ago so no comparisons can be made, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on steer calves under 550 lbs and higher undertones were noticed on all steers over 550 lbs. All weights of heifers sold with higher undertones. Quality this week was mixed from average to very attractive. Package sizes this week were mostly moderate with several partial loads on offer. Buyers showed very good demand for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings. Buyers purchased heavier weight cattle this week to send to grass this week. Steers up to 660 lbs and heifers up to 625 lbs were purchased for this purpose. Flesh conditions were mixed this week. Some backgrounded cattle out of grow yards were carrying more flesh, and consequently more tag. Calves that were hay fed and weaned on pasture were very green and in light flesh, these offerings were met with very good demand. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Most of the offering was comprised of weaned calves this week. Most calves were weaned 50-100 days. CME positions improved throughout the day, helping spur buyer demand. The January contract closed at 226.275, 1.65 higher than yesterdays close. The March contract closed at 227.40, up 1.275 than yesterdays close. Market activity was mostly active to very active today with a large crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. All cows were last tested over a month ago so no comparisons can be made, however higher undertones were noticed on both slaughter and feeding cows. Packers, in a surprising move, purchased several packages of thin cows to feed. These offerings are usually only purchased in November and December, however packers opted to put this class of cows away on feed in the event supplies tighten. Slaughter bulls sold with higher undertones as well. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand, no comparisons are available.