Active trade at this week's sale, attendance average on the heels of yesterday's Board and Feeder Special Sales. Slightly lower head run compared to last week, lowering offering of Feeder Cattle, similar numbers of Slaughter Cattle with a slight gain in Replacements. No market test on Feeders but quality throughout the offering. Few Choice Steers that sold steady, Slaughter Cows lower by $6-$10 per cwt, softer for higher dressing types but it should be noted the average weight Breaker was 100 pounds heavier this week. Bulls lower by $10 per cwt.
→ Feeder cattle: lowering offering of Feeder Cattle
→ Feeder steers: Few Choice Steers that sold steady
→ Slaughter cattle: similar numbers of Slaughter Cattle with a slight gain in Replacements
▼ Slaughter cows: Slaughter Cows lower by $6-$10 per cwt
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
Active trade at this week's sale, attendance average on the heels of yesterday's Board and Feeder Special Sales. Slightly lower head run compared to last week, lowering offering of Feeder Cattle, similar numbers of Slaughter Cattle with a slight gain in Replacements. No market test on Feeders but quality throughout the offering. Few Choice Steers that sold steady, Slaughter Cows lower by $6-$10 per cwt, softer for higher dressing types but it should be noted the average weight Breaker was 100 pounds heavier this week. Bulls lower by $10 per cwt.