light 8-weight M&L 1 steers$175.41/cwt+10.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,456/hd at 830 lb · 282 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers$175.57/cwt+2.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,276/hd at 727 lb · 212 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$176.23/cwt+1.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,183/hd at 671 lb · 178 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,591
2,452
2,954
Feeder cattle
2,131
1,772
2,031
Slaughter cattle
460
655
923
Replacement cattle
—
25
—
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder steers traded mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher, with instances of up to 10.00 higher on heavier weight reputation cattle. Steer calves traded mostly 4.00 lower. Both heifer calves and feeder heifers were too lightly tested for a market trend but a sharply lower undertone was noted. Slaughter cows and bulls traded mostly 4.00 lower. Trading activity was moderate to active. Buyer demand was very good for yearlings and long weaned calves but light to moderate on short weaned calves. Larger discounts were noted for calves that weren't weaned or lacked a full vaccination program, especially since a cold front moved into the region bringing around two tenths of moisture.
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 week: Feeder steers traded mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher, with instances of up to 10.00 higher on heavier weight reputation cattle. Steer calves traded mostly 4.00 lower. Both heifer calves and feeder heifers were too lightly tested for a market trend but a sharply lower undertone was noted. Slaughter cows and bulls traded mostly 4.00 lower. Trading activity was moderate to active. Buyer demand was very good for yearlings and long weaned calves but light to moderate on short weaned calves. Larger discounts were noted for calves that weren't weaned or lacked a full vaccination program, especially since a cold front moved into the region bringing around two tenths of moisture.