light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers$377.02/cwt≈ $2,439/hd at 647 lb · 83 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$400.70/cwt≈ $2,781/hd at 694 lb · 36 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$455.54/cwt≈ $2,578/hd at 566 lb · 29 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,159
919
1,344
Feeder cattle
1,840
658
1,133
Slaughter cattle
263
261
209
Replacement cattle
56
—
2
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: There was a better turn out of calves and feeders this week, but dairy culls and heifers were the majority of the offering. Quality was better as well, but there were few comparable sales to declare a trend. However, there was a definite lower undertone. There was a short test on average and high yielding boner cows but a lower undertone was noted. High yielding slaughter bulls remained steady. Trade was moderate on moderate demand.
→ Feeder cattle: There was a better turn out of calves and feeders this week
→ Feeder heifers: but dairy culls and heifers were the majority of the offering
→ Slaughter bulls: High yielding slaughter bulls remained steady
▼ Slaughter cows: There was a short test on average and high yielding boner cows but a lower undertone was noted
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: There was a better turn out of calves and feeders this week, but dairy culls and heifers were the majority of the offering. Quality was better as well, but there were few comparable sales to declare a trend. However, there was a definite lower undertone. There was a short test on average and high yielding boner cows but a lower undertone was noted. High yielding slaughter bulls remained steady. Trade was moderate on moderate demand.