light 9-weight N/N/A steers$119.50/cwt≈ $1,126/hd at 942 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight N/N/A steers$164.00/cwt≈ $918/hd at 560 lb · 15 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,262
1,366
—
Feeder cattle
425
1,039
—
Slaughter cattle
317
327
—
Market comments — Decatur Livestock Market
Heifers, 253 Stocker Bulls/Steers, 114 Feeder Heifers, 153 Feeder Steers. With 2 weeks off due to the winter weather, we were unsure of what to expect with the market. The 326 head in the weaned segment were well received and helped push prices higher on average. Demand was strong all weight classes with 2-5 weight steers advancing $15-$30/cwt. Pairs and breds were in demand with quite a few going back into the country. Packer cows were a little cheaper due to the high number of lower yielding cows on hand. Bulls were steady to $2/cwt higher.
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.
Heifers, 253 Stocker Bulls/Steers, 114 Feeder Heifers, 153 Feeder Steers. With 2 weeks off due to the winter weather, we were unsure of what to expect with the market. The 326 head in the weaned segment were well received and helped push prices higher on average. Demand was strong all weight classes with 2-5 weight steers advancing $15-$30/cwt. Pairs and breds were in demand with quite a few going back into the country. Packer cows were a little cheaper due to the high number of lower yielding cows on hand. Bulls were steady to $2/cwt higher.