With the futures down towards the end last week, there was some uncertainty going into Monday. However, the futures rebounded the limit on Monday and the market on calves was mostly steady to higher on 5-8 weights. Still seeing strong demand and not enough supply. Had some nice young pairs that topped the market. Packer cows were steady to $2/cwt lower this week. We are having our normal sale on Monday, November 24 - the week of Thanksgiving.
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.
With the futures down towards the end last week, there was some uncertainty going into Monday. However, the futures rebounded the limit on Monday and the market on calves was mostly steady to higher on 5-8 weights. Still seeing strong demand and not enough supply. Had some nice young pairs that topped the market. Packer cows were steady to $2/cwt lower this week. We are having our normal sale on Monday, November 24 - the week of Thanksgiving.