Cattle Market Pulse

Ericson Livestock Market Report

Ericson, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, October 21, 2023

2,844 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Ericson Livestock Market report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $308.69/cwt +28.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,748/hd at 566 lb · 350 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $271.87/cwt -5.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 526 lb · 303 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $229.67/cwt ≈ $2,151/hd at 936 lb · 243 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,844 1,197 1,096
Feeder cattle 2,844 1,197 1,096

Compared to last weeks thin test, steer calves 450-550 lbs sold 4.00 to 10.00 lower and steer calves 550-600 lbs sold sharply higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold 6.00 to 10.00 higher and heifer calves 450-550 lbs sold 7.00 lower. Yearling steers and heifers over 900 lbs sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Demand was moderate to very good from the buyers in the crowd with internet activity noticed.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
343 343 5 360.00 $360.00 $1,235
352 fancy 352 9 385.00 $385.00 $1,355
405–431 411 48 348.00–356.00 $352.87 $1,450 +1.47
400–418 thin fleshed 412 40 362.00–368.00 $365.96 $1,508
443 443 9 321.00 $321.00 $1,422 -3.00
445 445 8 327.00 $327.00 $1,455 +3.00
456 456 14 315.00 $315.00 $1,436 -28.00
450–487 473 176 324.00–342.00 $339.03 $1,604 -3.97
510 thin fleshed 510 35 326.00 $326.00 $1,663
526–537 536 44 289.00–294.00 $289.56 $1,552 -30.36
513–543 537 56 301.00–306.00 $302.15 $1,623 -17.77
541 541 43 293.00 $293.00 $1,585 -26.92
556 fancy 556 57 324.00 $324.00 $1,801
556–558 thin fleshed 557 144 311.00–315.00 $313.36 $1,745
552–593 579 149 285.00–305.00 $298.32 $1,727 +17.02
610–649 unweaned 626 103 270.00–284.00 $279.07 $1,747
634–637 fancy 636 68 294.00 $294.00 $1,870
656–679 unweaned 668 84 258.00–264.00 $262.16 $1,751
780 780 12 253.00 $253.00 $1,973
803 unweaned 803 8 226.00 $226.00 $1,815
853 853 16 244.00 $244.00 $2,081 -4.85
939 939 57 250.50 $250.50 $2,352 +2.50
950–970 967 35 231.00–231.50 $231.07 $2,234
1001 1001 122 235.00 $235.00 $2,352 +5.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
566–596 572 24 273.00–274.00 $273.22 $1,563

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
341 341 5 327.50 $327.50 $1,117
360–388 379 32 330.00–333.00 $331.73 $1,257 +17.73
429–431 430 111 296.50–303.00 $300.15 $1,291 +6.86
450 450 14 278.00 $278.00 $1,251 +2.22
463–481 469 101 280.00–292.00 $283.55 $1,330 +7.77
505–545 526 303 264.00–277.00 $271.87 $1,430 -7.51
550–592 unweaned 579 80 247.00–254.00 $249.40 $1,444
602–608 unweaned 606 59 243.00–253.50 $248.40 $1,505
606 fancy 606 12 263.50 $263.50 $1,597
707 unweaned 707 7 227.00 $227.00 $1,605
773 773 8 235.50 $235.50 $1,820 -2.89
846 846 37 230.00 $230.00 $1,946
846 846 8 230.00 $230.00 $1,946
880 880 56 227.00 $227.00 $1,998 -7.27
889 889 60 224.00 $224.00 $1,991 -10.27
920 920 33 230.00 $230.00 $2,116
919–943 939 210 227.50–230.00 $229.62 $2,156
984 984 57 229.75 $229.75 $2,261 +4.25
1000 1000 21 227.50 $227.50 $2,275 +7.50
1002 1002 53 229.00 $229.00 $2,295 +9.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438–448 442 27 272.50–278.00 $274.09 $1,211
491 491 6 274.00 $274.00 $1,345
586 586 17 243.00 $243.00 $1,424
700 700 5 228.00 $228.00 $1,596

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What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

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.