Cattle Market Pulse

Fairview Sale Barn Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Fairview, Illinois · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 3, 2024

440 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Fairview Sale Barn Slaughter Cattle report →

heavy 9-weight N/N/A heifers $202.46/cwt +26.30 vs last sale · ≈ $2,017/hd at 996 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 440 374 429
Slaughter cattle 440 374 429

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter steers and heifers sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher, Slaughter cows sold mixed, with Breakers and Boners selling 3.00 to 5.00 higher, and Leans selling 1.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 higher. Trade was active with good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930 930 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,814 —
1005 1005 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,658 —
1265 1265 1 182.50 $182.50 $2,309 +5.19
1290–1535 1413 2 188.00–188.50 $188.27 $2,660 —
1295–1685 1538 83 190.00–199.50 $195.05 $3,000 +2.91
1770 1770 1 182.00 $182.00 $3,221 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–1195 996 23 170.00–228.00 $202.46 $2,017 +26.30
1130 1130 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,638 -29.08
1050–1250 1161 4 161.00–175.00 $170.73 $1,982 —
1090–1285 1188 2 175.00–207.00 $189.69 $2,254 —
1180–1495 1239 20 168.00–189.00 $183.58 $2,275 +1.59
1185–1510 1345 38 190.50–201.00 $195.91 $2,635 +19.91
1538 1538 8 203.50 $203.50 $3,130 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1210 1102 80-85% 3 131.00–155.00 $144.43 $1,592 —
1145–1715 1311 80-85% 50 113.00–125.00 $118.91 $1,559 +14.11
1055–1565 1317 80-85% 45 70.00–112.00 $105.15 $1,385 +0.35
1234–1685 1430 80-85% 4 126.00–135.00 $128.93 $1,844 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 75-80% 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,981 —
1175–1750 1461 75-80% 35 103.00–126.00 $116.75 $1,706 —
1535 1535 75-80% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,704 -2.55
1255–1825 1557 75-80% 29 126.00–136.00 $130.93 $2,039 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $297 —
835–1010 918 85-90% 11 110.00–177.50 $139.29 $1,279 —
685–1305 1031 85-90% 11 45.00–93.00 $82.59 $852 —
905–1495 1155 85-90% 23 95.00–105.00 $101.03 $1,167 —
855–1590 1206 85-90% 4 107.50–110.00 $108.83 $1,312 -0.17
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365 1365 65-75% 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,597 —
1403–1580 1457 65-75% 5 140.00–157.50 $153.15 $2,231 +9.91

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750–807 788 3 107.50–122.50 $112.26 $885 —
780–1030 905 2 169.00–187.00 $176.76 $1,600 —
740–1965 1453 6 101.00–143.00 $128.53 $1,868 —
1150–1875 1678 7 153.00–164.00 $159.04 $2,669 —

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Dairy Bulls

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1485 1222 3 113.00–127.00 $120.90 $1,477 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1580–1730 1655 2 165.00 $165.00 $2,731 —

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Reading this report

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.