Cattle Market Pulse

Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co. Market Report

Salina, Kansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 2, 2024

2,920 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co. report →

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $230.35/cwt +5.76 vs last sale · ≈ $2,214/hd at 961 lb · 308 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $256.39/cwt +1.04 vs last sale · ≈ $2,165/hd at 845 lb · 245 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $230.99/cwt -0.05 vs last sale · ≈ $2,138/hd at 926 lb · 240 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,920 3,686 2,688
Feeder cattle 2,920 3,686 2,688

Compared to last week 400 to 600 lb steer calves sold mostly 7.00 to 10.00 higher and 750 to 950 lb feeders steers sold 4.00 to 6.00 lower. The heifer calves sold mostly 7.00 to 9.00 higher and 750 to 850 lb feeder heifers sold uneven 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher. We have gotten some much needed rain the last couple weeks and I think the buyers are still wondering if it is going to be enough for a decent grass season. Time will tell. The receipts were moderate with moderate demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
231 231 6 390.00 $390.00 $901
282–291 289 11 392.50–395.00 $393.17 $1,136 +23.17
306–347 320 16 390.00–400.00 $396.67 $1,269 +15.85
391 391 26 390.00 $390.00 $1,525 +31.15
417–434 426 28 365.00–377.50 $370.64 $1,579 +11.92
464 fancy 464 5 375.00 $375.00 $1,740
451–490 467 74 350.00–370.00 $364.46 $1,702 +6.73
509–537 516 91 335.00–350.00 $343.88 $1,774 +2.41
561–598 588 77 306.00–316.00 $309.61 $1,821 -12.82
600–625 608 89 295.00–313.00 $306.65 $1,864 +12.67
616 thin fleshed 616 7 322.50 $322.50 $1,987
657–669 661 41 286.00–296.00 $292.30 $1,932 +0.51
708–745 735 36 275.00–288.00 $278.48 $2,047 +10.72
759–783 763 73 262.00–277.00 $269.42 $2,056 -4.36
822–847 837 40 245.00–249.00 $246.41 $2,062 -8.94
844–847 fancy 846 205 257.00–259.00 $258.34 $2,186
855–883 869 126 230.00–239.00 $234.70 $2,040 -5.69
910 fancy 910 30 239.50 $239.50 $2,179
912–949 928 210 220.00–236.00 $229.77 $2,132 -1.27
951–992 961 308 215.50–236.00 $230.35 $2,214 +8.61
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 3 370.00 $370.00 $1,343
402–440 415 26 340.00–360.00 $349.89 $1,452 +6.00
469–490 488 48 329.00–346.00 $337.23 $1,646 +6.55
505–538 532 54 332.00–334.00 $332.25 $1,768 +12.25
635 635 6 290.00 $290.00 $1,842 +15.77
677–680 679 6 271.00–280.00 $275.49 $1,871 +14.41
722–741 732 10 260.00–269.00 $264.44 $1,936
784–794 792 64 244.00–257.00 $247.32 $1,959 -17.90
818 818 4 238.00 $238.00 $1,947 -4.00
852–896 878 12 222.00–226.00 $223.62 $1,963 -9.88
991 991 7 210.00 $210.00 $2,081 +3.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018–1020 1020 61 210.00–216.50 $215.54 $2,199 +10.04
1053 1053 52 221.00 $221.00 $2,327
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
523 523 5 320.00 $320.00 $1,674
633 633 5 292.00 $292.00 $1,848
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
737 737 9 237.00 $237.00 $1,747

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266 266 5 365.00 $365.00 $971
310–344 329 7 345.00–360.00 $351.05 $1,155 +25.45
353–396 372 16 340.00–350.00 $347.42 $1,292 +9.30
401–440 423 56 335.00–340.00 $337.14 $1,426 +1.12
458–496 475 9 314.00–330.00 $322.57 $1,532 -0.10
504 thin fleshed 504 49 320.00 $320.00 $1,613
501–545 525 62 305.00–312.00 $307.24 $1,613 +7.18
559 thin fleshed 559 32 312.00 $312.00 $1,744 +17.00
553–588 569 32 282.00–295.00 $287.15 $1,634 +3.18
608–638 621 69 265.00–278.00 $270.95 $1,683 -0.08
650–664 654 31 257.00–267.00 $262.74 $1,718 +9.33
701–723 707 37 237.50–250.00 $245.79 $1,738 +11.22
762–783 780 160 228.75–240.50 $234.34 $1,828 +3.08
808–847 843 26 212.00–213.00 $212.89 $1,795 -5.78
865–894 888 14 205.00–213.00 $211.33 $1,877 -0.67
904 904 9 200.00 $200.00 $1,808 -3.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 3 340.00 $340.00 $1,156 +52.08
405–443 424 7 305.00–327.50 $316.06 $1,340 -4.91
520–530 524 5 297.50–301.00 $298.92 $1,566 +10.42
551 551 5 281.00 $281.00 $1,548
632–648 643 9 260.00 $260.00 $1,672 +14.69
687 687 18 254.50 $254.50 $1,748 +13.50
703 703 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,638
768 768 5 218.00 $218.00 $1,674
920 920 5 182.50 $182.50 $1,679
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
523 523 3 265.00 $265.00 $1,386 -27.50
685 685 6 250.00 $250.00 $1,712 +4.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
548 548 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,617

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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.