light 6-weight M&L 1 steers$179.15/cwt+2.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,142/hd at 637 lb · 452 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers$163.88/cwt-3.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,015/hd at 620 lb · 280 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$191.59/cwt+5.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,097/hd at 573 lb · 237 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,691
1,757
3,097
Feeder cattle
3,576
1,528
3,038
Slaughter cattle
115
229
59
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to the last sale three weeks ago, steers sold with a sharply higher undertone, particularly those under 600 lbs. Heifers 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows steady. The local cash feeder market opened the new year with a bang, with early steer sales easily trending 5.00 to 10.00 higher, a spread that grew to 15.00 to 20.00 higher on steers under 600 lbs. The only exception to the big upswing were some 600-700 lb steers which traded steady to 2.00 higher. Heifer cattle lagged behind their brothers quite a bit and couldn't match their sharp uptick but still tacked on some money. The real story on the heifer end was the demand for replacement quality heifers from a handful of reputation consignors; most of those bought for development rang up an impressive 1100.00-1300.00 per head. Optimism abounds. Supply heavy, demand good to very good.
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to the last sale three weeks ago, steers sold with a sharply higher undertone, particularly those under 600 lbs. Heifers 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows steady. The local cash feeder market opened the new year with a bang, with early steer sales easily trending 5.00 to 10.00 higher, a spread that grew to 15.00 to 20.00 higher on steers under 600 lbs. The only exception to the big upswing were some 600-700 lb steers which traded steady to 2.00 higher. Heifer cattle lagged behind their brothers quite a bit and couldn't match their sharp uptick but still tacked on some money. The real story on the heifer end was the demand for replacement quality heifers from a handful of reputation consignors; most of those bought for development rang up an impressive 1100.00-1300.00 per head. Optimism abounds. Supply heavy, demand good to very good.