light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers$218.52/cwt≈ $2,037/hd at 932 lb · 63 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers$226.00/cwt+1.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,935/hd at 856 lb · 60 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$252.68/cwt+11.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,209/hd at 479 lb · 21 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
911
2,094
1,990
Feeder cattle
638
1,664
1,560
Slaughter cattle
233
400
390
Replacement cattle
40
30
40
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, too few calves were on hand for a true test of the market, but a couple loads of yearling steers were offered and sold steady. Supply was light on a holiday week sale, demand was moderate. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher but spots 6.00-7.00 higher on the fleshier cows.
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 last week, too few calves were on hand for a true test of the market, but a couple loads of yearling steers were offered and sold steady. Supply was light on a holiday week sale, demand was moderate. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher but spots 6.00-7.00 higher on the fleshier cows.