Tuesday's auction was a Special Bred Cow and Pairs sale, with several consignments of young pairs mostly 3-6 yrs of age with 150-200 lb calves many in thin condition selling with moderate demand, several consignments of young pairs 3-5 yrs with 250-300 lb calves sold with moderate to good demand. Two consignments of Heifer pairs and 3-4 year old pairs top quality with 150-250 lb calves by side sold with good demand. Slaughter cows traded steady with last week.
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
Tuesday's auction was a Special Bred Cow and Pairs sale, with several consignments of young pairs mostly 3-6 yrs of age with 150-200 lb calves many in thin condition selling with moderate demand, several consignments of young pairs 3-5 yrs with 250-300 lb calves sold with moderate to good demand. Two consignments of Heifer pairs and 3-4 year old pairs top quality with 150-250 lb calves by side sold with good demand. Slaughter cows traded steady with last week.