heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$154.13/cwt≈ $877/hd at 569 lb · 182 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers$142.17/cwt+2.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,179/hd at 829 lb · 152 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$135.37/cwt≈ $1,161/hd at 858 lb · 88 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,029
850
2,167
Feeder cattle
976
831
2,129
Slaughter cattle
13
3
38
Replacement cattle
40
16
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Both feeder heifers and heifer calves traded mostly 1.00 to 5.00 lower. Limited comparable sales on steers, but a sharply lower undertone was noted. Trading activity was moderate on moderate demand. Buyers were a little more hesitant again today with the large upswings continuing in the grain markets over the last week, and the cattle markets closing down most of last week due to the upset overseas. On February 27, statewide topsoil moisture in Texas and Oklahoma was rated at least three-quarters very short to short, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Texas also reported 69% of its rangeland, pastures, and oats were rated very poor to poor. With the high volatility in the grain markets, the area really needs some moisture to allow for summer grazing to help alleviate some of these cost of gains in the feedyards.
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: Both feeder heifers and heifer calves traded mostly 1.00 to 5.00 lower. Limited comparable sales on steers, but a sharply lower undertone was noted. Trading activity was moderate on moderate demand. Buyers were a little more hesitant again today with the large upswings continuing in the grain markets over the last week, and the cattle markets closing down most of last week due to the upset overseas. On February 27, statewide topsoil moisture in Texas and Oklahoma was rated at least three-quarters very short to short, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Texas also reported 69% of its rangeland, pastures, and oats were rated very poor to poor. With the high volatility in the grain markets, the area really needs some moisture to allow for summer grazing to help alleviate some of these cost of gains in the feedyards.