heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$147.57/cwt-6.51 vs last sale · ≈ $707/hd at 479 lb · 199 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$162.49/cwt-1.77 vs last sale · ≈ $856/hd at 527 lb · 155 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$149.24/cwt-10.54 vs last sale · ≈ $615/hd at 412 lb · 116 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,542
7,806
3,280
Feeder cattle
1,479
5,832
2,341
Slaughter cattle
675
1,664
151
Replacement cattle
388
310
788
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed; 450-549 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 lower; unweaned steers 550 lbs and heavier were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifer quality was average to attractive. Unweaned heifers under 450 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sales 10.00-20.00 lower; 450-549 lbs unweaned heifers sold 4.00-10.00 lower; heifers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly light this week for light offerings. With this being a holiday week many buyers showed little interest in starting loads, especially with light supplies and the uncertainty of being able to fill out loads. Demand for heifers was especially light. Quality was mostly plain to average this week and much lower compared to last weeks attractive offering. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week. Feeding cow buyers were slightly more active this week as many bid on thin cows or cows that could potentially be bred. With lighter demand seen from packers cow prices all slid lower. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Demand did improve slightly as the sale progress and buyers all tried to fill loads. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as packers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-7.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good with several buyers in the market this week looking for this class of cow. Quality was mostly average to attractive and better overall compared to 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
Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed; 450-549 lbs steers sold steady to 5.00 lower; unweaned steers 550 lbs and heavier were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifer quality was average to attractive. Unweaned heifers under 450 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sales 10.00-20.00 lower; 450-549 lbs unweaned heifers sold 4.00-10.00 lower; heifers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly light this week for light offerings. With this being a holiday week many buyers showed little interest in starting loads, especially with light supplies and the uncertainty of being able to fill out loads. Demand for heifers was especially light. Quality was mostly plain to average this week and much lower compared to last weeks attractive offering. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week. Feeding cow buyers were slightly more active this week as many bid on thin cows or cows that could potentially be bred. With lighter demand seen from packers cow prices all slid lower. Slaughter cows and feeding cows both sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Demand did improve slightly as the sale progress and buyers all tried to fill loads. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as packers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-7.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good with several buyers in the market this week looking for this class of cow. Quality was mostly average to attractive and better overall compared to last week.