heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers$188.70/cwt+3.70 vs last sale · ≈ $908/hd at 481 lb · 35 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$161.39/cwt+16.39 vs last sale · ≈ $807/hd at 500 lb · 28 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers$143.50/cwt-8.94 vs last sale · ≈ $870/hd at 606 lb · 25 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
606
1,433
616
Feeder cattle
290
1,183
414
Slaughter cattle
172
130
100
Replacement cattle
144
120
102
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were all too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall lower than last week. Offerings were light this week which limited demand as buyers were not willing to start loads for the week due to light sales volume. Additionally, fewer buyers were on hand compared to last week. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers were very aggressive this week as they purchased cows for immediate harvest. Packers were very selective this week as they bid on cows to feed, mostly bidding on very high quality, high dressing young cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow and bull weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week. 2 year old to young age cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good on all offerings. Buyers purchased these offerings to both feed and rebreed this 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: Steers and heifers were all too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall lower than last week. Offerings were light this week which limited demand as buyers were not willing to start loads for the week due to light sales volume. Additionally, fewer buyers were on hand compared to last week. Market activity was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers were very aggressive this week as they purchased cows for immediate harvest. Packers were very selective this week as they bid on cows to feed, mostly bidding on very high quality, high dressing young cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Cow and bull weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week. 2 year old to young age cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good on all offerings. Buyers purchased these offerings to both feed and rebreed this week.