heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers$218.99/cwt+18.28 vs last sale · ≈ $808/hd at 369 lb · 318 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers$168.44/cwt-5.24 vs last sale · ≈ $638/hd at 379 lb · 300 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$160.94/cwt+4.40 vs last sale · ≈ $767/hd at 477 lb · 300 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
5,727
4,986
3,485
Feeder cattle
3,172
2,290
2,546
Slaughter cattle
1,865
1,895
542
Replacement cattle
690
801
397
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were scarcely tested this week thus no trend is available. Limited yearlings sold on moderate to good demand. Steer calves sold unevenly steady from 5.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower, heifers over 450 sold steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weather conditions were poor to very poor today as wet, heavy snow was seen all across the region. Calves looked stressed at times as temperatures hovered in the low 30's and all calves were soaking wet. Despite poor weather, feeder cattle sold on mostly moderate demand. High quality claves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with the best demand, while average quality calves sold on light to moderate demand. Transportation continues to be very tight as trucks and drivers are limited. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. Market activity was moderate overall. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for very heavy offerings. Cows continue to be mostly very thin. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows as very heavy offerings are being seen across the region. Slaughter cows sold mostly 6.00-10.00 lower on lean cows, breaking and boning cows were not well tested. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower. Feeding cow demand improved as the sale progressed. Eight cow buyers were actively bidding on cows to feed this sale. Many thin cows purchased to turn out on corn stalks or feed a holding ration until the market improves. Others were purchased as exposed and will return to the country to preg test and keep until spring. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-3.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive and similar 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 and heifers were scarcely tested this week thus no trend is available. Limited yearlings sold on moderate to good demand. Steer calves sold unevenly steady from 5.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower, heifers over 450 sold steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weather conditions were poor to very poor today as wet, heavy snow was seen all across the region. Calves looked stressed at times as temperatures hovered in the low 30's and all calves were soaking wet. Despite poor weather, feeder cattle sold on mostly moderate demand. High quality claves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with the best demand, while average quality calves sold on light to moderate demand. Transportation continues to be very tight as trucks and drivers are limited. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. Market activity was moderate overall. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand for very heavy offerings. Cows continue to be mostly very thin. Packers showed mostly light demand for slaughter cows as very heavy offerings are being seen across the region. Slaughter cows sold mostly 6.00-10.00 lower on lean cows, breaking and boning cows were not well tested. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower. Feeding cow demand improved as the sale progressed. Eight cow buyers were actively bidding on cows to feed this sale. Many thin cows purchased to turn out on corn stalks or feed a holding ration until the market improves. Others were purchased as exposed and will return to the country to preg test and keep until spring. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00-3.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive and similar to last week.