light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$177.92/cwt+3.76 vs last sale · ≈ $959/hd at 539 lb · 118 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$232.75/cwt+19.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,061/hd at 456 lb · 98 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$177.36/cwt+9.47 vs last sale · ≈ $835/hd at 471 lb · 85 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,175
2,057
519
Feeder cattle
642
1,641
516
Slaughter cattle
288
225
3
Replacement cattle
245
191
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: The best test for feeder steers was 650-699 lbs which sold mostly 5.00 higher. All other steer calves were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. The best test for heifer calves was for 500-549 lbs which sold 3.00 higher. All other heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. A few light loads were seen today and these cattle were met with the best demand. Small groups and singles sold way back from the main cut this week. Colored cattle also sold at a large discount to black cattle. Demand overall was moderate to good. A large buyer pool was on hand again this week. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed very good demand for all cows on offer. A strong offering of bred and exposed cows were seen this week. Ranchers pushed most exposed cows just out of packers reach this week. A few loads of fed cows were seen this week off two different ranches. These cows were mostly purchased to return to feed as they needed 30 or so more days of grain to grade premium white. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were scarcely tested last week so no trend is available. A southern snow and ice storm late last week has southern packers scrambling to find cows for harvest. Northern packers are being squeezed from both higher prices southern packers are willing to give and tighter supplies due to transportation issues from cattle which they would normally buy from Canadian producers. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend last week, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average.
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: The best test for feeder steers was 650-699 lbs which sold mostly 5.00 higher. All other steer calves were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. The best test for heifer calves was for 500-549 lbs which sold 3.00 higher. All other heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. A few light loads were seen today and these cattle were met with the best demand. Small groups and singles sold way back from the main cut this week. Colored cattle also sold at a large discount to black cattle. Demand overall was moderate to good. A large buyer pool was on hand again this week. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer buyers showed very good demand for all cows on offer. A strong offering of bred and exposed cows were seen this week. Ranchers pushed most exposed cows just out of packers reach this week. A few loads of fed cows were seen this week off two different ranches. These cows were mostly purchased to return to feed as they needed 30 or so more days of grain to grade premium white. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were scarcely tested last week so no trend is available. A southern snow and ice storm late last week has southern packers scrambling to find cows for harvest. Northern packers are being squeezed from both higher prices southern packers are willing to give and tighter supplies due to transportation issues from cattle which they would normally buy from Canadian producers. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend last week, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average.