Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was average on a very limited offering. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Lots of cancellations were seen this week sub-zero temperatures and snow covered roads hindered ranchers from sending offerings to town. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. The majority of the cow offering was comprised of fed cows. Most of these offerings had been on feed for over 100 days and fed grain. Demand for fed cows was very good, however buyers continue to send these cows back to the country to add extra weight and ensure most of them grade premium white. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Packers showed good demand for all cows for harvest this week. Packers opted to send several sets of bred cows to slaughter or feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Bull quality was mostly average week. All cows and bulls were pushing excess fill as extremely cold temperatures were seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand. Most of todays offering were all off one ranch.
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: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was average on a very limited offering. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Market activity this week was mostly moderate to active. Lots of cancellations were seen this week sub-zero temperatures and snow covered roads hindered ranchers from sending offerings to town. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. The majority of the cow offering was comprised of fed cows. Most of these offerings had been on feed for over 100 days and fed grain. Demand for fed cows was very good, however buyers continue to send these cows back to the country to add extra weight and ensure most of them grade premium white. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Packers showed good demand for all cows for harvest this week. Packers opted to send several sets of bred cows to slaughter or feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Bull quality was mostly average week. All cows and bulls were pushing excess fill as extremely cold temperatures were seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand. Most of todays offering were all off one ranch.