light 8-weight M&L 1 steers$197.25/cwt≈ $1,598/hd at 810 lb · 74 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers$225.13/cwt≈ $1,360/hd at 604 lb · 36 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$213.00/cwt+12.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,242/hd at 583 lb · 32 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
672
1,454
1,346
Feeder cattle
382
1,218
357
Slaughter cattle
219
90
424
Replacement cattle
71
146
565
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. The single load lot that sold this week was met with very good demand, as weigh conditions and flesh conditions were very attractive. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Major packers and local packers continue to be very aggressive as they fight over limited offerings. One consignment of fed cows sold this week. These offerings were met with good demand. Little to no premium for premium white cows has been seen this spring so consigners opted to sell cows instead of continuing to feed them. Many of these fed cows were purchased by eastern packers to feed; western packers purchased these offerings for immediate harvest. Feeding cows were not well compared this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Weigh conditions were not as attractive as last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand for young cows that lost calves continues to be good to very good.
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 cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. The single load lot that sold this week was met with very good demand, as weigh conditions and flesh conditions were very attractive. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Major packers and local packers continue to be very aggressive as they fight over limited offerings. One consignment of fed cows sold this week. These offerings were met with good demand. Little to no premium for premium white cows has been seen this spring so consigners opted to sell cows instead of continuing to feed them. Many of these fed cows were purchased by eastern packers to feed; western packers purchased these offerings for immediate harvest. Feeding cows were not well compared this week. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Weigh conditions were not as attractive as last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand for young cows that lost calves continues to be good to very good.