Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Quality this sale was mostly plain. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Most feeder cattle were offered as singles. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking and lean cows, boning sold steady to 2.00 lower. Packers showed light to moderate demand for slaughter cows today, however demand for feeding cows remains good to very good. Packers opted to put most of the cow offering on feed again this week. Several loads of cows were purchased to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday, these cows were mostly lean and light boning cows and plainer in quality. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on all offerings as packers were very competitive on high quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower with instances of 5.00 lower seen early in the sale. Cow and bull quality was mostly attractive to very attractive again this week. Weigh up conditions were average to above average, however weigh up conditions did deteriorate as the sale progressed. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed as fewer buyers were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate. Quality 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: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Quality this sale was mostly plain. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Most feeder cattle were offered as singles. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on breaking and lean cows, boning sold steady to 2.00 lower. Packers showed light to moderate demand for slaughter cows today, however demand for feeding cows remains good to very good. Packers opted to put most of the cow offering on feed again this week. Several loads of cows were purchased to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday, these cows were mostly lean and light boning cows and plainer in quality. Feeding cows sold steady to firm on all offerings as packers were very competitive on high quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower with instances of 5.00 lower seen early in the sale. Cow and bull quality was mostly attractive to very attractive again this week. Weigh up conditions were average to above average, however weigh up conditions did deteriorate as the sale progressed. Young age cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed as fewer buyers were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate. Quality was mostly average.