light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$282.71/cwt-19.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,450/hd at 513 lb · 193 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$264.08/cwt-13.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,513/hd at 573 lb · 140 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$257.74/cwt-4.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,354/hd at 525 lb · 135 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
4,176
3,692
1,789
Feeder cattle
3,267
2,595
1,406
Slaughter cattle
621
902
281
Replacement cattle
288
195
102
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sales 25.00-35.00 lower, steers over 500 lbs sold mostly 15.00-20.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply lower with most sales 20.00-30.00 lower, heifers over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average this week with a limited offering of attractive calves seen. No load lots were seen again this week as most calves continue to be offered in small packages. A winter storm is poised to hit tomorrow through the end of the week and several buyers were out of the market as a result. This, coupled with a sharply lower board positions had many buyers sitting on their hands this week. CME positions closed near steady today. The Nearby October closed at 239.425, 9.375 lower than last Tuesday, while the November closed at 235.425, 15.025 lower than last Tuesdays close. This is all in response to Fridays cattle on feed report which showed on feed and placements higher than anticipated in the pre report estimates. Several sets of calves offered buyers two rounds of vaccinations; these offerings sold with the best demand as weather has many buyers concerned over calves health. Most calves continue to be light weight and in light flesh. This also hindered demand as many are concerned with calves health going into a snowstorm and with sharply colder temperatures forecasted. Market activity was mostly moderate today and not as active as last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was lighter again this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold 3.00-5.00 lower however quality was not as attractive this week as last. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold mostly 15.00 lower. Demand was significantly lighter from feeding cow buyers which allowed prices to slide lower.
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 week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply lower, with most sales 25.00-35.00 lower, steers over 500 lbs sold mostly 15.00-20.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply lower with most sales 20.00-30.00 lower, heifers over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average this week with a limited offering of attractive calves seen. No load lots were seen again this week as most calves continue to be offered in small packages. A winter storm is poised to hit tomorrow through the end of the week and several buyers were out of the market as a result. This, coupled with a sharply lower board positions had many buyers sitting on their hands this week. CME positions closed near steady today. The Nearby October closed at 239.425, 9.375 lower than last Tuesday, while the November closed at 235.425, 15.025 lower than last Tuesdays close. This is all in response to Fridays cattle on feed report which showed on feed and placements higher than anticipated in the pre report estimates. Several sets of calves offered buyers two rounds of vaccinations; these offerings sold with the best demand as weather has many buyers concerned over calves health. Most calves continue to be light weight and in light flesh. This also hindered demand as many are concerned with calves health going into a snowstorm and with sharply colder temperatures forecasted. Market activity was mostly moderate today and not as active as last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was lighter again this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold 3.00-5.00 lower however quality was not as attractive this week as last. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold mostly 15.00 lower. Demand was significantly lighter from feeding cow buyers which allowed prices to slide lower.