heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$279.47/cwt+15.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,582/hd at 566 lb · 326 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$265.92/cwt+8.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,391/hd at 523 lb · 231 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$284.18/cwt+6.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,194/hd at 420 lb · 192 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,988
4,176
4,493
Feeder cattle
2,263
3,267
3,303
Slaughter cattle
477
621
889
Replacement cattle
248
288
301
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold sharply higher, with most sales 25.00-35.00 higher, steers over 450 lbs sold mostly 12.00-15.00 higher. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. 450-550 lbs heifers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifer calves over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week and over all much more attractive than last weeks sale. The first full load lot of calves sold this week, and demand was very good. Multiple partial loads sold today and demand was good to very good on these offerings. More buyers were seen this week following last weeks winter storm which kept most buyers out of the market. Higher CME positions also helped improve demand as contract positions have rebounded slightly from last weeks lows. CME positions closed near steady today. The November contract closed at 237.70, 2.275 higher than last Tuesdays close. Several sets of calves offered buyers two rounds of vaccinations; these offerings continue to sell with the best demand. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today and significantly more active than last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate this week. Demand for slaughter cows improved as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all offerings in a narrow comparison. Most cows continue to be purchased to feed as all both packers and private farmer feeders continue to buy cows to feed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold mostly 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week and significantly higher than last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, with good weigh up seen for buyers early in the day and poorer weigh up conditions seen later in the day. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand was moderate to good for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed.
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 450 lbs sold sharply higher, with most sales 25.00-35.00 higher, steers over 450 lbs sold mostly 12.00-15.00 higher. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. 450-550 lbs heifers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifer calves over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week and over all much more attractive than last weeks sale. The first full load lot of calves sold this week, and demand was very good. Multiple partial loads sold today and demand was good to very good on these offerings. More buyers were seen this week following last weeks winter storm which kept most buyers out of the market. Higher CME positions also helped improve demand as contract positions have rebounded slightly from last weeks lows. CME positions closed near steady today. The November contract closed at 237.70, 2.275 higher than last Tuesdays close. Several sets of calves offered buyers two rounds of vaccinations; these offerings continue to sell with the best demand. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today and significantly more active than last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate this week. Demand for slaughter cows improved as the sale progressed. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all offerings in a narrow comparison. Most cows continue to be purchased to feed as all both packers and private farmer feeders continue to buy cows to feed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold mostly 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week and significantly higher than last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, with good weigh up seen for buyers early in the day and poorer weigh up conditions seen later in the day. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand was moderate to good for young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed.