light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$298.85/cwt-0.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,581/hd at 529 lb · 297 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers$340.58/cwt-16.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,468/hd at 431 lb · 172 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$277.02/cwt-2.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,571/hd at 567 lb · 156 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,144
2,988
2,325
Feeder cattle
1,915
2,263
1,297
Slaughter cattle
926
477
762
Replacement cattle
303
248
266
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower, steers over 450 lbs sold unevenly steady with front end calves selling higher and plain to average quality calves selling lower. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 6.00-9.00 higher. Heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality was mixed this week from plain to very attractive. Demand for high quality attractive calves was mostly good, while plain to average quality cattle sold on light to moderate demand. One load lot was seen this week and demand for this offering was good. Most calves were offered in small to moderate size packages and demand was mostly moderate for packages of calves. CME positions sold off sharply today as most contracts showed triple digit losses. The nearby November closed at 232.225, 5.475 lower than last Tuesday, while the January closed at 230.825, 6.375 lower than last Tuesdays close. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with good demand and at a strong premium to cattle with only spring shots. Calf health was a concern to most buyers as several consignments of calves were dirty following last weeks snow and this weeks warm-up. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today and overall more active than last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to 2.00 lower. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average again this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, however cows that sold late in the day were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00 higher. Quality this week was much better this week compared to last week. A full load lot of thin open cows was seen this week and these cows were met with good to very good demand.
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: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower, steers over 450 lbs sold unevenly steady with front end calves selling higher and plain to average quality calves selling lower. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 6.00-9.00 higher. Heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality was mixed this week from plain to very attractive. Demand for high quality attractive calves was mostly good, while plain to average quality cattle sold on light to moderate demand. One load lot was seen this week and demand for this offering was good. Most calves were offered in small to moderate size packages and demand was mostly moderate for packages of calves. CME positions sold off sharply today as most contracts showed triple digit losses. The nearby November closed at 232.225, 5.475 lower than last Tuesday, while the January closed at 230.825, 6.375 lower than last Tuesdays close. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with good demand and at a strong premium to cattle with only spring shots. Calf health was a concern to most buyers as several consignments of calves were dirty following last weeks snow and this weeks warm-up. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today and overall more active than last week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light this week as all packers showed lighter demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower on boning cows lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to 2.00 lower. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average again this week with many sets of very thin low dressing or very low dressing cows seen. Slaughter bulls sold were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, however cows that sold late in the day were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows sold mostly 10.00 higher. Quality this week was much better this week compared to last week. A full load lot of thin open cows was seen this week and these cows were met with good to very good demand.