heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$285.44/cwt+12.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 468 lb · 142 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers$350.72/cwt+17.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,520/hd at 433 lb · 126 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$295.60/cwt+10.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,572/hd at 532 lb · 71 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,960
1,760
1,943
Feeder cattle
1,020
1,299
1,359
Slaughter cattle
502
353
464
Replacement cattle
438
108
120
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves 450-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher; steers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, heifers 400-499 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher; heifers over 500 lbs were not well compared, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive, and overall similar to last week. Package sizes were smaller this week compared to last. Large packages and partial loads sold with very good demand this week as buyers wanted to piece together loads of like quality cattle. The best demand continues to be for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Most calves were weaned this week and these offerings were met with mostly good demand. A few packages of high quality unweaned calves were seen this week and despite being unweaned buyers showed very good demand for high quality calves. CME positions have posted gains for the last few trading sessions and ended last week higher than it started for the first time in weeks. CME positions were higher most of the day but sold off into the close. The January contract closed 1.275 lower to settle at 221.90, while the March closed 0.95 lower to settle at 223.20. Market activity was mostly active this week with a similar size smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. This week packers opted to send most cows to harvest as feedlots are mostly full and packers gathered supplies for the holiday break. Demand for slaughter cows was moderate this week and stronger than last week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows in a narrow comparison. Boning cows sold mostly steady to firm, while lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. A limited portion of the cow offering was purchased to feed this week. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly steady to firm. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow flesh scores are starting to improve as many ranchers have weaned calves and cows are starting to flesh back up. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate demand this week. More interest was seen for this class of cows as additional buyers were in the market looking for both feeding and rebreed quality cows. Quality this week was mostly average. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher.
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 and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves 450-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher; steers over 550 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, heifers 400-499 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher; heifers over 500 lbs were not well compared, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive, and overall similar to last week. Package sizes were smaller this week compared to last. Large packages and partial loads sold with very good demand this week as buyers wanted to piece together loads of like quality cattle. The best demand continues to be for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Most calves were weaned this week and these offerings were met with mostly good demand. A few packages of high quality unweaned calves were seen this week and despite being unweaned buyers showed very good demand for high quality calves. CME positions have posted gains for the last few trading sessions and ended last week higher than it started for the first time in weeks. CME positions were higher most of the day but sold off into the close. The January contract closed 1.275 lower to settle at 221.90, while the March closed 0.95 lower to settle at 223.20. Market activity was mostly active this week with a similar size smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. This week packers opted to send most cows to harvest as feedlots are mostly full and packers gathered supplies for the holiday break. Demand for slaughter cows was moderate this week and stronger than last week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows in a narrow comparison. Boning cows sold mostly steady to firm, while lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. A limited portion of the cow offering was purchased to feed this week. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly steady to firm. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow flesh scores are starting to improve as many ranchers have weaned calves and cows are starting to flesh back up. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. Young age cows sold on mostly moderate demand this week. More interest was seen for this class of cows as additional buyers were in the market looking for both feeding and rebreed quality cows. Quality this week was mostly average. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher.