light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$309.36/cwt-0.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,661/hd at 537 lb · 99 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$304.86/cwt+28.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,719/hd at 564 lb · 61 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$341.05/cwt+7.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,480/hd at 434 lb · 50 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
855
1,659
1,053
Feeder cattle
563
943
973
Slaughter cattle
212
215
43
Replacement cattle
80
501
37
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on steers and higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Plain to average quality calves sold on good demand, much like last week. Most cattle were long weaned from 45-100 days. Package sizes were mostly small this week with no load lots seen. CME positions pushed higher today but traded mostly lower late last week and early this week. The March contract closed today at 248.975, 3.325 lower than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 254.125 today, 3.05 lower than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week with a large crowd on hand. Ranchers and order buyers were both very active as they bid on offerings today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was good to very good with additional buyers in the market this week. Packers opted to send all cows to immediate harvest this week as supplies remain tight. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Very few feeding cows were seen this week thus no comparisons can be made. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand again this week. This class sold mostly firm in a narrow comparison. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week.
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 sale: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on steers and higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Plain to average quality calves sold on good demand, much like last week. Most cattle were long weaned from 45-100 days. Package sizes were mostly small this week with no load lots seen. CME positions pushed higher today but traded mostly lower late last week and early this week. The March contract closed today at 248.975, 3.325 lower than last Tuesdays close. The April closed at 254.125 today, 3.05 lower than last Tuesdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week with a large crowd on hand. Ranchers and order buyers were both very active as they bid on offerings today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was good to very good with additional buyers in the market this week. Packers opted to send all cows to immediate harvest this week as supplies remain tight. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Very few feeding cows were seen this week thus no comparisons can be made. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand again this week. This class sold mostly firm in a narrow comparison. Young cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week.