light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers$237.25/cwt+1.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,960/hd at 826 lb · 86 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers$238.76/cwt-3.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,877/hd at 786 lb · 85 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers$246.87/cwt-7.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,782/hd at 722 lb · 79 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
914
1,620
1,435
Feeder cattle
492
1,065
978
Slaughter cattle
350
445
375
Replacement cattle
72
110
82
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder calves were scarcely tested this week thus no comparisons can be made. Demand for limited calves was good to very good. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower, heifers over 800 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate to good today. Demand improved as the sale progressed and buyers tried to fill loads. CME Feeder cattle positions sold off yesterday and today following news of a port strike which is weighing on market positions. Quality this sale was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last week's sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate, while feeding cow demand was moderate to good. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers purchased almost exclusively for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive as they bid on cow suitable to feed. Private feeders pushed all cow prices higher this week as the pushed packer buyers on all offerings, even very thin and lower yielding offerings. This helped improve slaughter cow demand as packers were forced to pay higher money for offerings this week. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were average to above average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady on like quality in a very narrow comparison. Young age cow quality was mostly average to attractive today. Demand for young cows to rebreed was good.
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: Feeder calves were scarcely tested this week thus no comparisons can be made. Demand for limited calves was good to very good. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower, heifers over 800 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate to good today. Demand improved as the sale progressed and buyers tried to fill loads. CME Feeder cattle positions sold off yesterday and today following news of a port strike which is weighing on market positions. Quality this sale was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last week's sale. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light to moderate, while feeding cow demand was moderate to good. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers purchased almost exclusively for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive as they bid on cow suitable to feed. Private feeders pushed all cow prices higher this week as the pushed packer buyers on all offerings, even very thin and lower yielding offerings. This helped improve slaughter cow demand as packers were forced to pay higher money for offerings this week. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were average to above average this week. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady on like quality in a very narrow comparison. Young age cow quality was mostly average to attractive today. Demand for young cows to rebreed was good.