heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$299.65/cwt-4.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,728/hd at 577 lb · 298 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$315.31/cwt-6.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,643/hd at 521 lb · 245 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$298.15/cwt-7.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,428/hd at 479 lb · 115 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,135
4,591
3,144
Feeder cattle
1,841
3,498
1,915
Slaughter cattle
1,017
790
926
Replacement cattle
277
303
303
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Both steer and heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Steer calves 500-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifers over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Calf quality, calf health, and package size all affected demand this week. Packages were smaller this week compared to last weeks sale, which saw several load lots. Most calves were offered in small packages this week with no load lots of calves seen. Partial loads of calves sold with the best demand, these offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. The only load lot on offer this week was a load of yearling heifers which sold fully steady. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality overall this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Market activity was mostly moderate today with a smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers, buying cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Most of these cows were normally go to slaughter. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality this week plain to average and similar to last weeks offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Many cows early morning offered buyers average weigh conditions, while cows late in the sale were pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Many young age cows were very thin this sale. Quality was mostly average today and similar to last 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 week: Both steer and heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Steer calves 500-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifers over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Calf quality, calf health, and package size all affected demand this week. Packages were smaller this week compared to last weeks sale, which saw several load lots. Most calves were offered in small packages this week with no load lots of calves seen. Partial loads of calves sold with the best demand, these offerings sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. The only load lot on offer this week was a load of yearling heifers which sold fully steady. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality overall this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Market activity was mostly moderate today with a smaller buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was light while feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good with multiple private ranchers and order buyers, buying cows to feed. Private buyers continue to buy slightly lame or slightly blemished cows to but away on feed. Packer buyers were also active and buying slightly lame or blemished cows to put away to feed for the upcoming holidays. Most of these cows were normally go to slaughter. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower. Cow quality this week plain to average and similar to last weeks offering. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Many cows early morning offered buyers average weigh conditions, while cows late in the sale were pushing moderate amounts of fill. Young cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Many young age cows were very thin this sale. Quality was mostly average today and similar to last week.