light 6-weight M&L 1 steers$282.86/cwt+8.46 vs last sale · ≈ $1,734/hd at 613 lb · 58 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$233.75/cwt+0.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,123/hd at 481 lb · 48 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers$256.35/cwt+3.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 521 lb · 24 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
838
1,890
765
Feeder cattle
598
1,444
514
Slaughter cattle
200
346
126
Replacement cattle
40
100
125
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, 600-700 lb. steers sold steady to 5.00 higher. The light supply did not provide much in the way of true comparisons on other weights and classes. The offering was made of mostly small packages, singles and odds and ends with overall quality not as attractive as typical. Demand for feeders varied drastically based upon heath risk associated with each consignment. The few larger consignments of weaned and worked calves that were slicked off found a lot more interest than those which were pulled right from the cows and likely would have seen better management in a more normal year. Drought conditions and lack of feed continues to leave many producers with no choice but to sell sooner than they wish and likely responsible for the absence of vaccination or weaning programs. Although some producers continue to miss out on moisture many have now received some rain since last week's sale, with a few luckiest folks seeing two or three inches. Much unlike previous weeks if not months now, there was a slight spark seen in demand for replacements some of which came from other states. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 5.00 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, 600-700 lb. steers sold steady to 5.00 higher. The light supply did not provide much in the way of true comparisons on other weights and classes. The offering was made of mostly small packages, singles and odds and ends with overall quality not as attractive as typical. Demand for feeders varied drastically based upon heath risk associated with each consignment. The few larger consignments of weaned and worked calves that were slicked off found a lot more interest than those which were pulled right from the cows and likely would have seen better management in a more normal year. Drought conditions and lack of feed continues to leave many producers with no choice but to sell sooner than they wish and likely responsible for the absence of vaccination or weaning programs. Although some producers continue to miss out on moisture many have now received some rain since last week's sale, with a few luckiest folks seeing two or three inches. Much unlike previous weeks if not months now, there was a slight spark seen in demand for replacements some of which came from other states. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher.