light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers$151.75/cwt+5.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,240/hd at 817 lb · 191 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers$144.27/cwt+0.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,257/hd at 871 lb · 118 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers$148.27/cwt-0.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,148/hd at 774 lb · 79 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,373
4,869
3,297
Feeder cattle
1,687
2,135
2,557
Slaughter cattle
1,247
1,572
326
Replacement cattle
439
1,162
414
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Steers calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offering. Yearling steers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Quality this week continues to be average to very attractive. Several sets of replacement heifers were on offer this week and buyers continue to offer to abort these heifers at their expense if they buyer wishes to feed them. Most heifers were purchased for feed again this week. CME positions continue to inch higher as all contracts pushed higher to end the week. The August feeder contract closed Friday at 158.05, 1.80 lower than last Friday. Traders are trying not to stray too far from the daily index price as the contract expires soon. The September contract closed at 163.075 while the October and November closed at 165.775 and 167.30 respectively. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Light offerings helped hold prices for cows near steady early in the week, but heavy cow supplies later in the week allowed prices to slip. Cow quality this week was significantly lower than last week as most cows were coming out of dry country and had freshly weaned calves. Many cows had big bags as a result. Packers were not as aggressive on cows this week as yields were off significantly compared to previous weeks. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Very few cows were purchased for feed this week as quality was not as attractive as in weeks prior. Several sets of cows were purchased to return to the country to preg test. This took some of the cow offering off the market and forced packers to big more aggressive than they seemed will to earlier in the week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week. Demand for replacement stock was stronger this week. Cow-calf pairs and bred cows both were purchased to ship south and east as demand for these offerings was good to very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand for rebreed offerings was moderate this week and southern demand helped improve prices on this class of cows.
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: Steers calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offering. Yearling steers sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 850 lbs sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Quality this week continues to be average to very attractive. Several sets of replacement heifers were on offer this week and buyers continue to offer to abort these heifers at their expense if they buyer wishes to feed them. Most heifers were purchased for feed again this week. CME positions continue to inch higher as all contracts pushed higher to end the week. The August feeder contract closed Friday at 158.05, 1.80 lower than last Friday. Traders are trying not to stray too far from the daily index price as the contract expires soon. The September contract closed at 163.075 while the October and November closed at 165.775 and 167.30 respectively. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Light offerings helped hold prices for cows near steady early in the week, but heavy cow supplies later in the week allowed prices to slip. Cow quality this week was significantly lower than last week as most cows were coming out of dry country and had freshly weaned calves. Many cows had big bags as a result. Packers were not as aggressive on cows this week as yields were off significantly compared to previous weeks. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Very few cows were purchased for feed this week as quality was not as attractive as in weeks prior. Several sets of cows were purchased to return to the country to preg test. This took some of the cow offering off the market and forced packers to big more aggressive than they seemed will to earlier in the week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week. Demand for replacement stock was stronger this week. Cow-calf pairs and bred cows both were purchased to ship south and east as demand for these offerings was good to very good. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand for rebreed offerings was moderate this week and southern demand helped improve prices on this class of cows.