heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$307.72/cwt-0.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,466/hd at 476 lb · 357 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$273.75/cwt+9.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,294/hd at 473 lb · 324 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$265.06/cwt+0.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,523/hd at 575 lb · 236 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
6,205
16,058
11,399
Feeder cattle
3,740
6,358
4,907
Slaughter cattle
1,844
1,904
2,359
Replacement cattle
621
7,796
4,133
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady on a lower quality offering; 450-599 sold steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers 500-649 lbs sold unevenly steady on a mixed quality offering, heifers over 650 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. Demand this week was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes were mixed this week, but smaller overall compared to last week. No load lots were seen and fewer partial loads were seen. CME positions finally posted week over week gains and demand improved as a result. The January feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 220.90, a gain of 5.60 for the week, while the March closed at 222.175, 6.10 higher for the week. Market activity this week was mostly active this week as more takers were seen for feeders. Additionally, a larger buyer pool seen for feeder cattle this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. The best demand was seen for fleshy cows this week as some buyers opted to send them to feed, while others sent them to immediate harvest. Breaking cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher, boning cows sold steady, lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter, most slaughter cows had some kind of blemish again this week. Both packer buyers and private feeders continue to buy thin cows to feed or turn out on corn stalks this winter. This class of feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Quality was average to attractive.
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: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady on a lower quality offering; 450-599 sold steady to 5.00 higher, steers over 600 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers 500-649 lbs sold unevenly steady on a mixed quality offering, heifers over 650 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher. Demand this week was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes were mixed this week, but smaller overall compared to last week. No load lots were seen and fewer partial loads were seen. CME positions finally posted week over week gains and demand improved as a result. The January feeder cattle contract closed Friday at 220.90, a gain of 5.60 for the week, while the March closed at 222.175, 6.10 higher for the week. Market activity this week was mostly active this week as more takers were seen for feeders. Additionally, a larger buyer pool seen for feeder cattle this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average. The best demand was seen for fleshy cows this week as some buyers opted to send them to feed, while others sent them to immediate harvest. Breaking cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher, boning cows sold steady, lean cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher. Packers continue to focus on buying feeding cows this week. Only poorer quality cows were purchased for immediate slaughter, most slaughter cows had some kind of blemish again this week. Both packer buyers and private feeders continue to buy thin cows to feed or turn out on corn stalks this winter. This class of feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter and feeding bulls sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand this week. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower on a lower quality offering this week. Quality was average to attractive.