heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers$227.35/cwt-4.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,969/hd at 866 lb · 24 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers$217.52/cwt≈ $2,025/hd at 931 lb · 24 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$295.42/cwt+1.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,715/hd at 581 lb · 21 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,153
4,974
1,626
Feeder cattle
467
732
291
Slaughter cattle
2,005
1,187
1,088
Replacement cattle
681
1,072
247
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Too few sales were seen either this week or last to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was good to very good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME positions traded near steady for the week, with higher prices seen mid week and lower prices seen to end the week. Higher cash slaughter cattle prices were seen last week on very light volume. Additionally, lower feed prices were seen as the market was caught off guard by a larger number of corn acres planted, which caused a sell off all week. The August feeder cattle contract closed at 259.025, 0.65 higher than last Fridays close, the September closed at 259.65, 0.25 lower than the previous week. Market activity this week was mostly active, with a good crowd on hand and several internet bidders actively bidding. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised the majority of the cattle offering again this week. Ranchers continue to cull cows as many are wrapping up branding and are turning out cows. Some cows who have yet to calve are being sold as ranchers don't want to deal with the hassle of late calves. Most of these offerings sold at slaughter price with some going to slaughter and other returning to feed. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest as this was the last week to buy offerings before the 4th of July holiday. No sales are scheduled in the entire state for July 1st-5th as auctions take off for the holiday. Additional packer buyers were in the market again this week and were very aggressive as they searched for slaughter cows for harvest for both this week and next week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all offerings. Packers showed very good demand for feeding cows, however with additional packer buyers in the market buying high quality feeding cows was difficult as buyers were reluctant to push offerings higher. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Packers also purchased average quality thin and light boning cows to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday; these offerings were included in slaughter cattle prices this week as most are going to slaughter prior to the end of next week. Quality this week was mostly average to attritive with many high quality reputation cows seen. Weigh conditions were average to above average, however most offerings are starting to flesh up and some are starting to show more fill as well. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand was good to very good for high quality offerings which buyers are looking to rebreed. Quality was average to attractive. The calendar is starting to get late in the season to buy cows to rebreed so many buyers are slowing down on purchasing offerings for that purpose. Cows purchased this week would mostly be April and later calving 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: Too few sales were seen either this week or last to develop any market trend. Feeder cattle were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was good to very good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME positions traded near steady for the week, with higher prices seen mid week and lower prices seen to end the week. Higher cash slaughter cattle prices were seen last week on very light volume. Additionally, lower feed prices were seen as the market was caught off guard by a larger number of corn acres planted, which caused a sell off all week. The August feeder cattle contract closed at 259.025, 0.65 higher than last Fridays close, the September closed at 259.65, 0.25 lower than the previous week. Market activity this week was mostly active, with a good crowd on hand and several internet bidders actively bidding. Weigh up cows and bulls comprised the majority of the cattle offering again this week. Ranchers continue to cull cows as many are wrapping up branding and are turning out cows. Some cows who have yet to calve are being sold as ranchers don't want to deal with the hassle of late calves. Most of these offerings sold at slaughter price with some going to slaughter and other returning to feed. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows for immediate harvest as this was the last week to buy offerings before the 4th of July holiday. No sales are scheduled in the entire state for July 1st-5th as auctions take off for the holiday. Additional packer buyers were in the market again this week and were very aggressive as they searched for slaughter cows for harvest for both this week and next week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all offerings. Packers showed very good demand for feeding cows, however with additional packer buyers in the market buying high quality feeding cows was difficult as buyers were reluctant to push offerings higher. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Packers also purchased average quality thin and light boning cows to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday; these offerings were included in slaughter cattle prices this week as most are going to slaughter prior to the end of next week. Quality this week was mostly average to attritive with many high quality reputation cows seen. Weigh conditions were average to above average, however most offerings are starting to flesh up and some are starting to show more fill as well. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady. Demand was good to very good for high quality offerings which buyers are looking to rebreed. Quality was average to attractive. The calendar is starting to get late in the season to buy cows to rebreed so many buyers are slowing down on purchasing offerings for that purpose. Cows purchased this week would mostly be April and later calving cows.