heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers$254.50/cwt≈ $2,016/hd at 792 lb · 66 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers$239.75/cwt≈ $2,187/hd at 912 lb · 55 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$312.66/cwt-2.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,767/hd at 565 lb · 48 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,432
3,218
1,152
Feeder cattle
1,432
3,218
1,152
Market comments — USDA reporter
***Close***
Compared to last week, feeder steers sold 4.00 higher while feeder heifers were not well tested. Steer and heifer calves were steady to 5.00 higher in a light test of the market. Demand was good on a light supply. Supplies were lighter than expected due to weekend rains, in excess of 3" across most of the area, making it difficult to get cattle to the market. The offering was mostly smaller drafts with only five drafts larger than 25 head. As typical for the week before the holidays, most cattle were sold to pay the tax man or for Christmas shopping. Many are waiting for the January special sale to postpone income to a different tax year. For 2024, Ozarks Regional Stockyard sales included 127,601 feeders through the ring and 36,786 head in the Video Auctions for a total of 164,387 head of feeder calves sold. On behalf of the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Market News Service, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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
***Close*** Compared to last week, feeder steers sold 4.00 higher while feeder heifers were not well tested. Steer and heifer calves were steady to 5.00 higher in a light test of the market. Demand was good on a light supply. Supplies were lighter than expected due to weekend rains, in excess of 3" across most of the area, making it difficult to get cattle to the market. The offering was mostly smaller drafts with only five drafts larger than 25 head. As typical for the week before the holidays, most cattle were sold to pay the tax man or for Christmas shopping. Many are waiting for the January special sale to postpone income to a different tax year. For 2024, Ozarks Regional Stockyard sales included 127,601 feeders through the ring and 36,786 head in the Video Auctions for a total of 164,387 head of feeder calves sold. On behalf of the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Market News Service, I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.