Compared to last week, slaughter cows and bulls were steady. Demand was good on a light supply. The top slaughter bull sold for 244.00/cwt. and the top slaughter cow sold for 196.00/cwt. On the replacement side, the top pair sold for 4250.00/pair and the top bred cow sold for 4150.00/head. Much cooler weather and lower humidity move across the region Tuesday night, bring needed relief to both man and beast. Pasture conditions continue to be above average, for this time of the year. Hay harvest continues in those areas where scattered showers have missed, with yields much better than earlier harvests.
→ Replacement cows: the top pair sold for 4250.00/pair and the top bred cow sold for 4150.00/head
→ Slaughter bulls: slaughter cows and bulls were steady
→ Slaughter cows: slaughter cows and bulls were steady
1000–1049 lb Lean cows — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.
Reading this report
What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?
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, slaughter cows and bulls were steady. Demand was good on a light supply. The top slaughter bull sold for 244.00/cwt. and the top slaughter cow sold for 196.00/cwt. On the replacement side, the top pair sold for 4250.00/pair and the top bred cow sold for 4150.00/head. Much cooler weather and lower humidity move across the region Tuesday night, bring needed relief to both man and beast. Pasture conditions continue to be above average, for this time of the year. Hay harvest continues in those areas where scattered showers have missed, with yields much better than earlier harvests.