Compared to last week, slaughter cows and bulls traded steady to 2.00 higher with spots 4.00 higher on some high dressing animals. The demand was good on slaughter animals and moderate on replacement cattle. There was a heavy supply of slaughter cows, a moderate supply of bred cows and slaughter bulls and a light supply of pairs. Hot and dry temperatures kept attendance light as producers took advantage of the weather to harvest hay.
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 traded steady to 2.00 higher with spots 4.00 higher on some high dressing animals. The demand was good on slaughter animals and moderate on replacement cattle. There was a heavy supply of slaughter cows, a moderate supply of bred cows and slaughter bulls and a light supply of pairs. Hot and dry temperatures kept attendance light as producers took advantage of the weather to harvest hay.