Compared to last week, slaughter cows and bulls traded 3.00-5.00 lower. Demand was good on a heavy supply of slaughter animals and a moderate supply of replacement cattle. Pasture conditions continue to decline due to the lack of moisture, resulting in higher receipts at the sale barn as producers are forced to cull earlier than normal. Thankfully, hay supplies have improved as many were able to get a much needed second cutting.
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 3.00-5.00 lower. Demand was good on a heavy supply of slaughter animals and a moderate supply of replacement cattle. Pasture conditions continue to decline due to the lack of moisture, resulting in higher receipts at the sale barn as producers are forced to cull earlier than normal. Thankfully, hay supplies have improved as many were able to get a much needed second cutting.