Compared to the last sale, two weeks ago, slaughter cows and bulls traded 3.00-4.00 higher while bred cows traded 75.00-150.00 higher. Demand was good on a moderate supply of slaughter animals and bred cows. Supplies were lighter than expected as heavy rains across much of the area, earlier in the week, made hauling cattle difficult. There was a good selection of bred cows on hand, however the offering of cow/calf pairs was very light.
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 the last sale, two weeks ago, slaughter cows and bulls traded 3.00-4.00 higher while bred cows traded 75.00-150.00 higher. Demand was good on a moderate supply of slaughter animals and bred cows. Supplies were lighter than expected as heavy rains across much of the area, earlier in the week, made hauling cattle difficult. There was a good selection of bred cows on hand, however the offering of cow/calf pairs was very light.