Compared to last week, slaughter cows were 2.00-3.00 lower and slaughter bulls were steady. Bred cows and pairs sold steady. Demand was good on a moderate supply. Fall has arrived in the Ozarks with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 40s and daytime temperatures pushing 90. Pastures are showing signs of stress due to the lack of moisture and cooler nights. Cattlemen are hoping to get some much needed rain, as Hurricane Francine moves inland, while row crop farmers are trying to harvest crops as quickly as possible.
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 were 2.00-3.00 lower and slaughter bulls were steady. Bred cows and pairs sold steady. Demand was good on a moderate supply. Fall has arrived in the Ozarks with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 40s and daytime temperatures pushing 90. Pastures are showing signs of stress due to the lack of moisture and cooler nights. Cattlemen are hoping to get some much needed rain, as Hurricane Francine moves inland, while row crop farmers are trying to harvest crops as quickly as possible.