Compared to last week, slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 lower. Demand was good on a heavy supply of replacement cattle and a moderate supply of slaughter animals. The top slaughter bull sold for 248.00/cwt. and the top slaughter cow sold for 190.00/cwt. On the replacement side the top pairs were 20 pairs of black cows in the 1st stage with 400 lb. calves by their side which sold for 6550.00/pair. The top bred cows were 24 head of black cows in the 2nd/3rd stage which sold for 4900.00/head. There were several herd sell-outs with replacements out numbering slaughter animals by more than 2-1. Parts of the area saw some good rains over the weekend with other areas seeing little or none. Producers have been busy in the hay fields if weather permits with most reporting the quality and quantity of hay below normal.
→ Replacement cows: The top bred cows were 24 head of black cows in the 2nd/3rd stage which sold for 4900.00/head
▼ Slaughter bulls: slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 lower
▼ Slaughter cows: slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 lower
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 to 2.00 lower. Demand was good on a heavy supply of replacement cattle and a moderate supply of slaughter animals. The top slaughter bull sold for 248.00/cwt. and the top slaughter cow sold for 190.00/cwt. On the replacement side the top pairs were 20 pairs of black cows in the 1st stage with 400 lb. calves by their side which sold for 6550.00/pair. The top bred cows were 24 head of black cows in the 2nd/3rd stage which sold for 4900.00/head. There were several herd sell-outs with replacements out numbering slaughter animals by more than 2-1. Parts of the area saw some good rains over the weekend with other areas seeing little or none. Producers have been busy in the hay fields if weather permits with most reporting the quality and quantity of hay below normal.