light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$151.64/cwt-1.80 vs last sale · ≈ $789/hd at 520 lb · 482 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$167.62/cwt-12.72 vs last sale · ≈ $875/hd at 522 lb · 300 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$156.01/cwt+3.34 vs last sale · ≈ $738/hd at 473 lb · 298 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,570
4,099
3,353
Feeder cattle
3,162
3,626
3,042
Slaughter cattle
298
372
311
Replacement cattle
110
101
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last Friday: All yearlings were not well compared as different weights and classes sold this week. No trend is available. Most yearlings were out of a grow lot this week and demand was light to moderate. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold steady in a narrow comparison, steer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, steer calves over 550 lbs sold unevenly steady from weak to firm. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady weak, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to firm. Demand for calves remains slightly uneven as transportation remains the biggest factor limiting demand. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. This led to wide price spreads throughout the sale. Calf quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive. Many high quality calves were seen this week. Most of these calves usually weigh in well over 600 lbs, however with drought conditions seen this summer, calves were weighing around 100 lbs lighter than last years averages. Demand for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings was good to very good. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm with last weeks prices as buyers tried to finish loads for the week. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 higher after last weeks big decline in price. Again most increase in price was caused by buyers trying to square loads. Weight up conditions were mostly below average this sale as cows sold late in the afternoon. Many cows tanked up off fresh clean water and good feed. Young age cows sold sharply lower on very light demand. Very few buyers were bidding on this class of cows.
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 Friday: All yearlings were not well compared as different weights and classes sold this week. No trend is available. Most yearlings were out of a grow lot this week and demand was light to moderate. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold steady in a narrow comparison, steer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, steer calves over 550 lbs sold unevenly steady from weak to firm. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifer calves 450-549 lbs sold steady weak, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to firm. Demand for calves remains slightly uneven as transportation remains the biggest factor limiting demand. Buyers focused on buying front end calves, especially ones with two rounds of vaccinations and passed or discounted average quality calves or calves with only spring shots. This led to wide price spreads throughout the sale. Calf quality this sale was mostly average to very attractive. Many high quality calves were seen this week. Most of these calves usually weigh in well over 600 lbs, however with drought conditions seen this summer, calves were weighing around 100 lbs lighter than last years averages. Demand for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings was good to very good. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm with last weeks prices as buyers tried to finish loads for the week. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 higher after last weeks big decline in price. Again most increase in price was caused by buyers trying to square loads. Weight up conditions were mostly below average this sale as cows sold late in the afternoon. Many cows tanked up off fresh clean water and good feed. Young age cows sold sharply lower on very light demand. Very few buyers were bidding on this class of cows.