light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$290.34/cwt-1.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,516/hd at 522 lb · 75 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers$265.50/cwt-4.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,625/hd at 612 lb · 66 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$259.68/cwt≈ $1,761/hd at 678 lb · 52 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
908
2,526
2,733
Feeder cattle
862
2,390
2,505
Slaughter cattle
31
96
190
Replacement cattle
15
40
38
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steer calves under 450 lbs, steer calves over 450 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones; heifer calves under 600 lbs sold with higher undertones, heifer over 600 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones. All yearlings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heavy rain fell across much of the region over the last couple days and receipts were very light as a result. Several buyers finished buying loads from Thursdays sale but were reluctant to start additional loads. Demand was good to start the sale but waned as buyers filled loads. Quality was mostly plain to average, with a very limited selection of high quality offerings available to buyers. Most offerings were in very small groups of less than 10 head. Very light weight calves sold on good demand this sale as buyers look for calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on light to moderate demand for very light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls sold to develop any accurate market trend.
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: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steer calves under 450 lbs, steer calves over 450 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones; heifer calves under 600 lbs sold with higher undertones, heifer over 600 lbs sold with steady to weak undertones. All yearlings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heavy rain fell across much of the region over the last couple days and receipts were very light as a result. Several buyers finished buying loads from Thursdays sale but were reluctant to start additional loads. Demand was good to start the sale but waned as buyers filled loads. Quality was mostly plain to average, with a very limited selection of high quality offerings available to buyers. Most offerings were in very small groups of less than 10 head. Very light weight calves sold on good demand this sale as buyers look for calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on light to moderate demand for very light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls sold to develop any accurate market trend.