Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were not tested this week as todays sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. heavier supplies allowed for buyers to be more selective this week as they bid on offerings. Packers purchased several consignments of cows to feed. Most of these offerings were high quality and most had been started on feed and need another 45-60 days to reach premium white. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, but most cows that were worked through the chute offered buyers an attractive weigh up. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on a plain quality offering. A large offering of bred cows was seen this week as over 1000 head were preg. checked for todays sale. Cow quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Many thin bred cows were seen as buyers sold off cows out of drought stricken areas. Several later calving consignments were seen today, and these consignments were met with light to moderate demand. Small packages were also met with light to moderate demand. Very few bred heifers were seen today and package sizes were all very small. 3rd trimester is from now until June 3rd. 2nd trimester is from June 3rd to Sept 5th. First trimester calves after September 5th.
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: Feeder cattle were not tested this week as todays sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. heavier supplies allowed for buyers to be more selective this week as they bid on offerings. Packers purchased several consignments of cows to feed. Most of these offerings were high quality and most had been started on feed and need another 45-60 days to reach premium white. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week, but most cows that were worked through the chute offered buyers an attractive weigh up. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on a plain quality offering. A large offering of bred cows was seen this week as over 1000 head were preg. checked for todays sale. Cow quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Many thin bred cows were seen as buyers sold off cows out of drought stricken areas. Several later calving consignments were seen today, and these consignments were met with light to moderate demand. Small packages were also met with light to moderate demand. Very few bred heifers were seen today and package sizes were all very small. 3rd trimester is from now until June 3rd. 2nd trimester is from June 3rd to Sept 5th. First trimester calves after September 5th.