light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$204.75/cwt≈ $1,476/hd at 721 lb · 24 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$201.00/cwt≈ $1,636/hd at 814 lb · 11 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,635
1,199
2,534
Feeder cattle
98
383
180
Slaughter cattle
735
661
534
Replacement cattle
802
155
1,820
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle offerings were limited today as this sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Most feeders were off tested open yearling heifers. Quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boing cows sold steady to 1.00 higher and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Only a small portion of the cow offering was purchased for slaughter this week as both packers and private buyers put most of the offering away on feed. Packer buyers, in a surprising move, put a few thin cows away on feed. Usually these type offerings are only purchased in November and December for the holiday lull, however packers showed concern for supplies going forward and purchased several sets of thin cows to hold for the coming months. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. A large pool of feeding cow buyers were seen again this week and cows suitable to feed sold with the best demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls traded mostly 2.00-3.00 higher with the best demand seen for high quality, high yielding bulls. Young age cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers was slightly better this week as a few buyers purchased cows for that purpose. Quality was mostly average today. Todays sale featured almost 1000 head of bred cows and heifers. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings.
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 sale: Feeder cattle offerings were limited today as this sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Most feeders were off tested open yearling heifers. Quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for very light offerings. Market activity was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on breaking cows, boing cows sold steady to 1.00 higher and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Only a small portion of the cow offering was purchased for slaughter this week as both packers and private buyers put most of the offering away on feed. Packer buyers, in a surprising move, put a few thin cows away on feed. Usually these type offerings are only purchased in November and December for the holiday lull, however packers showed concern for supplies going forward and purchased several sets of thin cows to hold for the coming months. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. A large pool of feeding cow buyers were seen again this week and cows suitable to feed sold with the best demand. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls traded mostly 2.00-3.00 higher with the best demand seen for high quality, high yielding bulls. Young age cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers was slightly better this week as a few buyers purchased cows for that purpose. Quality was mostly average today. Todays sale featured almost 1000 head of bred cows and heifers. Demand was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings.