Compared to last reported sale:(5/22/24) Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Todays sale featured mostly weigh up cows, bred cows and cow-calf pairs. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for cows both for immediate harvest and to feed. Packers opted to send most cows to feed this week as quality was very attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality was mostly attractive to very attractive today as ranchers are culling cows following spring brandings. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as most cows have been out on grass and were empty come sale time. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. Quality was not as attractive this sale as more older cows were seen. Feeding quality cows continue to sell at a discount to cows suitable to rebreed, however demand for young feeding quality cows was higher this sale than the last reported sale. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.
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 reported sale:(5/22/24) Feeder cattle offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Todays sale featured mostly weigh up cows, bred cows and cow-calf pairs. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for cows both for immediate harvest and to feed. Packers opted to send most cows to feed this week as quality was very attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality was mostly attractive to very attractive today as ranchers are culling cows following spring brandings. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as most cows have been out on grass and were empty come sale time. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. Quality was not as attractive this sale as more older cows were seen. Feeding quality cows continue to sell at a discount to cows suitable to rebreed, however demand for young feeding quality cows was higher this sale than the last reported sale. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.