heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers$242.61/cwt+3.98 vs last sale · ≈ $2,123/hd at 875 lb · 105 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$285.19/cwt≈ $1,500/hd at 526 lb · 53 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers$238.48/cwt-1.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,824/hd at 765 lb · 38 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,286
1,470
1,610
Feeder cattle
966
1,107
1,370
Slaughter cattle
268
323
220
Replacement cattle
52
40
20
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 850-899 lbs yearling steers offered the best comparison this week, selling mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. All other yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison, while heifers over 850 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive. CME feeder contract positions have moved higher since last week and buyers showed mostly moderate to good demand for all offerings. Mixed quality limited demand for some weights and buyers had to pick through offerings to put together loads. A couple partial load lots of steers were seen this week, however outside of that many sets were comprised of small packages and singles. Many packages of yearlings sold off grass and were in mostly light flesh. A limited selection of backgrounded yearlings were seen and some of these offerings were fleshy. Many sets of yearlings were pushing some fill as rainy and much cooler weather was seen overnight and throughout the day. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today, with a larger buyer pool noticed compared to last sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows sold with higher undertones. Most lean cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. A large percentage of the cow offering was purchased to feed as most sound cows sold to feeding orders. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm with the biggest increase seen from low dressing cows. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive. Weigh conditions overall were average to below average. Many sets of cows were full as a colder and rainy weather pattern has been in place since last night. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00 higher. Feeding bull demand was light again this sale as packer buyers were the only buyers to purchase bulls to feed. Quality today was mostly average to attractive for bulls and overall higher quality and higher yielding compared to last weeks offering. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.
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 calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. 850-899 lbs yearling steers offered the best comparison this week, selling mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. All other yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly steady to firm in a narrow comparison, while heifers over 850 lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Quality was mixed this week from plain to attractive. CME feeder contract positions have moved higher since last week and buyers showed mostly moderate to good demand for all offerings. Mixed quality limited demand for some weights and buyers had to pick through offerings to put together loads. A couple partial load lots of steers were seen this week, however outside of that many sets were comprised of small packages and singles. Many packages of yearlings sold off grass and were in mostly light flesh. A limited selection of backgrounded yearlings were seen and some of these offerings were fleshy. Many sets of yearlings were pushing some fill as rainy and much cooler weather was seen overnight and throughout the day. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today, with a larger buyer pool noticed compared to last sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows sold with higher undertones. Most lean cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cows sold with the best demand again this week. A large percentage of the cow offering was purchased to feed as most sound cows sold to feeding orders. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm with the biggest increase seen from low dressing cows. Cow quality was mostly average to attractive. Weigh conditions overall were average to below average. Many sets of cows were full as a colder and rainy weather pattern has been in place since last night. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00 higher. Feeding bull demand was light again this sale as packer buyers were the only buyers to purchase bulls to feed. Quality today was mostly average to attractive for bulls and overall higher quality and higher yielding compared to last weeks offering. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.