light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$285.23/cwt≈ $1,489/hd at 522 lb · 47 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$290.72/cwt≈ $1,672/hd at 575 lb · 46 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$340.94/cwt≈ $1,636/hd at 480 lb · 41 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
3,182
2,466
2,661
Feeder cattle
813
258
692
Slaughter cattle
1,766
1,145
1,567
Replacement cattle
603
1,063
402
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Moderate to good demand was seen for yearlings, however demand did diminish as buyers filled loads. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers were active in buying lower yielding slightly blemished cows as well. These cows were purchased to hold for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cow demand started the sale very good but moderated as buyers filled loads. This led to wide price spreads on both boning and lean cows. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Most cows were purchased to feed again this week as very few offerings were purchased for direct slaughter. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light, but stronger than last week. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, however quality this week overall was not as attractive as last week. Young cow offerings were heavy.
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 last week to develop any market trend. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Moderate to good demand was seen for yearlings, however demand did diminish as buyers filled loads. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers were active in buying lower yielding slightly blemished cows as well. These cows were purchased to hold for the upcoming holidays. Feeding cow demand started the sale very good but moderated as buyers filled loads. This led to wide price spreads on both boning and lean cows. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Most cows were purchased to feed again this week as very few offerings were purchased for direct slaughter. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light, but stronger than last week. Slaughter cows sold steady on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to weak. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, however quality this week overall was not as attractive as last week. Young cow offerings were heavy.