light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$321.91/cwt+1.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,323/hd at 411 lb · 34 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers$380.17/cwt+30.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,624/hd at 427 lb · 32 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$253.72/cwt+0.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 564 lb · 30 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,271
3,182
1,135
Feeder cattle
579
813
242
Slaughter cattle
1,007
1,766
705
Replacement cattle
685
603
188
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Buyers were active both ringside as well as over the internet bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week, while private buyers showed good to very good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for short term feeding cows this week which allowed prices to slide lower. Feeding cow demand was good and stayed good throughout todays sale. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on breaking cows; boning and lean cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 6.00 lower. Demand from packer buyers was significantly lighter this week which allowed all bull prices to slide lower. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive. Buyers showed lighter demand for heavy weight young cows this week especially 3 to 4 year old cows. Buyers pushed these cows just out of reach of feeding buyers but gave little premium above feeding cow price. Many of these cows were purchased to feed, pregnancy check or use as receipt cows in E.T. programs.
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 an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Both calf and yearling quality was average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Buyers were active both ringside as well as over the internet bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for all cows this week, while private buyers showed good to very good demand for all cows suitable to feed. Many lame, low yielding cows continue to be seen and many were purchased to feed again this week. Packer buyers showed lighter demand for short term feeding cows this week which allowed prices to slide lower. Feeding cow demand was good and stayed good throughout todays sale. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Thin feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on breaking cows; boning and lean cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Weigh conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 to 6.00 lower. Demand from packer buyers was significantly lighter this week which allowed all bull prices to slide lower. Quality today was mostly average for bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive. Buyers showed lighter demand for heavy weight young cows this week especially 3 to 4 year old cows. Buyers pushed these cows just out of reach of feeding buyers but gave little premium above feeding cow price. Many of these cows were purchased to feed, pregnancy check or use as receipt cows in E.T. programs.