heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$330.59/cwt+11.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,595/hd at 483 lb · 41 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers$326.36/cwt-2.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,706/hd at 523 lb · 38 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$349.83/cwt≈ $1,804/hd at 516 lb · 29 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
2,011
825
1,798
Feeder cattle
626
351
345
Slaughter cattle
950
273
1,120
Replacement cattle
435
201
333
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeders was good to very good. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today with a large pool of buyers both ringside as well as over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for heavy offerings. A very large pool of cow buyers were on hand for todays sale as 12 buyers were active in buying cows both ringside as well as over the internet. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Most cows were purchased to go to feed in some capacity. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows which were purchased to feed for the holidays sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Many low yielding, slightly lame, or slightly blemished cows were purchased for this purpose. Slaughter cow demand was stronger today as buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest, however very few cows were purchased to slaughter as a large pool of feeding cow buyers pushed cow prices above slaughter orders. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 7.00-11.00 higher. Packer and feeding buyers both showed good demand for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Bull quality was average to very attractive today and much more attractive than the last few sales. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today for both cows and bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Front end high quality offerings sold higher while the bulk of the offering sold fully steady. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was 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 week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeders was good to very good. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today with a large pool of buyers both ringside as well as over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for heavy offerings. A very large pool of cow buyers were on hand for todays sale as 12 buyers were active in buying cows both ringside as well as over the internet. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Most cows were purchased to go to feed in some capacity. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 4.00-6.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows which were purchased to feed for the holidays sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Many low yielding, slightly lame, or slightly blemished cows were purchased for this purpose. Slaughter cow demand was stronger today as buyers showed need for cows for immediate harvest, however very few cows were purchased to slaughter as a large pool of feeding cow buyers pushed cow prices above slaughter orders. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 7.00-11.00 higher. Packer and feeding buyers both showed good demand for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher. Bull quality was average to very attractive today and much more attractive than the last few sales. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today for both cows and bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Front end high quality offerings sold higher while the bulk of the offering sold fully steady. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good, especially for light weight offerings. Quality this week was average to attractive.