light 6-weight M&L 1 steers$316.82/cwt≈ $2,009/hd at 634 lb · 44 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$381.00/cwt-18.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,791/hd at 470 lb · 23 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$308.65/cwt+29.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,741/hd at 564 lb · 17 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,134
2,011
1,635
Feeder cattle
363
626
98
Slaughter cattle
569
950
735
Replacement cattle
202
435
802
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last sale (12-04-24): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this week or last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however mostly higher undertones were noticed last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeders was very good. CME positions have seen significant improvement since the beginning of December and buyers continue to show very good demand for all feeder cattle on offer. The largest gains in price were seen in cattle over 600 lbs. Demand for both steers and heifers of this weight was very good. Market activity was mostly active today, with buyers both ringside and over the internet rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. A very large pool of cow buyers were on hand for todays sale. 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 3.00-5.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Many low yielding, slightly lame, or slightly blemished cows were purchased for this purpose. Slaughter cow demand was mostly moderate today. Buyers picked around and purchased cows that fit slaughter orders. Very few cows were purchased to slaughter this sale as feeding cow buyers pushed most cows over slaughter cow orders. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on lean and boning cows breaking cows sold mostly 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter bulls was lighter this sale as fewer buyers were noticed. Bull quality was average today. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good. Quality this week was average to attractive. Offerings this sale were significantly heavier than last sale.
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 sale (12-04-24): All feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this week or last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however mostly higher undertones were noticed last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for limited feeders was very good. CME positions have seen significant improvement since the beginning of December and buyers continue to show very good demand for all feeder cattle on offer. The largest gains in price were seen in cattle over 600 lbs. Demand for both steers and heifers of this weight was very good. Market activity was mostly active today, with buyers both ringside and over the internet rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale today. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. A very large pool of cow buyers were on hand for todays sale. 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 3.00-5.00 higher. Thin, short term feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Many low yielding, slightly lame, or slightly blemished cows were purchased for this purpose. Slaughter cow demand was mostly moderate today. Buyers picked around and purchased cows that fit slaughter orders. Very few cows were purchased to slaughter this sale as feeding cow buyers pushed most cows over slaughter cow orders. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on lean and boning cows breaking cows sold mostly 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Demand for slaughter bulls was lighter this sale as fewer buyers were noticed. Bull quality was average today. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Demand from rebreed buyers remains good to very good. Quality this week was average to attractive. Offerings this sale were significantly heavier than last sale.