Compared to last week: Slaughter steers 3.00 to 6.00 higher, heifers 2.00 higher, Holstein steers steady. A large offering of very attractive, high quality grading steers and heifers with most offered in full load lots. Demand improved to moderate to good, the most notable improvement was for those steers weighing 1600 lbs and heavier. The market was fairly active considering how many big, heavy steers were offered. Weighing conditions ranged from average to full, estimated dressed cost 169.00-175.00. Boxed beef values have jumped to 222.30 for Choice boxes, and Dec Live Cattle futures at 112.00 all helped to support a higher slaughter cattle market. Slaughter cows steady to 3.00 higher compared to Monday’s sale, bulls not well compared.
Slaughter lambs mostly steady, feeder lambs 10.00 for 80-90 lbs while other weights not well compared, slaughter ewes steady in a narrow comparison. Good demand for slaughter lambs, very good demand for the long string of feeder lambs offered, moderate demand for slaughter ewes. An active market for slaughter lambs as the offering was more limited than has been seen in recent weeks, very active for feeder lambs as there were high quality lambs on offer.
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: Slaughter steers 3.00 to 6.00 higher, heifers 2.00 higher, Holstein steers steady. A large offering of very attractive, high quality grading steers and heifers with most offered in full load lots. Demand improved to moderate to good, the most notable improvement was for those steers weighing 1600 lbs and heavier. The market was fairly active considering how many big, heavy steers were offered. Weighing conditions ranged from average to full, estimated dressed cost 169.00-175.00. Boxed beef values have jumped to 222.30 for Choice boxes, and Dec Live Cattle futures at 112.00 all helped to support a higher slaughter cattle market. Slaughter cows steady to 3.00 higher compared to Monday’s sale, bulls not well compared. Slaughter lambs mostly steady, feeder lambs 10.00 for 80-90 lbs while other weights not well compared, slaughter ewes steady in a narrow comparison. Good demand for slaughter lambs, very good demand for the long string of feeder lambs offered, moderate demand for slaughter ewes. An active market for slaughter lambs as the offering was more limited than has been seen in recent weeks, very active for feeder lambs as there were high quality lambs on offer.