Compared to last week: Slaughter steers 2.00 to 4.00 higher, Holstein steers 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter heifers 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Moderate demand for this large offering of high quality, attractive steers and heifers. Two way buyers were very active, with packer buyers being a little more reserved in the pursuit of high grading cattle. Several long strings offered in half to full load lots. Weighing conditions were attractive to buyers as most cattle were hauled in over night. Slaughter cows 3.00 to 7.00 higher, bulls steady.
Traditional slaughter weight lambs were 8.00 to 10.00 higher, under 100 lbs and non traditional weights sold sharply lower this week. Feeder lambs not well tested. Slaughter ewes Good 2-3 and Utility 1-2 sold 10.00 to 15.00 lower, while the Good 4-5 and Cull 1 to lightly tested. Very good demand for traditional slaughter weight lambs, moderate demand for for light lambs. Moderate to good demand for this large offering of slaughter ewes, good demand for bred ewes.
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 2.00 to 4.00 higher, Holstein steers 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter heifers 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Moderate demand for this large offering of high quality, attractive steers and heifers. Two way buyers were very active, with packer buyers being a little more reserved in the pursuit of high grading cattle. Several long strings offered in half to full load lots. Weighing conditions were attractive to buyers as most cattle were hauled in over night. Slaughter cows 3.00 to 7.00 higher, bulls steady. Traditional slaughter weight lambs were 8.00 to 10.00 higher, under 100 lbs and non traditional weights sold sharply lower this week. Feeder lambs not well tested. Slaughter ewes Good 2-3 and Utility 1-2 sold 10.00 to 15.00 lower, while the Good 4-5 and Cull 1 to lightly tested. Very good demand for traditional slaughter weight lambs, moderate demand for for light lambs. Moderate to good demand for this large offering of slaughter ewes, good demand for bred ewes.