Compared to last week: Slaughter steers steady and heifers 2.00 to 3.00 lower, Holstein steers were too lightly tested last week to make a meaningful comparison this week. Demand for the value added attractive cattle showed with them bringing a nice premium. Good demand for the lighter offering of slaughter cattle, receipts were reduced due to frigid temperatures again this week. Fair weighing conditions this week as most were delivered over night. Cattle hides were more attractive this week, a small amount of cattle carried about 1% of their body weight in tag, estimated dressed cost 181.00 to 189.00. A large number of steers weighing over 1600 lbs again this week. Packer buyers active this week. Slaughter cows steady, with Lean cows making a full advance. Slaughter bulls too few to make a good comparison.
Traditional slaughter weight lambs were steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter Ewes too few offered last week to make a meaningful comparison this week. Good demand for this lighter offering of slaughter lambs, very good demand for the nice offering of slaughter 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 steady and heifers 2.00 to 3.00 lower, Holstein steers were too lightly tested last week to make a meaningful comparison this week. Demand for the value added attractive cattle showed with them bringing a nice premium. Good demand for the lighter offering of slaughter cattle, receipts were reduced due to frigid temperatures again this week. Fair weighing conditions this week as most were delivered over night. Cattle hides were more attractive this week, a small amount of cattle carried about 1% of their body weight in tag, estimated dressed cost 181.00 to 189.00. A large number of steers weighing over 1600 lbs again this week. Packer buyers active this week. Slaughter cows steady, with Lean cows making a full advance. Slaughter bulls too few to make a good comparison. Traditional slaughter weight lambs were steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter Ewes too few offered last week to make a meaningful comparison this week. Good demand for this lighter offering of slaughter lambs, very good demand for the nice offering of slaughter ewes.