Compared to last week: Slaughter steers and heifers steady to 1.00 lower, Holstein steers 3.00 to 4.00 lower in a limited test. Only moderate demand for this light offering of steers and heifers, the cattle were attractive and hard fed but only 7 full loads of steers, 4 full loads of heifers with the balance part loads and packages. The market was not very active as packers were not willing to chase the market, in spite of boxed beef prices gaining every day. The best demand remains for black hided cattle, the non-implanted cattle sold at the high end of the price ranges. Estimated dressed cost ranged from 190.00-195.00. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 compared to last Wednesday’s sale, bulls not well tested as most of the bulls were carrying too much fat and were discounted.
A very limited offering of traditional slaughter weight lambs, a large offering of those light lambs under 100 lbs that continue to go to slaughter accounts, all weights of slaughter lambs steady. Slaughter ewes steady to 5.00 higher, except Utility ewes to 10.00 higher. Very good demand for traditional weight slaughter lambs as supplies are tight, good demand for light weight lambs whether they are bound for slaughter or feed. Very good demand for this large 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 and heifers steady to 1.00 lower, Holstein steers 3.00 to 4.00 lower in a limited test. Only moderate demand for this light offering of steers and heifers, the cattle were attractive and hard fed but only 7 full loads of steers, 4 full loads of heifers with the balance part loads and packages. The market was not very active as packers were not willing to chase the market, in spite of boxed beef prices gaining every day. The best demand remains for black hided cattle, the non-implanted cattle sold at the high end of the price ranges. Estimated dressed cost ranged from 190.00-195.00. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 compared to last Wednesday’s sale, bulls not well tested as most of the bulls were carrying too much fat and were discounted. A very limited offering of traditional slaughter weight lambs, a large offering of those light lambs under 100 lbs that continue to go to slaughter accounts, all weights of slaughter lambs steady. Slaughter ewes steady to 5.00 higher, except Utility ewes to 10.00 higher. Very good demand for traditional weight slaughter lambs as supplies are tight, good demand for light weight lambs whether they are bound for slaughter or feed. Very good demand for this large offering of slaughter ewes.