Too few slaughter cattle on offer to warrant market reporting coverage.
Compared to two weeks ago: Slaughter lambs under 100 lbs sharply higher, 100-120 lbs 25.00 to 30.00 higher, over 120 lbs 4.00 to 7.00 higher. Slaughter ewes 25.00 to 30.00 higher. Very good demand for light slaughter lambs, good demand for traditional weight slaughter lambs. Very good demand for slaughter ewes. The market was very active and the bidding was fast, most notably on those non-traditional weight slaughter lambs.
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
Too few slaughter cattle on offer to warrant market reporting coverage. Compared to two weeks ago: Slaughter lambs under 100 lbs sharply higher, 100-120 lbs 25.00 to 30.00 higher, over 120 lbs 4.00 to 7.00 higher. Slaughter ewes 25.00 to 30.00 higher. Very good demand for light slaughter lambs, good demand for traditional weight slaughter lambs. Very good demand for slaughter ewes. The market was very active and the bidding was fast, most notably on those non-traditional weight slaughter lambs.