Compared to last week: Slaughter steers and heifers unevenly steady with limited comparable trades. A considerably larger number then steers on the offering. Fats were on the lighter end for the most part with a few strings of extra heavy ones thrown in. Demand good considering the crash in the boxed beef prices today and the fundamentals not in the producer's favor. There is much uncertainty and anticipation with how negotiated fed cattle will trade this week.
Slaughter lambs under 130 lbs. 15.00 to 30.00 lower, over 130 lbs. 15.00 higher. Slaughter ewes 15.00 higher. Demand for slaughter lambs and ewes mostly good with the large majority being ewes and slaughter lambs. A nice selection overall with a few loads of bred ewes seeing good demand.
→ Feeder steers: A considerably larger number then steers on the offering
→ Slaughter cattle: Slaughter steers and heifers unevenly steady with limited comparable trades
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 unevenly steady with limited comparable trades. A considerably larger number then steers on the offering. Fats were on the lighter end for the most part with a few strings of extra heavy ones thrown in. Demand good considering the crash in the boxed beef prices today and the fundamentals not in the producer's favor. There is much uncertainty and anticipation with how negotiated fed cattle will trade this week. Slaughter lambs under 130 lbs. 15.00 to 30.00 lower, over 130 lbs. 15.00 higher. Slaughter ewes 15.00 higher. Demand for slaughter lambs and ewes mostly good with the large majority being ewes and slaughter lambs. A nice selection overall with a few loads of bred ewes seeing good demand.