Compared to last week: Slaughter steers and heifers 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Demand was more moderate this week as packers were bidding, and buying cattle lower in the country early in the week. The market was still fairly active, even though it was lower. Weights remain pretty heavy, quality grade very high and weighing condition was favorable for buyers overall as the heat has been oppressive. 9 full loads of steers, 3 full loads of heifers, balance part loads and stock trailer loads.
Slaughter lambs mostly steady. Slaughter ewes 10.00 to 15.00 higher. Good demand for slaughter lambs and feeder lambs. Very good demand for slaughter ewes as the offering was more limited. A shorter sale this week as high temps and high relative humidity is making it hard on livestock. The market was active throughout the sale.
→ Feeder heifers: 3 full loads of heifers
→ Feeder steers: 9 full loads of steers
▼ Slaughter cattle: Slaughter steers and heifers 10.00 to 15.00 lower
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 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Demand was more moderate this week as packers were bidding, and buying cattle lower in the country early in the week. The market was still fairly active, even though it was lower. Weights remain pretty heavy, quality grade very high and weighing condition was favorable for buyers overall as the heat has been oppressive. 9 full loads of steers, 3 full loads of heifers, balance part loads and stock trailer loads. Slaughter lambs mostly steady. Slaughter ewes 10.00 to 15.00 higher. Good demand for slaughter lambs and feeder lambs. Very good demand for slaughter ewes as the offering was more limited. A shorter sale this week as high temps and high relative humidity is making it hard on livestock. The market was active throughout the sale.