Compared to last week: Slaughter steers and heifers 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Moderate demand for this nice offering of very appealing, high quality grading steers and heifers. As the weather has moderated cattle have gained quickly and put on a lot of finish in the last few weeks, weights were heavier than seen in recent weeks. 2.00 to 3.00 losses at the close of the trading session in the Live Cattle futures had an effect on the market, as packers lost their desire to chase the market. 16 full loads of steers, 4 full loads of heifers.
Slaughter lambs 10.00 to 15.00 lower, except 120-130 lbs steady. Feeder lambs sold with steady to higher undertones. Slaughter ewes 15.00 to 30.00 lower. Moderate to good demand for slaughter lambs as the supply remains heavy. Very good demand for feeder lambs. Moderate demand for slaughter ewes on a larger offering.
→ Feeder heifers: high quality grading steers and heifers
→ Feeder steers: high quality grading steers and heifers
▲ Slaughter cattle: Slaughter steers and heifers 3.00 to 5.00 higher
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 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Moderate demand for this nice offering of very appealing, high quality grading steers and heifers. As the weather has moderated cattle have gained quickly and put on a lot of finish in the last few weeks, weights were heavier than seen in recent weeks. 2.00 to 3.00 losses at the close of the trading session in the Live Cattle futures had an effect on the market, as packers lost their desire to chase the market. 16 full loads of steers, 4 full loads of heifers. Slaughter lambs 10.00 to 15.00 lower, except 120-130 lbs steady. Feeder lambs sold with steady to higher undertones. Slaughter ewes 15.00 to 30.00 lower. Moderate to good demand for slaughter lambs as the supply remains heavy. Very good demand for feeder lambs. Moderate demand for slaughter ewes on a larger offering.