heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$147.68/cwt-1.50 vs last sale · ≈ $990/hd at 670 lb · 2,734 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers$140.05/cwt-4.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,011/hd at 722 lb · 2,420 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers$152.05/cwt-7.45 vs last sale · ≈ $951/hd at 626 lb · 1,987 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
33,327
36,640
32,189
Feeder cattle
30,411
34,465
30,445
Slaughter cattle
2,916
2,175
1,744
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers 3.00 to 7.00 lower. Only moderate demand for feeder cattle this week in light of the sharp spike in the corn market. Cattle feeders were forced on to the defensive again as current feed costs, and future predicted feed cost, have risen greatly. A large offering of these longtime weaned calves, as the majority of East River cattle producers wean and background their cattle and sell them after the start of the new year. Flesh condition is the greatest value determining factor, especially in a time of rising feed costs, and buyers are very discerning currently . Buyers are very critical of cattle carrying too much flesh as they search for cattle that will be efficient gainers. Fleshy cattle are much harder to sell as there are simply fewer outlets for them compared to the lighter fleshed cattle. The weather has been very mild as temps have been above freezing, with a few small snowstorms this winter including this week. Cattle have been able to stay comfortable and gain weight, and put on flesh condition, easily as there simply hasn’t been the extreme cold conditions that we normally see this time of year which keeps cattle greener. Cattle feeders are again having trouble marketing their fat cattle as packers lower their bids, especially on the heavyweight cattle. Fat cattle have gained very easily, many weighing over 1600 lbs, and carcass weights remain heavier than last year. The extreme wind on Thurs and Fri did cause some cattle consignments to cancel as it was dangerous for trucks to be on the road. The snowstorm was limited to the far eastern side of the state, leaving the remainder of the state without any snow cover. Fire conditions are high and fires have broken out that spread quickly due to the dry conditions and terribly windy conditions. Slaughter cows and bulls 3.00 to 4.00 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: Feeder steers and heifers 3.00 to 7.00 lower. Only moderate demand for feeder cattle this week in light of the sharp spike in the corn market. Cattle feeders were forced on to the defensive again as current feed costs, and future predicted feed cost, have risen greatly. A large offering of these longtime weaned calves, as the majority of East River cattle producers wean and background their cattle and sell them after the start of the new year. Flesh condition is the greatest value determining factor, especially in a time of rising feed costs, and buyers are very discerning currently . Buyers are very critical of cattle carrying too much flesh as they search for cattle that will be efficient gainers. Fleshy cattle are much harder to sell as there are simply fewer outlets for them compared to the lighter fleshed cattle. The weather has been very mild as temps have been above freezing, with a few small snowstorms this winter including this week. Cattle have been able to stay comfortable and gain weight, and put on flesh condition, easily as there simply hasn’t been the extreme cold conditions that we normally see this time of year which keeps cattle greener. Cattle feeders are again having trouble marketing their fat cattle as packers lower their bids, especially on the heavyweight cattle. Fat cattle have gained very easily, many weighing over 1600 lbs, and carcass weights remain heavier than last year. The extreme wind on Thurs and Fri did cause some cattle consignments to cancel as it was dangerous for trucks to be on the road. The snowstorm was limited to the far eastern side of the state, leaving the remainder of the state without any snow cover. Fire conditions are high and fires have broken out that spread quickly due to the dry conditions and terribly windy conditions. Slaughter cows and bulls 3.00 to 4.00 lower.