heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers$237.15/cwt+9.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,305/hd at 972 lb · 1,272 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers$253.75/cwt+1.99 vs last sale · ≈ $2,215/hd at 873 lb · 1,175 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers$242.72/cwt+3.98 vs last sale · ≈ $2,228/hd at 918 lb · 932 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
13,177
12,747
13,358
Feeder cattle
12,760
12,130
12,532
Slaughter cattle
417
617
826
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week: Feeder steers 2.00 to 4.00 higher, except 700-800 lbs and 950-1050 lbs 8.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers 2.00 to 6.00 higher. Very good demand for steers and heifers as the cash fed cattle continues to advance, all the way up to 191.00 in Iowa, leaving a positive basis of 10.00-11.00 over the futures contracts. Cattle feeders paid little attention to the futures contracts as they know full well how tight supplies of fed cattle in the northern plains really are. Feeder offerings have been light and when a good sized sale is held the market is incredibly active. Turnout time is upon us now and grass is growing nicely. Auction receipts will be light throughout the summer, outside of a the annual summer BBQ sales that will be held in June. Cattle feeders can see how there are fewer cattle in the country and know they will have to give more to get their cattle bought that they need. Corn planting is finishing up and with the warm weather and ample moisture, is popping up in rows nicely. There is a lot of optimism in the cattle industry, currently, in spite of the futures contracts that are dollars under the current cash markets. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 lower, bulls 4.00 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: Feeder steers 2.00 to 4.00 higher, except 700-800 lbs and 950-1050 lbs 8.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers 2.00 to 6.00 higher. Very good demand for steers and heifers as the cash fed cattle continues to advance, all the way up to 191.00 in Iowa, leaving a positive basis of 10.00-11.00 over the futures contracts. Cattle feeders paid little attention to the futures contracts as they know full well how tight supplies of fed cattle in the northern plains really are. Feeder offerings have been light and when a good sized sale is held the market is incredibly active. Turnout time is upon us now and grass is growing nicely. Auction receipts will be light throughout the summer, outside of a the annual summer BBQ sales that will be held in June. Cattle feeders can see how there are fewer cattle in the country and know they will have to give more to get their cattle bought that they need. Corn planting is finishing up and with the warm weather and ample moisture, is popping up in rows nicely. There is a lot of optimism in the cattle industry, currently, in spite of the futures contracts that are dollars under the current cash markets. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 lower, bulls 4.00 to 5.00 higher.