light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$366.01/cwt≈ $1,929/hd at 527 lb · 25 head
heavy 5-weight S 1-2 steers$365.00/cwt≈ $2,037/hd at 558 lb · 10 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,110
850
1,160
Feeder cattle
310
240
360
Slaughter cattle
740
550
800
Replacement cattle
60
60
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last Thursday, stocker and feeder cattle firm in a ligh test. Feeder cattle futures were under pressure, with contracts down $3.45 to $6.45 across the board. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $2.37 to $360.96 on March 18. Slaughter cows 2.00-7.00 higher. Slaugher bulls steady in a light test. Trade active with good demand.
→ Feeder cattle: stocker and feeder cattle firm in a ligh test
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.
Compared to last Thursday, stocker and feeder cattle firm in a ligh test. Feeder cattle futures were under pressure, with contracts down $3.45 to $6.45 across the board. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up $2.37 to $360.96 on March 18. Slaughter cows 2.00-7.00 higher. Slaugher bulls steady in a light test. Trade active with good demand.