light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers$553.41/cwt+71.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,894/hd at 523 lb · 18 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$340.00/cwt≈ $2,485/hd at 731 lb · 10 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,020
1,840
1,240
Feeder cattle
385
1,130
440
Slaughter cattle
535
700
800
Replacement cattle
100
10
0
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last Thursday, stocker and feeder cattle steady in a light test. Feeder cattle futures are trading with 70 cent to $1.25 higher in the front months. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up 89 cents to $366.82 on March 31. Thursday will be the last trade day for the week as the markets are off for Good Friday. Slaughter cows 4.00-9.00 higher. Slaughter bulls firm. Trade active with good demand.
▲ Feeder cattle: Feeder cattle futures are trading with 70 cent to $1.25 higher in the front months
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 Thursday, stocker and feeder cattle steady in a light test. Feeder cattle futures are trading with 70 cent to $1.25 higher in the front months. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was up 89 cents to $366.82 on March 31. Thursday will be the last trade day for the week as the markets are off for Good Friday. Slaughter cows 4.00-9.00 higher. Slaughter bulls firm. Trade active with good demand.