Cattle Market Pulse

Townsend Livestock Auction Market Report

Madison, Florida · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 12, 2026

488 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Townsend Livestock Auction report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $480.61/cwt -13.52 vs last sale · ≈ $2,278/hd at 474 lb · 28 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $495.57/cwt +19.94 vs last sale · ≈ $2,602/hd at 525 lb · 20 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $525.66/cwt +8.38 vs last sale · ≈ $2,486/hd at 473 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 488 355 280
Feeder cattle 410 307 251
Slaughter cattle 78 48 29

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to one week ago: Slaughter cattle steady. Feeder cattle Steady to firm.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 310 6 630.00–640.00 $635.08 $1,969 +14.76
360–385 375 5 590.00–650.00 $626.96 $2,351 +30.79
410–440 425 16 550.00–590.00 $570.71 $2,426 +15.18
460–485 473 18 500.00–550.00 $525.66 $2,486 +8.38
510–540 525 20 475.00–515.00 $495.57 $2,602 +19.94
560–585 573 8 440.00–470.00 $455.33 $2,609 -4.89
605–625 615 18 410.00–435.00 $422.70 $2,600 +14.78
660–675 668 9 380.00–400.00 $391.22 $2,613 +1.30
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–285 273 6 600.00–640.00 $620.92 $1,695 +53.62
310–330 325 4 550.00–600.00 $588.08 $1,911 +64.04
355–380 372 6 550.00–610.00 $590.90 $2,198 +110.45
410–440 425 6 500.00–530.00 $515.53 $2,191 +4.82
460–485 473 6 460.00–500.00 $480.53 $2,273 +37.15
505–530 518 4 430.00–450.00 $440.24 $2,280 +20.05

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 276 5 580.00–600.00 $592.61 $1,636 +12.15
305–340 323 6 550.00–580.00 $565.81 $1,828 -31.34
360–390 377 9 510.00–535.00 $524.38 $1,977 +11.89
410–435 427 3 510.00–540.00 $530.39 $2,265 +52.88
455–490 474 28 460.00–500.00 $480.61 $2,278 -13.52
510–540 525 6 425.00–470.00 $448.14 $2,353 +11.13
555–585 572 9 395.00–440.00 $420.58 $2,406 +20.41
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–275 268 4 540.00–550.00 $545.14 $1,461 —
360–385 373 2 500.00–510.00 $505.17 $1,884 +56.74
410–435 423 2 450.00–460.00 $455.15 $1,925 +41.39
455–470 465 3 420.00–425.00 $423.37 $1,969 +8.29
510–540 525 6 405.00–410.00 $407.57 $2,140 +22.55

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–385 377 3 580.00–640.00 $620.88 $2,341 +43.24
410–435 423 4 550.00–580.00 $565.44 $2,392 +14.86
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–440 422 5 490.00–520.00 $502.51 $2,121 +46.65

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1305 1265 80-85% 15 170.00–178.00 $173.85 $2,199 —
1230–1360 1295 80-85% 6 179.00–184.00 $181.63 $2,352 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1295 1170 85-90% 16 158.00–164.00 $161.32 $1,887 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–1490 1438 75-80% 10 167.00–173.00 $170.11 $2,446 -6.37

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1485–1885 1685 6 229.00–239.00 $234.59 $3,953 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

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.