Cattle Market Pulse

Walnut Auction Sales Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Walnut, Illinois · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 18, 2021

145 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Walnut Auction Sales Slaughter Cattle report →

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 145 195 0
Slaughter cattle 145 195 0

Compared to two weeks ago, slaughter steers and slaughter heifers sold 2.75 to 4.50 higher, with heifers making the larger gain. Slaughter dairy steers sold 2.50 lower. Slaughter cows sold mixed, with Breakers and Boners selling 2.00 to 2.50 lower, and Leans posting a 1.75 higher price. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00 lower. Trade was active with moderate to good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1264 1264 4 108.00 $108.00 $1,365
1150–1640 1422 27 110.00–115.75 $114.44 $1,627

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–1050 893 2 75.00–80.00 $77.06 $688
1095–1457 1306 41 110.00–115.25 $112.55 $1,470

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
753–1355 951 85-90% 14 40.00–41.00 $40.34 $384
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1145 1078 80-85% 3 41.00 $41.00 $442
1105–1570 1362 80-85% 7 45.00–55.00 $47.61 $648
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1840 1526 75-80% 9 50.00–57.50 $52.83 $806
1780 1780 75-80% 1 45.00 $45.00 $801

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
988–1275 1084 3 60.00–67.50 $64.56 $700
945–2495 1804 4 70.00–81.00 $73.95 $1,334

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1738 1738 6 96.75 $96.75 $1,682

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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.