Cattle Market Pulse

Walnut Auction Sales Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Walnut, Illinois · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 16, 2023

158 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 158 204 120
Slaughter cattle 158 204 120

Compared to two weeks ago, slaughter steers and heifers traded unevenly steady. Slaughter cows and bulls were lightly tested with a higher undertone noted. Trade was active with good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1041–1476 1315 20 131.00–157.00 $148.49 $1,953
1428–1640 1520 4 149.00–155.00 $151.56 $2,304 -11.70
1409–1637 1556 86 162.00–172.50 $169.61 $2,639 -1.89
1780 1780 1 158.00 $158.00 $2,812

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855 855 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,282
1055 1055 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,435
1060–1090 1070 3 136.00 $136.00 $1,455
1297–1585 1417 19 163.00–172.50 $171.43 $2,429

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1460 1173 80-85% 7 73.00–85.00 $80.33 $942
1250 1250 80-85% 1 42.00 $42.00 $525
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430–1865 1561 75-80% 7 80.00–92.00 $86.26 $1,347 +16.67
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–935 848 85-90% 2 30.00–42.00 $36.62 $311

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540–1715 1628 2 108.00–116.00 $112.22 $1,827
1748–2225 1907 3 120.00–124.00 $122.44 $2,335

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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.