Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were unevenly steady on a very light test. There were too few comparable feeder cattle to establish an adequate market comparison. Demand, market activity, and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light due to ongoing wet weather leaving pastures extremely muddy and cattle difficult to move. Cattle quality was average.
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 week, slaughter cattle were unevenly steady on a very light test. There were too few comparable feeder cattle to establish an adequate market comparison. Demand, market activity, and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light due to ongoing wet weather leaving pastures extremely muddy and cattle difficult to move. Cattle quality was average.