heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers$155.67/cwt+2.00 vs last sale · ≈ $738/hd at 474 lb · 1,081 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$165.93/cwt-1.31 vs last sale · ≈ $868/hd at 523 lb · 903 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$178.61/cwt+1.41 vs last sale · ≈ $847/hd at 474 lb · 895 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
14,535
16,859
16,354
Feeder cattle
9,965
11,196
12,045
Slaughter cattle
2,358
3,060
2,208
Replacement cattle
2,212
2,603
2,101
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, steer calves under 500 lbs sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher, over 500 lbs sold mostly 2.00 lower. Not enough yearling steers for a market comparison. Heifer calves sold unevenly steady to 2.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold steady. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower lower and bulls traded steady. Bred heifers sold sharply higher per head with a large consignment of reputation bred heifers leading the upward charge. Bred cows sold steady to 100.00 per head more than last week. Demand was good at all reporting locations. Some areas of the Southern Plains have received some rain and the light calf market picked up. Many of those calves will get kicked out on cheap winter grazing pastures. Once again, many young heiferetts and feeding cows returning to the country.
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, steer calves under 500 lbs sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher, over 500 lbs sold mostly 2.00 lower. Not enough yearling steers for a market comparison. Heifer calves sold unevenly steady to 2.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold steady. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower lower and bulls traded steady. Bred heifers sold sharply higher per head with a large consignment of reputation bred heifers leading the upward charge. Bred cows sold steady to 100.00 per head more than last week. Demand was good at all reporting locations. Some areas of the Southern Plains have received some rain and the light calf market picked up. Many of those calves will get kicked out on cheap winter grazing pastures. Once again, many young heiferetts and feeding cows returning to the country.