heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers$204.53/cwt+13.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,362/hd at 666 lb · 578 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers$183.69/cwt-0.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,148/hd at 625 lb · 322 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$201.79/cwt+9.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,144/hd at 567 lb · 321 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
7,569
10,372
9,502
Feeder cattle
4,200
9,715
6,699
Slaughter cattle
1,055
607
1,224
Replacement cattle
2,314
50
1,579
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, steers under 500 lbs sold 8.00 to 10.00 higher, 500 to 600 lbs 3.00 lower, over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Fly-weight heifers sold sharply higher, 400 to 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 7.00 higher and over 600 lbs sold unevenly steady. Slaughter cows sold 4.00 to 7.00 higher and slaughter bulls sold 7.00 to 10.00 higher. Bred heifers and cows sold mostly steady, especially on the complete dispersal consignments. Demand was good for grass type cattle with moderate to instances good for feedlot placements. Once again, snow made it way across many areas of the state curbing receipts at the reporting auctions. Plus, with customer pens in poor shape some buyers backed off from buying feeder cattle. Wyoming's SNOTELs are reading 114% of median with a basin high of 155% and a basin low of 70%. Last year the state was at 103%, and at 80% in 2021. The South Platte continues to be the lowest basin in the state but, it's a lot better this week at 70% as the previous weeks have been at 57% snowpack. This great snowpack will help fill reservoirs for this year's irrigation needs. Many livestock owners are looking for hay as winter grazing is snowed under adding a little upward tick to that tight market.
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, steers under 500 lbs sold 8.00 to 10.00 higher, 500 to 600 lbs 3.00 lower, over 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Fly-weight heifers sold sharply higher, 400 to 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 7.00 higher and over 600 lbs sold unevenly steady. Slaughter cows sold 4.00 to 7.00 higher and slaughter bulls sold 7.00 to 10.00 higher. Bred heifers and cows sold mostly steady, especially on the complete dispersal consignments. Demand was good for grass type cattle with moderate to instances good for feedlot placements. Once again, snow made it way across many areas of the state curbing receipts at the reporting auctions. Plus, with customer pens in poor shape some buyers backed off from buying feeder cattle. Wyoming's SNOTELs are reading 114% of median with a basin high of 155% and a basin low of 70%. Last year the state was at 103%, and at 80% in 2021. The South Platte continues to be the lowest basin in the state but, it's a lot better this week at 70% as the previous weeks have been at 57% snowpack. This great snowpack will help fill reservoirs for this year's irrigation needs. Many livestock owners are looking for hay as winter grazing is snowed under adding a little upward tick to that tight market.