light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$302.29/cwt-19.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,584/hd at 524 lb · 1,269 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers$331.05/cwt-10.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,572/hd at 475 lb · 1,186 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$284.37/cwt-9.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,618/hd at 569 lb · 1,029 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
17,024
13,321
14,798
Feeder cattle
14,291
10,820
12,327
Slaughter cattle
1,947
2,151
1,846
Replacement cattle
786
350
625
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week, steer calves under 600 lbs sold sharply lower, 600 to 800 lbs sold 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Most lots of yearling steers sold 4.00 lower. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold 4.00 to 10.00 lower. Heifers from 600 to 800 lbs sold sharply lower and over 800 lbs sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Slaughter cows going to directly to the plant sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 lower and feeding cows returning to the country sold 5.00 to 7.00 lower. Demand was moderate to good. Most of the sharp decline on the calf market would be on offering with only branding time shots. Buyers continue to be selective and really pay attention to the vaccinations, especially on the fall vaccination protocol. Cold temps prevailed at the end of the week with some snow at high and low elevations.
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 600 lbs sold sharply lower, 600 to 800 lbs sold 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Most lots of yearling steers sold 4.00 lower. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold 4.00 to 10.00 lower. Heifers from 600 to 800 lbs sold sharply lower and over 800 lbs sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Slaughter cows going to directly to the plant sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 lower and feeding cows returning to the country sold 5.00 to 7.00 lower. Demand was moderate to good. Most of the sharp decline on the calf market would be on offering with only branding time shots. Buyers continue to be selective and really pay attention to the vaccinations, especially on the fall vaccination protocol. Cold temps prevailed at the end of the week with some snow at high and low elevations.