heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers$271.08/cwt-12.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,551/hd at 572 lb · 1,037 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers$262.33/cwt-4.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,375/hd at 524 lb · 776 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers$302.90/cwt-1.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,557/hd at 514 lb · 669 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
14,331
18,902
15,017
Feeder cattle
9,225
15,416
9,991
Slaughter cattle
2,731
2,836
2,288
Replacement cattle
2,375
650
2,738
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week fly weight steer calves sold 4.00 higher, 400 to 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Light test on the yearling steers traded unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower, over 700 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher on a thin test. Bawling calves not having a fall vaccination protocol buyers really backed off on those lots. Also, the downward pressure on the CME cattle boards and some receiving lots have had quite a few sick calves hitting the hospital. All this adds up to a sour buyer's perspective. Cooler days approach the trade area, and it might help straighten the health out the freshly weaned calves. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.
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 fly weight steer calves sold 4.00 higher, 400 to 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Light test on the yearling steers traded unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower, over 700 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher on a thin test. Bawling calves not having a fall vaccination protocol buyers really backed off on those lots. Also, the downward pressure on the CME cattle boards and some receiving lots have had quite a few sick calves hitting the hospital. All this adds up to a sour buyer's perspective. Cooler days approach the trade area, and it might help straighten the health out the freshly weaned calves. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving.