ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower across the country again last week, calves often $3 lower.

Drouth conditions continue to play havoc with late summer and fall pastures in many grazing areas. Range and forest fires have ravaged large areas of the West and are now popping up in the Southwest. Grass brownout areas range from the West, Southwest, Central Midwest, and down through the Southeast.

Winter wheat drilling is behind schedule as many producers are waiting for moisture and others just dusting it in. However, this has allowed corn and soybean farmers to get an early start on fall harvest. Initial reports indicate good corn yields, and harvest pressure is showing up at many country elevators.

The dry weather is not sending cattle to market as receipts the past eight weeks were well below a year ago but a little above two years ago.

The slaughter market has performed well the past couple of weeks, despite reports of liberal numbers and heavy weights in the feedyards. Nearby CME futures continue to hold a $3 premium to the live cash trade.

Offerings weighing more than 600 pounds made up 37 percent of the week's receipts.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 600 lbs. $85-90, 750-800 lbs. $82-84; 600-700 lbs. delivered $88-90, 725 lbs. $87; 775 lbs. delivered 25 cents under October through March CME board; heifers, 550-600 lbs. $86-88, 750 lbs. $81; 650 lbs. delivered $83, 725 lbs. $80.50-81.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 575 lbs. $93, 700 lbs. $85, 700 lbs. $89; 750 lbs. for October delivery $84.50; heifers, 550 lbs. $84.50.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 load 550 lbs. delivered $95, few loads 675 lbs. $91, 710-750 lbs. $87-87.50, string 850 lbs. $83; load 600 lbs. delivered for October $97; auction, 300-400 lbs. $104.50-116, 400-500 lbs. $98-105.50, 500-600 lbs. $92.50-99, 600-700 lbs. $85.50-92, 700-800 lbs. $83-86.50, 800-900 lbs. $77-83.75, 900-975 lbs. $75-78; heifers, few loads 675 lbs. $83, 725-800 lbs. $81-82.50; load 525 lbs. delivered $90, few loads 625 lbs. $86.50, load 830 lbs. $81; auction, 320-400 lbs. $101.75-113, 400-500 lbs. $88.50-95, 500-600 lbs. $84-89.50, 600-700 lbs. $82-88, 700-800 lbs. $78.50-82, 800-850 lbs. $74.50-82.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 465 lbs. $114, 510 lbs. $108, 900-938 lbs. $80.50-83; heifers, 435-475 lbs. $104-106, 700-770 lbs. $82.75-86.25.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 600 lbs. $96, 800-860 lbs. $85-86; 380 lbs. for October and November delivery $118, 825-900 lbs. $83-85; auction, 287 lbs. $117, 300-400 lbs. $106-120, 400-500 lbs. $97-112.25, 500-600 lbs. $95- 107.25, 600-700 lbs. $90-100.25, 700-800 lbs. $81-92.60, 800-900 lbs. $77.50-87.80, 900-1000 lbs. $72-81.80, 1020-1065 lbs. $72.25-75.70; heifers, 500 lbs. $95, 715-775 lbs. $84-87, 810-875 lbs. $80-82; 475 lbs. for October and November delivery $95; auction, 290 lbs. $105, 300-400 lbs. $101-110, 400-500 lbs. $92-107, 500-600 lbs. $84-99.50, 600-700 lbs. $82-90.10, 700-750 lbs. $78-88.10, 750-800 lbs. $77.25-86, 800-900 lbs. $75.50-83, 900-920 lbs. $76-78.70, 950-1000 lbs. $70.75-76.25.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-600 lbs. for October delivery $97-103.50, 600-625 lbs. $95-97, load 525 lbs. for December $105, load 575 lbs. $98; auction, 300-400 lbs. $107-122, 400-450 lbs. $108-115, 450-500 lbs. $104-111, 500-550 lbs. $94-104.50, 600-650 lbs. $92-94.50, 650-700 lbs. $89.50-90.50, 700-800 lbs. $86-90, 800-900 lbs. $80-85, 900-1000 lbs. $73-79; heifers, 500-550 lbs. for October delivery $93-96; auction, 250-300 lbs. $96, 300-400 lbs. $95-106, 400-500 lbs. $92.50-100, 500-600 lbs. $89-100.50, 700-800 lbs. $80-84.25, 800-850 lbs. $79.50-83.25, 850-900 lbs. $76.50-81.75.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 550-575 lbs. $96, 600-700 lbs. $88-91, 700 lbs. $86, 850 lbs. $78, 850-875 lbs. $85, 900 lbs. $72-77; auction, 400-500 lbs. $95-104, 500-600 lbs. $88.50-96.50, 600-700 lbs. $84-89.50, 700-800 lbs. $78-85, 850-900 lbs. $75-76.50; heifers, 500-550 lbs. $92, 600 lbs. $85, 700 lbs. $81, 775-800 lbs. $75-77, 850-875 lbs. $72-76; auction, 300-400 lbs. $95-99, 400-500 lbs. $83-93, 500-600 lbs. $84.50-87, 600-700 lbs. $77-80, 800-900 lbs. $70-75.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $107-117, 350-400 lbs. $100-111, 400-450 lbs. $93-104, 450-500 lbs. $88-97, 500-550 lbs. $84-94, 550-600 lbs. $82-92, 600-700 lbs. $80-88, 700-800 lbs. $77-84; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $79-82, 400-500 lbs. $70-77, 500-600 lbs. $74-81, 600-750 lbs. $65-65.60; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $90-100, 350-400 lbs. $86-96, 400-450 lbs. $83-93, 450-500 lbs. $80-88, 500-550 lbs. $78-86, 550-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $74-83, 700-800 lbs. $74-82.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $86-90.50, 700-800 lbs. $80-85, 800-900 lbs. $77-80; auction, 200-300 lbs. $103-123, 300-350 lbs. $101-113, 350-400 lbs. $94-101, 400-450 lbs. $94-103, 450-500 lbs. $87-97, 500-550 lbs. $85-95, 550-600 lbs. $80-88, 600-650 lbs. $80-90, 650-700 lbs. $76-83, 700-750 lbs. $78-85, 750-800 lbs. $71-80; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $75-97, 400-500 lbs. $71-80, 500-600 lbs. $66-77, 600-700 lbs. $65-75, 700-800 lbs. $60-72.50, 800-900 lbs. $67-70.45; heifers, 540 lbs. $87, 600-700 lbs. $80-82, 700-800 lbs. $75-79; auction, 200-300 lbs. $95-109, 300-350 lbs. $91-101, 350-400 lbs. $85-95, 400-450 lbs. $84-94, 450-500 lbs. $77-87, 500-600 lbs. $76.50-87, 600-650 lbs. $75-84, 650-700 lbs. $70-77, 700-800 lbs. $67-78.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $110-134, 300-350 lbs. $104-118, 350-400 lbs. $100-112, 400-450 lbs. $94-105, 450-500 lbs. $87-98, 500-550 lbs. $85-94, 550-600 lbs. $82-92, 600-700 lbs. $77-85, 700-800 lbs. $74-79; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $91-108, 300-350 lbs. $92-103, 350-400 lbs. $87-97, 400-450 lbs. $84-93, 450-500 lbs. $81-90, 500-550 lbs. $78-87, 550-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $74-81.

Southeastern complex: steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $125-147.50, 250-300 lbs. $115-132, 300-350 lbs. $107-124, 350-400 lbs. $100-115, 400-450 lbs. $91-101, 450-500 lbs. $88-99, 500-550 lbs. $85-95, 550-600 lbs. $80-90, 600-650 lbs. $77-88, 650-700 lbs. $75-87, 700-800 lbs. $70-80; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $103-127, 250-300 lbs. $98-115, 300-350 lbs. $95-108, 350-400 lbs. $85-100, 400-450 lbs. $86-96, 450-500 lbs. $80-90, 500-550 lbs. $77-87, 550-600 lbs. $75-85, 600-650 lbs. $72-82, 650-700 lbs. $68-80.