Texas Fed Cattle Held Steady
In Spite Of Lower Boxed Beef

AMARILLO —(USDA)— Slaughter steers and heifers sold steady in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week. Limited offerings of live cattle maintained steady price levels despite weaker wholesale boxed beef cutout values.

Most area feedyards continued to sell the bulk of their showlist with little carryover. Sales were confirmed on 82,400 head, including 40,600 formulated cattle. The weighted average price of all beef type steers was $72.95. The average liveweight of most cattle slaughtered at area packing plants the previous week was 1187 pounds, compared with 1177 a week earlier and 1179 a year ago. Heifer percentages were 42, 48 and 47, respectively.

Slaughter cattle were also steady elsewhere, with fairly good demand. The beef trade and futures were not supportive, yet sellers managed to hold a steady market. Domestic beef demand was unusually good in November, thus softer boxed-beef prices were not surprising going into December. Boxed beef cutout values were down $1.25 at $116.09.

Some Texas trading:

Slaughter steers: select and choice 2-3 1150-1300 lbs. $73-73.50, mostly $73, weighted average $73.02; select and few choice 2-3 1150-1300 lbs. $71.50-72.50, weighted average $72.06; mostly select 2-3 1150-1400 lbs. $68.50-69; pen select and choice 2-3 1250 lb. Holsteins $66.

Slaughter heifers: select and choice 2-3 1050-1200 lbs. $73-73.50, mostly $73, weighted average $73.01; select and few choice 2-3 1050-1200 lbs. $71-72.50, weighted average $72.10; select and choice 2-4 1100-1200 lbs. including heiferettes $69-70.