Nation's Feeder Cattle Trends
Turn Sharply Lower Last Week

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder cattle and calf prices were sharply lower across the country last week.

Yearling steers and heifers trended mostly $1-4 lower, though supplies are reportedly tight. Calves sold $2-6 lower with several areas reporting lightweights as much as $8 lower.

Outstanding prospects for this winter's wheat pasture grazing did little to support stocker prices. Market pressure was constant from the Pacific Northwest all the way down to south Florida, with prices falling progressively lower toward the end of the week.

The demand situation was indicative of a down market with front-end cattle and reputation calves selling only slightly lower than last week, while discounts on the plainer and fleshier cattle were severe. Buyers always seem to become more selective as to quality when prices head south. Auction receipts were heavy, especially in the Southeast, as beautiful weather made conditions ideal for moving cattle. However, direct trading was extremely slow with country buyers and sellers opting to wait until the dust settles.

Fat cattle prices continued to diminish as feedlots accepted bids of $66, which was $2 lower than the previous trading session. The week's showlists moved on Wednesday, which was also bearish because sellers would have waited until Friday to trade if they thought there was any support on the horizon.

Boxed beef cutout values lost around $3 for the week and futures contracts continue to fall. It's been quite a while since producers have seen feeder cattle prices fall this far this quick, and many are scrambling to sell while their wranglers are still intact. Others will choose to be patient and hope that green wheat pastures will turn things around.

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

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 500 lbs. $100; 675 lbs. delivered $91, 700-725 lbs. $87-88.50, 750-800 lbs. $86.50-89; 550 lbs. for October-November delivery $98, 625 lbs. $91; 600-650 lbs. delivered for October-November $92.50-95; 750 lbs. $.50 over March CME board; medium and large No. 1-2 700-800 lbs. $84.50-86; 650 lbs. delivered $85-89.50, 750 lbs. $85.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $84-86; 670 lbs. delivered $85.50, 730 lbs. $79; 525 lbs. for October-November delivery $91; medium and large No. 1-2 650 lbs. delivered $83.50; 700 lbs. $3 under January CME board.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 575 lbs. $95, 725-775 lbs. $89.50-92, 820 lbs. $87.50; heifers, 625 lbs. $90.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 675 lbs. $96, string 825 lbs. $83; few loads 850 lbs. delivered $85.50-87.60; auction, few lots 400 lbs. $107-114, 450-500 lbs. $93-105.50, mostly $97-104, 500-600 lbs. $86.75-104, bulk $92-98.50, 600-700 lbs. $84.75-95, mostly $87-93.50, 700-800 lbs. $84.50-89, 800-900 lbs. $82-87, 900-1000 lbs. $75-82, medium and large No. 1-2 300-400 lbs. $106-115, few to $124, 400-500 lbs. $89.75-105.75, mostly $92-101, 500-600 lbs. $87.50-93.50, 600-700 lbs. $85-89.50, 700-800 lbs. $79.50-89, mostly $81-85.50, 800-900 lbs. $81-84.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 700-750 lbs. delivered $85.50-87; auction, medium and large No. 1 350-400 lbs. $100.75-108, 400-500 lbs. $90-102, 500-600 lbs. $84-95.50, mostly $85-92, 600-700 lbs. $84.25-89.25, 700-800 lbs. $82-88, 800-900 lbs. $77-85, mostly $79-83, medium and large No. 1-2 few 300-350 lbs. $98-108, 350-400 lbs. $92.50-99, 400-500 lbs. $85.25-93, 500-600 lbs. $81-89.50, mostly $83-86, 600-700 lbs. $82-87.75, 700-800 lbs. $76.50-83.

South Dakota: heifers, medium and large No. 1 few 800 lbs. $81.

Wyoming: steers, medium and large No. 1 520 lbs. $103, 700-715 lbs. $91, 875-900 lbs. $85; 740 lbs. delivered $97.30, 800 lbs. $90; 450 lbs. for October-November delivery $110, 525-540 lbs. $103-106; auction, 335-350 lbs. $126.50-133.25, 350-400 lbs. $114.50-131.50, 400-450 lbs. $105.35-113, fancy $114.75-120.50, 450-500 lbs. $99.50-110.50, fancy $109-110, 500-550 lbs. $99.75-106, 550-600 lbs. $94.25-102.20, 600-635 lbs. $91-99.50, 650-665 lbs. $93.50-98, fancy 665 lbs. $100.75, 700-750 lbs. $90.75-93.85, 750-765 lbs. $85-93, 800-900 lbs. $81.25-89.60, fancy $87.85-89.25, 900-1000 lbs. $76-83.75, medium and large No. 1-2 500-550 lbs. $95-99, 550-575 lbs. $89-95.25, 700-800 lbs. $80.50-84; heifers, medium and large No. 1 385 lbs. $108, 490 lbs. $95, 800 lbs. $84; auction, 335-350 lbs. $111-116, 350-400 lbs. $103-109, 400-450 lbs. $96-103.50, fancy 425 lbs. $108, 450-500 lbs. $91.75-99.50, fancy 460 lbs. $100, 500-550 lbs. $90.25-97, 550-600 lbs. $86-94.25, 620-650 lbs. $89-93.10, 650-700 lbs. $85.75-90.25, 700-750 lbs. $86-88, fancy 725 lbs. $90.75, 750-800 lbs. $79-86.50, 800-900 lbs. $81-88, 900-950 lbs. $77.85-79.25, 950-1000 lbs. $71-75.10, 1000-1060 lbs. $73-75.40, medium and large No. 1-2 340-380 lbs. $90-100, 490 lbs. $88, 500-550 lbs. $87.50-89, 550-580 lbs. $79-87, 690 lbs. $78, 845 lbs. $79.85, medium No. 1 445 lbs. $93.85.

Montana: steers, auction, medium and large No. 1 315-390 lbs. $117.50-123, 400-500 lbs. $102-115, 500-545 lbs. $94-102, 550-590 lbs. $88-99.50, 600-640 lbs. $95-97.75, 615 lbs. full $86.25, 660-685 lbs. $84.50-94.50, 700-790 lbs. $87.50-91.25, 815 lbs. $86.10, 830 lbs. full $82.25, 860 lbs. $83, 890-895 lbs. full $79-80.50, 925-935 lbs. $82-83, 1000 lbs. fleshy $72.25, 1035-1090 lbs. $75.25; heifers, medium and large No. 1 510 lbs. for November delivery $94.75; auction, 340-390 lbs. $104.50-116, 400-490 lbs. $91-99, 500-600 lbs. $85.75-92.75, 700-790 lbs. $81.50-86.25, 805-890 lbs. $77-84.25, fleshy $75.50, 925-960 lbs. $77-81.25.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1-2 600-700 lbs. $88-92, 775-800 lbs. $80-81, 800-900 lbs. $79-83; auction, 300-400 lbs. $95-109, 400-500 lbs. $90-102, 500-600 lbs. $88.50-96.50, 600-700 lbs. $85-93, 700-800 lbs. $78-87, 800-900 lbs. $74-77; heifers, 600-650 lbs. $83, 750-775 lbs. $79, 850 lbs. $76; auction, 300-400 lbs. $84.50-97, 400-500 lbs. $84-94.50, 500-600 lbs. $83-90, 600-700 lbs. $83.50-87.50, 700-800 lbs. $74-78, 800-900 lbs. $68-74.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $110-125, few to $137, 350-400 lbs. $103-115, 400-450 lbs. $97-107, 450-500 lbs. $91-101, 500-550 lbs. $85-94, 550-600 lbs. $82-91, 600-700 lbs. $79-87, 700-800 lbs. $76-84; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $99-109, 350-400 lbs. $92-102, 400-450 lbs. $87-96, 450-500 lbs. $81-90, 500-550 lbs. $76-84, 550-600 lbs. $73-81, 600-700 lbs. $71-78; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $70-74, 400-500 lbs. $68-73, 500-700 lbs. $63-72; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $95-105, few to $117, 350-400 lbs. $90-100, 400-450 lbs. $85-94, 450-500 lbs. $82-91, 500-550 lbs. $79-87, 550-600 lbs. $77-85, 600-700 lbs. $75-83, 700-800 lbs. $71-78; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $85-94, 350-400 lbs. $81-89, 400-500 lbs. $76-84, 500-600 lbs. $71-78, 600-700 lbs. $67-74.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1-2 600-675 lbs. $89-92, 700-775 lbs. $85-88, 800-850 lbs. $80-84; auction, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $110-123, 300-350 lbs. $103-113, some $116-122, 350-400 lbs. $96-106, 400-450 lbs. $96-106, 450-500 lbs. $89-99, 500-550 lbs. $86-96, few to $98-101, 550-600 lbs. $83-93, 600-700 lbs. $82-91.50, 700-750 lbs. $80-88.50, 750-800 lbs. $73-81, 800-900 lbs. $78-87.30, 900-1000 lbs. $70-79.70; large No. 3 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $83-93, 400-500 lbs. $78-88, 500-600 lbs. $71-78, 600-700 lbs. $66-73.10, 700-800 lbs. $63-70.50, 800-950 lbs. $60-65.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 550-600 lbs. $84-88, 600-700 lbs. $81-84, load 650 lbs. $87, 700-775 lbs. $79-81.80; auction, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $100-110, 300-350 lbs. $90-100, few $102-105, 350-400 lbs. $80-90, 400-450 lbs. $80-90, few $91-96, 450-500 lbs. $79-87, 500-600 lbs. $75-82.50, 600-700 lbs. $73-81.50, few $82-86.45, 700-800 lbs. $71.50-82.50.

Tennessee: steers, medium and large No. 1-2 load 625 lbs. $84, two loads 825 lbs. $78; large No. 3 Holsteins load 700 lbs. $71, load 900 lbs. $64; auction, medium and large No. 1-2 200-300 lbs. $114-147, 300-350 lbs. $100-125, 350-400 lbs. $95-115, 400-450 lbs. $90-102, few to $106, 450-500 lbs. $86-95, few to $100, 500-550 lbs. $80-90, 550-600 lbs. $78-87, 600-700 lbs. $75-85, 700-800 lbs. $70-80; small 1-2 300-400 lbs. $78.50-103, 400-500 lbs. $75-93, 500-600 lbs. $70-81, 600-700 lbs. $60-78; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 two loads 775 lbs. $75; auction, 200-300 lbs. $91-108, 300-350 lbs. $90-102, few to $105, 350-400 lbs. $80-95, few to $100, 400-450 lbs. $80-90, few to $95, 450-500 lbs. $75-83, few to $86, 500-550 lbs. $72-82, few to $84, 550-600 lbs. $70-79, 600-700 lbs. $68-76; small 1-2 300-400 lbs. $65-86, 400-500 lbs. $62-81, 500-600 lbs. $60-78.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1-2 200-250 lbs. $130-150, 250-300 lbs. $120-137, 300-350 lbs. $116-134, 350-400 lbs. $102-116, 400-450 lbs. $95-109, 450-500 lbs. $91-101, 500-550 lbs. $81-95, 550-600 lbs. $78-88, 600-650 lbs. $76-84, 650-700 lbs. $74-81, 700-800 lbs. $71-79; heifers 200-250 lbs. $108-122, 250-300 lbs. $105-115, 300-350 lbs. $100-111, 350-400 lbs. $90-104, 400-450 lbs. $86-96, 450-500 lbs. $80-89, some to $95, 500-550 lbs. $73-83, 550-600 lbs. $72-80, 600-650 lbs. $70-78, 650-700 lbs. $68-76.