Nation’s Feeder Cattle Higher
Last Week; Beef Demand Helped

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher across the country last week, instances $3-5 higher, The feeder market received strong support from the finished trade.

Slaughter steers and heifers moving direct out of feedlots were $2-2.50 higher live at $73-73.50, and $4 higher in the beef at $116-117. Boxed beef cutouts were up $3 with light Choice late in the week at $120.31. This helped packer margins. However, cattle slaughter was rather meager at only 637,000 head. April CME futures closed at $75.87 but June was down to $70.50.

Continued drouth conditions in many areas are becoming more serious as the spring grazing and planting season nears. The dry, mild, open winter made for a good calving year, many areas reporting 95 percent or better crops. Winter maintenance feeding was usually low and feedlot cattle made efficient daily gains instead of fighting the usual winter weather elements.

Economists predicted that the recession is drawing to a close and the Dow Jones was up nearly 500 points for the week.

Prospects for strong consumer beef demand are improving.

Offerings weighing more than 600 pounds made up 54 percent of the week’s reported volume.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-725 lbs. $82-84.25, 750-775 lbs. $80.50-83.50, 800-825 lbs. $78-79; 550 lbs. delivered $93.40, 675 lbs. $84, 700-775 lbs. $79-84.50, 800 lbs. $80; 750 lbs. delivered for August $76; 750 lbs. 50 cents under May CME board; medium and large No. 1-2 725 lbs. $79; heifers, medium and large No. 1 700 lbs. $77-79; 600-650 lbs. delivered $83.75-85, 650-675 lbs. $79-80, 700-740 lbs. $75-79, 750 lbs. $76-77.50; 550 lbs. delivered for August $82.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-750 lbs. $81-83, 800-830 lbs. $78-79; heifers, 700-750 lbs. $76-77.50, 765 lbs. fancy $75.50.

Colorado: medium and large No. 1 800-840 lbs. $78-78.75, 800-825 lbs. $78.50-80; string 600 lbs. delivered $93.90, couple loads 725 lbs. $86; auction, 400-450 lbs. $109.50-116, 450-500 lbs. $105-111.50, 500-550 lbs. $100.25-106, 550-600 lbs. $94-104, 600-650 lbs. $90.50-96.75, 650-700 lbs. $83.50-90.50, 700-800 lbs. $80.50-84, 800-850 lbs. $77-79.50; medium and large No. 1-2 few 300-400 lbs. $107-115, 400-500 lbs. $97-112, 550-600 lbs. $94-98.50, 600-700 lbs. $83.50-91.50, 800-825 lbs. $73.25-75.25; heifers, medium and large No. 1 few loads delivered 700 lbs. $80, 780 lbs. $76.25-76.50; auction, medium and large No. 1 350-400 lbs. $106-111, 400-450 lbs. $97-105, 450-500 lbs. $93.50-98.50, 500-550 lbs. $90.50-98, 550-600 lbs. $86.50-90.50, 600-700 lbs. $79.75-84.75, 700-800 lbs. $76.25-79; medium and large No. 1-2 400-500 lbs. $89.50-98.50, 500-550 lbs. $86-93.50, 600-650 lbs. $80.25-81.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 650 lbs. $87.25, 750 lbs. $84, 800-850 77-78; heifers, medium and large No. 1 775 lbs. $74, 835 lbs. $75.50.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 535 lbs. $102, 600-650 lbs. $93-94.50, 700-735 lbs. $82-85, 800-835 lbs. $79-83, 850-880 lbs. $77-78; auction, 395 lbs. $123, 400-450 lbs. $118-124, 450-500 lbs. $111-127, 500-550 lbs. $105.50-119, 550-600 lbs. $98-106, 600-650 lbs. $90.85-98, 650-700 lbs. $84.50-90.25, 700-750 lbs. $82.25-87, 750-800 lbs. $80-83.75, 800-850 lbs. $75-81, 850-875 lbs. $72.50-79.50, 900-1030 lbs. $73-77.75; medium and large No. 1-2 310 lbs. $109, 490 lbs. $106.75, 510-550 lbs. $99.50-102.50, 585 lbs. $97.60, 630-700 lbs. $82.75-89; heifers, auction, medium and large No. 1 335 lbs. $98, 365-400 lbs. $98.50-102, 400-425 lbs. $95-98.50, 450-500 lbs. $92-101, 500-550 lbs. $93-100.35, 550-600 lbs. $87.50-95.75, 600-650 lbs. $80-87, 650-700 lbs. $78-85, 700-750 lbs. $76-81, 750-800 lbs. $73-77.50, 800-860 lbs. $74-78.35, 910 lbs. $73.25; medium and large No. 1-2 450 lbs. $82, 540-600 lbs. $87.50-92, 660-685 lbs. $79.35-79.50, 740 lbs. $77.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 400-500 lbs. $107-119.25, 500-600 lbs. $95.50-108.50, 600-650 lbs. $92-101.50, 650-700 lbs. $83.75-89, 700-800 lbs. $77.10-81, 885 lbs. $73.50; heifers, 300-400 lbs. $104-106.50, 400-500 lbs. $98-103, 500-600 lbs. $88.25-101.50, 600-700 lbs. $77.50-88.10, 700-800 lbs. $75-79.75, 800-900 lbs. $73.10-74.50, 900-950 lbs. $67-73.10.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1-2 575-600 lbs. $92.50, 775-800 lbs. $77, 800-850 lbs. $74.50-77; 700 lbs. delivered $82, 800-900 lbs. $77-78; auction, 400-500 lbs. $101.50-105, 500-600 lbs. $88-99.50, 600-700 lbs. $84-90, 700-800 lbs. $75-83, 800-900 lbs. $75-70, 900-1000 lbs. $71.50; heifers, 650-700 lbs. $76, 800-850 lbs. $72-74; 800-850 lbs. delivered $75-76; auction, 400-500 lbs. $86-93, 500-600 lbs. $80.50-90, 600-700 lbs. $76.50-84, 700-800 lbs. $72.50-76, 800-900 lbs. $72.50-73.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $112-125, 350-400 lbs. $108-120, 400-450 lbs. $105-116, 450-500 lbs. $100-111, 500-550 lbs. $95-106, 550-600 lbs. $88-98, 600-700 lbs. $82-92, 700-800 lbs. $75-82; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $98-112, 350-400 lbs. $94-107, 400-450 lbs. $90-103, 450-500 lbs. $88-99, 500-550 lbs. $83-95, 550-600 lbs. $80-88, 600-700 lbs. $75-81; large No. 3 Holsteins 300-500 lbs. $74-80; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $98-110, 350-400 lbs. $95-107, 400-450 lbs. $92-104, 450-500 lbs. $89-99,500-550 lbs. $86-96, 550-600 lbs. $80-88, 600-700 lbs. $75-84, 700-800 lbs. $73-80; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $85-97, 350-400 lbs. $80-93, 400-500 lbs. $78-90, 500-600 lbs. $73-85, 600-700 lbs. $70-77.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1-2 600-700 lbs. $81-89, 700-800 lbs. $76-82, 800-850 lbs. $74-77; auction, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $120-133, 300-350 lbs. $112-121, 350-400 lbs. $102-113, 400-450 lbs. $100-111, 450-500 lbs. $94-103, 500-550 lbs. $90-100, 550-600 lbs. $86-95, 600-700 lbs. $78-88,700-800 lbs. $72-81, 800-900 lbs. $70-79.80, 900-950 lbs. $74-75; large No. 3 Holsteins, 300-400 lbs. $78-88, 400-500 lbs. $75-86, 500-600 lbs. $67-77, 600-700 lbs. $64-69.75, 700-800 lbs. $61-66.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 600-700 lbs. $75-80, 700-800 lbs. $71-76; auction, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $99-110, 300-350 lbs. $94-103, 350-400 lbs. $87-97, 400-450 lbs. $86-96, 450-500 lbs. $83-93, 500-600 lbs. $78-88, 600-700 lbs. $72-81, 700-800 lbs. $68-76.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1-2 200-300 lbs. $116-135, 300-350 lbs. $112-124, 350-400 lbs. $108-118, 400-450 lbs. $100-110, 450-500 lbs. $97-107, 500-550 lbs92-102, 550-600 lbs. $88-89, 600-650 lbs. $80-87, 650-700 lbs. $77-83, 700-800 lbs. $72-78, 800-900 lbs. $69.25-76.50; large No. 3 Holsteins, two loads 750 lbs. $67.95, two loads 825-850 lbs. $65-65.90, load 950 lbs. $62; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 200-300 lbs. $100-118, 300-350 lbs. $98-113, 350-400 lbs. $94-104, 400-450 lbs. $90-102, 450-500 lbs. $85-94, 500-550 lbs. $82-9, 550-600 lbs. $77-84, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $68-75.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1-2 200-250 lbs. $125-165, 250-300 lbs. $115-140,300-350 lbs. $112-126, 350-400 lbs. $105-120, 400-450 lbs. $100-115, 450-500 lbs. $95-109, 500-550 lbs. $95-107, 550-600 lbs. $85-95, 600-650 lbs. $82-92, 650-700 lbs. $75-88, 700-750 lbs. $74-82, 750-800 lbs. $70-76; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $114-135, 250-300 lbs. $105-120, 300-350 lbs. $100-115, 350-400 lbs. $97-108, 400-450 lbs. $92-102, 450-500 lbs. $85-97, 500-550 lbs. $83-93, 550-600 lbs. $78-88, 600-650 73-83, 650-700 lbs. $70-80.