Feeder Cattle Movement Light
In July Fourth Holiday Period

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— The Fourth of July holiday slowed last week’s feeder cattle movement to a point that made a nationwide trend difficult to establish.

Many auction markets across the country were closed, especially in the Southeast and in areas where receipts are light and salebarn owners are looking for a good excuse to lock the gates for a while.

However, a few of the larger early-week markets were open, like the Oklahoma National Stockyards, where more than 8500 head of feeder cattle were on offer. Some country order buyers also were beating the bushes for available cattle despite the holiday.

Trends were mostly steady to $1 higher on these limited receipts, except for the few southeastern markets that reported prices $1-3 lower as most of the shippers in that area were either fishing or out west visiting customers.

Floods in Central and South Texas brought livestock trading to a halt as some areas received as much as 25 inches in less than a week. Oklahoma’s moderate rain was more welcome, as was the spotty rain in many areas through the mid-section of the country. But drouth conditions remain severe in the Mountain states and across the Northern Plains.

The Cornbelt is also starting to get seriously dry under steamy temperatures and abnormally high winds. This is causing crop estimates to be adjusted lower and lending support to CME corn futures, which scares cattle feeders who have been depending on cheap feed to offset a struggling fat cattle market.

The High Plains feedlots managed a steady market of $64 by holding out until Friday, but northern areas lost $2 earlier in the week to close at mostly $99 dressed.

The previous week’s four-day Superior video auction results suggest that cattle feeders are starting to realize that the slaughter cattle market might not be solely responsible for the huge losses they have been taking on feedlot closeouts. The bulk of the yearling steers sold in the $70s, and even those fancy five-weight mountain calves that in recent years yielded a few cents on either side of $1 per pound brought mostly in the mid-$80s for fall delivery steers.

Offerings weighing more than 600 pounds made up 62 percent of the week’s reported auction volume aside from the Southeastern complex, and 46 percent of them were heifers. Prices are expressed as weighted averages, if available. Auction receipts totaled 63,600 head, last week 203,500.

Some trading:

Texas: 17,000 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $103.29, 350-400 lbs. $99.29, 400-450 lbs. $90.13, 450-500 lbs. $86.69, 500-550 lbs. $81.28, 550-600 lbs. $83.08, 600-650 lbs. $78.39, 650-700 lbs. $78.39, 700-750 lbs. $77.02, 750-800 lbs. $78.98, 815 lbs. $69.25; medium and large No. 1-2 300-350 lbs. $99.74, 350-400 lbs. $99.05, 400-450 lbs. $86.94, 450-500 lbs. $87.06, 500-550 lbs. $85.38, 550-600 lbs. $80.59, 600-650 lbs. $76.68, 650-700 lbs. $74.41, 700-750-lbs. $76.36, 835 lbs. $70; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $91.46, 350-400 lbs. $89.26, 400-450 lbs. $87.35, 450-500 lbs. $83.30, 500-550 lbs. $78.20, 550-600 lbs. $75.74, 600-650 lbs. $75.37, 650-700 lbs. $75.78, 700-750 lbs. $71.02, 815 lbs. $65.50; medium and large No. 1-2 350-400 lbs. $88.26, 400-450 lbs. $78.65, 450-500 lbs. $80.63, 500-550 lbs. $76.37, 550-600 lbs. $74.69, 600-650 lbs. $73, 650-700 lbs. $70.92, 700-750 lbs. $71.50, 790 lbs. $70.

Oklahoma: 18,600 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $108.22, 350-400 lbs. $103.60, 400-450 lbs. $91.78, 450-500 lbs. $89.93, 500-550 lbs. $90.18, 550-600 lbs. $86.73, 600-650 lbs. $82.41, 650-700 lbs. $81.36, 700-750 lbs. $78.05, 750-800 lbs. $76.61, 800-850 lbs. $75.08, 850-900 lbs. $72.28; medium and large No. 1-2 540 lbs. $79, 700 lbs. $75.50, 700-750 lbs. $77.94, 750-800 lbs. $77.10, 800-850 lbs. $73.27, 860 lbs. $71.75; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $99.21, 350-400 lbs. $90.73, 400-450 lbs. $86.95, 450-500 lbs. $84.24, 500-550 lbs. $80.64, 550-600 lbs. $78.38, 600-650 lbs. $75.97, 650-700 lbs. $75.14, 700-750 lbs. $73.70, 750-800 lbs. $72.29, 800-850 lbs. $69.52, 850-900 lbs. $67.57; medium and large No. 1-2 545 lbs. $79.75, 550-600 lbs. $77.38, 600-650 lbs. $75.08, 650-700 lbs. $73.74, 700-750 lbs. $73.21, 785 lbs. $70.50, 805 lbs. $67.50.

Kansas: 2300 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $114.11, 400-450 lbs. $107.01, 695 lbs. $80, 750-800 lbs. $77.35; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $99.45, 400-450 lbs. $89.41, 660 lbs. $76.60, 745 lbs. $72.85, 750-800 lbs. $72.38.

Missouri: 5200 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 350-400 lbs. $103.96, 500-550 lbs. $91.34, 550-600 lbs. $81.35, 600-650 lbs. $79.49, 650-700 lbs. $79.70, 700-750 lbs. $74.24; medium and large No. 1-2 450-500 lbs. $87.93, 500-550 lbs. $83.90, 550-600 lbs. $81.11; heifers, medium and large No. 1 400-450 lbs. $84.67, 500-550 lbs. $76.69, 550-600 lbs. $77.32, 600-650 lbs. $75.57, 750-800 lbs. $70.88; medium and large No. 1-2 300-350 lbs. $87.70, 450-500 lbs. $80.90, 500-550 lbs. $77.68, 550-600 lbs. $76.58, 600-650 lbs. $73.89, 650-700 lbs. $73.89, 700-750 lbs. $74.24, 750-800 lbs. $71.29, 835 lbs. $71.

Nebraska: 1000 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $114.95, 400-450 lbs. $105.88; heifers, medium and large No. 1 350 97, 400-450 lbs. $86.09, 700-750 lbs. $75.12, 750-800 lbs. $74.13.

Colorado: 1600 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 350-400 lbs. $101.89, 450-500 lbs. $98.07, 500-550 lbs. $88.72; medium and large No. 1-2 350-400 lbs. $93.88, 450-500 lbs. $86.84, 500-550 lbs. $82.80, 780 lbs. $71; heifers, medium and large No. 1 450-500 lbs. $88.13, 535 lbs. $85.50, 550-600 lbs. $77.84, 615 lbs. $74.50; medium and large No. 1-2 450-500 lbs. $82.24, 650 lbs. $68.

Wyoming: 3400 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 645 lbs. $83, 700-750 lbs. $81.39, 750-800 lbs. $80.23, 850-900 lbs. $74.95; heifers, medium and large No. 1 535 lbs. $80.50, 655 lbs. $79.50, 700-750 lbs. $80.89, 750-800 lbs. $75.92, 830 lbs. $67.25, 860 lbs. $70.

Dakotas: 11,400 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 500-500 lbs. $94.07, 550-600 lbs. $88.21, 600-650 lbs. $91.97, 650-700 lbs. $86.31, 700-750 lbs. $86.64, 750-800 lbs. $82.28, 800-850 lbs. $80.51, 850-900 lbs. $73.55. large No. 1 850-900 lbs. $72.79; medium and large No. 1-2 350-400 lbs. $105.81, 775 lbs. $78, 849 lbs. $77.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1 448 lbs. $100.75, 450-500 lbs. $90.67, 550-600 lbs. $86.54, 600-650 lbs. $81.64, 650-700 lbs. $79.77, 700-750 lbs. $76.98, 750-800 lbs. $75, 800-850 lbs. $71.27, 850-900 lbs. $70.59. large No. 1 750-800 lbs. $73.30; medium and large No. 1-2 600-650 lbs. $79.65, 650-700 lbs. $79.17, 700-750 lbs. $76.

Virginia: 1100 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $94.04, 450-500 lbs. $89.89, 550 lbs. $82.25, 550-600 lbs. $84.51, 600-650 lbs. $75.96, 655 lbs. $75.50, 700-750 lbs. $72.47, 750-800 lbs. $71.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1 335 lbs. $82.75, 365 lbs. $81.25, 450-500 lbs. $75.72, 500-550 lbs. $74.31, 500-550 lbs. $73.72, 600-650 lbs. $68.30, 680 lbs. $67.50, 710 lbs. $69.75.

Arkansas: 1800 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $90-100 few to $111, 350-400 lbs. $87-97, 400-450 lbs. $82-93, 450-500 lbs. $81-90, 500-550 lbs. $80-88, 550-600 lbs. $77-84, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $72-76; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $85-95, 350-400 lbs. $78-88, 400-450 lbs. $75-84, 450-500 lbs. $72-81, 500-550 lbs. $73-80, 550-600 lbs. $69-76, 600-700 lbs. $67-75; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $82-95 few to $107, 350-400 lbs. $81-90, 400-500 lbs. $76-86, 500-550 lbs. $73-82, 550-600 lbs. $72-77, 600-700 lbs. $67-75, 700-800 lbs. $65-66; medium and large No. 2 300-350 lbs. $78-88, 350-400 lbs. $70-80, 400-500 lbs. $67-77, 500-600 lbs. $65-75, 600-700 lbs. $60-70.

Direct receipts 34,800 head, last week 56,500.

Texas: 7800 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 675 lbs. $81, 700-750 lbs. $77-80, 800-850 lbs. $73.95-76; 600-700 lbs. delivered $77-81.50, 700-750 lbs. $75.50-81.25; medium and large No. 1-2 700-800 lbs. $74-76; 500-525 lbs. delivered $89, 550-650 lbs. $78.50-79; 700 lbs. delivered even with January CME for December delivery; heifers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. delivered $73-79, 700-725 lbs. $73-78.75; 725 lbs. for July delivery $73; medium and large No. 1-2 500-550 lbs. delivered $76-82.75, 600-650 lbs. $74.50-75.25, 750-775 lbs. $70-72.

Oklahoma: 6800 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 555 lbs. $91, 725 lbs. $76-77.25, 750-775 lbs. $74.50-78.50, 825-840 lbs. $71.50-74; medium and large No. 1-2 725 lbs. $74.50, 825-850lbs. $70-72; heifers, medium and large No. 1 700-725 lbs. $72-73.75.

Kansas: 8700 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 part load 643 lbs. $84.50, 700-750 lbs. $75.50-78, 750-800 lbs. $74.50-77, 800-850 lbs. $74-75.50, couple loads 850 lbs. $73.50; medium and large No. 1-2 load 761 lbs. $73, load 805 lbs. $72; several loads 800 lbs. for July 15 delivery $75; several loads 775 lbs. $.50 over August CME for August 1 delivery; medium and large No. 1-2 load 816 lbs. $71.50; medium and large No. 2 load 755 lbs. $71.41; heifers, medium and large No. 1 load 302 lbs. delivered $100.73, 600-700 lbs. $75.40-77.18, 700-750 lbs. $70-71.29; medium and large No. 1-2 525-600 lbs. $78-81.49, 650-700 lbs. $71-72.56, 700-750 lbs. $70-71.29; medium and large No. 2 part load 380 lbs. $83.14, load 451 lbs. $81.90, load 548 lbs. $76.06.

Colorado: 2500 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 string 875 lbs. $72.50; 700-760 lbs. delivered $82-83, 800-840 lbs. $78.25-79; string 550 lbs. delivered for October $85; heifers, medium and large No. 1 string 525 lbs. delivered for October $78.

Wyoming: 1500 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1 760 lbs. $80.50-81, 820-840 lbs. $78-78.50; 770-835 lbs. delivered $77-79; heifers, medium and large No. 1 700-725 lbs. $77-79.

Northwest: 1700 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1-2 750-800 lbs. delivered $76-76.50, 850-900 lbs. $75-75.50, 900 lbs. $70-71; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 800-825 lbs. $70-71; 800-850 lbs. delivered $70-72.

Eastern Cornbelt: 600 head. Steers, medium and large No. 1-2 load lot 665 lbs. $86, load lot 776 lbs. $79.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1-2 600-650 lbs. $76.50-78, 700-800 lbs. $74.50-77.50.