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After two weeks of swift price increases and liberal movement,
the packers evidently don’t want to play anymore. Perfunctory bids
through midweek were as much as $10 below asking prices.
The Texas Cattle Feeders Association reported $80 bids against
asking prices that ranged from a steady $87 to as much as $90. Nothing
was moving on a showlist of 68,630 head, up almost 14,000 from last
week. Captives were up only about 600 head at 38,346.
Direct movement was scarce elsewhere, as well; USDA reported
about 5800 head at $82-84 live and another 7300 at $130-134 dressed.
Midwest terminals ranged mostly $82.50-85 on light receipts.
Stocker and feeder cattle prices varied across the country this
week, bitter winter weather cited as a contributing factor in many
declines.
Joplin, Mo. sold 7000 head $4-6 lower on weights under 600
pounds and steady to $2 lower on heavier kinds. La Junta, Colo.
offered 3744 head and termed steers under 700 pounds $3-5 lower,
heavier weights steady to $2 lower; heifers under 500 pounds were $5
lower, 500-700 pounds $2-3 lower and heavier offerings steady to $1
lower. A roundup of four Florida auctions, by contrast, was steady to
$2 higher on 3065 head between them.
In Texas, where weather was little or no factor, Three Rivers
was $2-3 higher on 1400 head and Hallettsville was also mostly $2-3
higher on 1321 head. Crockett was steady to uneven on fewer than 1000
head, and Amarillo, closer to the cold, was unevenly steady to $3
lower except for four to five-weight heifers, which were $1-4 higher;
receipts there came to about 2400 head.
Offering 14,000 head on a “cold sale day,” Oklahoma City
was $2-4 lower on feeder weights and steady to $4 lower on calves.
Best 325-400 pound steer calves brought $120-136.50; 400-450 pounds
$116-124.50; 450-500 pounds $112-119; 500-550 pounds $102.50-117;
550-600 pounds $98-104.50; 600-700 pounds $89.25-97; 700-800 pounds
$85.50-90; 800-900 pounds $82-87.25; and 900-950 pounds $81-83. |
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