Plains Fed Cattle Prices
Lose Another Dollar At $67

Plains feedlots moved a fair number of cattle this week in a narrow window of time Wednesday, and once again they had to give up a dollar to get it done.

The trade was stuck on high center until late Wednesday morning, packers bidding $65-66 and feedlots asking as much as $69-70. When bids finally came in at $67, holders became quick sellers.

The Panhandle area moved about 50,000 head for the day to bring the week’s total to 64,000 or a shade more, including 11,300 captives. The area’s showlist was up about 3900 head at 72,325, but cattle remain as green as guacamole. Packers were so short-bought they were scheduling Thursday morning pickups on many Wednesday sales.

Kansas trade through midafternoon Wednesday totaled 49,700 head at mostly $67 live and $107 dressed; captives accounted for 14,200 head or about 29 percent of the movement. Nebraska sold 43,400 fats at mostly $67 live and $107-107.50 dressed. A few live sales were as low as $66 and some as high as $68, the outside margin on dressed deals $108.

Midwest direct trade ranged from $66 to $67.50 live and $107-107.50 dressed, terminals anywhere from $64 to $66.50.

The Southwest was slow this week, a few pens of mostly select beef-breed steers bringing $65.50 in the Southern California desert and some Arizona steers going to Mexico at $65, Holsteins $63. No trades were reported in the Northwest through midweek.

Feeder cattle and calves showed a steady to somewhat stronger trend.

St. Joe called 2500 head steady to $2 higher, some calves as much as $3 higher. Springfield, Mo. was steady on 3500 head.

La Junta, Colo. offered 4450 head and found calves steady, yearlings steady to $1 higher.

With something under 1500 head to sell, San Antonio’s market was steady to weak on steers but steady to $3 higher on heifers, the advance on lighter weights. Amarillo sold 2250 head and quoted weights under 600 pounds $1-3 higher, heavier weights steady on a limited offering.

Receipts at Oklahoma City came to 10,700 head, prices steady on both calves and feeder weights. Best 300-350 pound steer calves made $96.50-107.50; 350-400 pounds $94-103.50; 400-450 pounds $92.50-101; 450-500 pounds $87.50-97.50; 500-550 pounds $82.50-93.75; 550-600 pounds $80-87; 600-700 pounds $73.50-79.50; and 700-750 pounds $72.50-76.25; 600-650 pound yearlings were $82.50-87; 650-700 pounds $77.50-81.50; 700-750 pounds $78.50-81.35; 750-800 pounds $75.50-79.50; 800-850 pounds $75-79; 850-900 pounds $73.50-77; few 900-950 pounds $71-75.50.