Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Turned Mostly Lower Last Week

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Lower prices were the rule on feeder cattle and calves around the country last week. Feeder steers and heifers were steady to $2 lower except in Kentucky, Tennessee, and into the Southeast, where the trend was steady to as much as $3 higher.

Sharp price gains for corn, sharp price losses on CME futures cattle contracts, and a disappointing live fed cattle trade all combined to push feeder prices lower. Hot, dry weather continued to plague large portions of Texas and Southern Oklahoma.

The fed cattle trade was slow during the forepart of the week and after watching futures prices plummet, the live trade moved $1 lower with most sales in the High Plains at $64.

The cattle on feed report released Friday shows a one percent increase in numbers on feed June 1, 1998 over a year earlier. Placements were pegged at a nine percent increase during May compared with the same time a year ago and marketings during May were down five percent.

Yearlings over 600 pounds made up approximately 56 percent of the week's feeder run.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $72-74, 800-850 lbs. $67-72.50; 650 lbs. delivered $75, 750 lbs. $72.50-74, 875 lbs. $72; 725 lbs. for July and August delivery $75.50, 750-800 lbs. $72-73; string 725 lbs. for late October delivery $1 over CME board; string 750 lbs. delivered for July $1 over August; heifers, string 625 lbs. $72, 675 lbs. $68, 700-750 lbs. $68.50-69; 675-750 lbs. delivered $66-71.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 800 lbs. $73.50, 875-935 lbs. $67.25-70; Holsteins, large No. 2 750 lbs. $54; heifers, 700-750 lbs. $67-68.50, 800 lbs. $65.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 850 lbs. delivered $69-70.50; heifers, few loads 800 lbs. delivered $67.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 850-930 lbs. $70-73.50; auction, 635 lbs. $85, 700-870 lbs. $68.75-75.50, 920-1050 lbs. $65.60-69.30; heifers, 760-780 lbs. $72-72.50; auction, 580 lbs. $73, fancy 610-645 lbs. $78-80, 680-740 lbs. $68-73, 825-875 lbs. $67.10-69, lot 910 lbs. $66.60, lot 1035 lbs. $63.60.

Montana: heifers, medium and large No. 1 auction, 560 lbs. $78.75, 600-650 lbs. $77-78.50.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 875 lbs. $70; 800-875 lbs. delivered $71-72, 900 lbs. $69-71, 950 lbs. $67-68; auction, 500-550 lbs. $84-84.50, 600-650 lbs. $82-84, 650-700 lbs. $74.25-76.50, 800-900 lbs. $72-75.50, 950 lbs. $67.50; heifers, 750-800 lbs. delivered $66-68, 800-830 lbs. $67-70; auction, 500-600 lbs. $74.50-77, 600-625 lbs. $73.75-76.50, 764 lbs. $67.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $90-100, 350-400 lbs. $85-94, 400-450 lbs. $80-88, 450-500 lbs. $77-85, 500-550 lbs. $75-83, 550-600 lbs. $72-80, 600-700 lbs. $70-77, 700-800 lbs. $67-74; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $74-82, 350-400 lbs. $72-80, 400-450 lbs. $71-78, 450-500 lbs. $69-76, 500-600 lbs. $68-75, 600-700 lbs. $64-71, 700-800 lbs. $63-69.

Kentucky: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $92-102, 300-400 lbs. $85-95, few $96.50-101, 400-450 lbs. $83-92, 450-500 lbs. $77.50-85, 500-600 lbs. $75-84, several $85-91, 600-700 lbs. $73-82, 700-750 lbs. $70-79.50, 750-800 lbs. $65-73, 800-900 lbs. $63-70; Holsteins, large No. 2 300-400 lbs. $62-71, few $72.50-75, 400-500 lbs. $60-70, 500-600 lbs. $56-65, 600-700 lbs. $54-64, 700-900 lbs. $50-60; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $ 82-91, 300-350 lbs. $75-85, 350-400 lbs. $73-82, 400-500 lbs. $72-80, 500-550 lbs. $70-78, 550-600 lbs. $67-75, 600-700 lbs. $63-73, 700-800 lbs. $62-70.50.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-400 lbs. $85-95, 400- 450 lbs. $81-90, 450-500 lbs. $77-87, 500-550 lbs. $75-83 few $85, 550-600 lbs. $75-81, 600-700 lbs. $72-78; heifers, 300-400 lbs. $77-86, 400-500 lbs. $72-81, 500-600 lbs. $72-81, 500-600 lbs. $67-77, 600-700 lbs. $65-71.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $98-112, some $113-117, 250-300 lbs. $92-112, 300-350 lbs. $88-98 some to $103, 350-400 lbs. $83-94, mostly $83-92, 400-450 lbs. $81-90, 450-500 lbs. $75-85, 500-600 lbs. $68-83, mostly $68-78, 600-700 lbs. $65-76, 700-800 lbs. $63-72; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $80-90, some to $95, 250-300 lbs. $75-87, 300-350 lbs. $72-85, mostly $72-82, 350-400 lbs. $69-82, mostly $69-79, 400-500 lbs. $65-80, mostly $65-75, 500-600 lbs. $64-75, 600-700 lbs. $60-68, some to $71.