Plains Fed Cattle Trade Zigs,
Zags, But Bulk Still Captives

Plains fed cattle prices put on moves this week that would make the latest multi-million-dollar NFL running back green with envy. By midweek, however, captives still made up the bulk of movement.

Bids of $57 Monday seemed calculated to add insult to grievous injury, and packers pulled a likely record 43,800 captives to enforce their will. By Tuesday, however, the futures board turned around and bids quickly returned to $58, then $59. By Wednesday feedlots were holding for $60 or better.

At presstime the Panhandle count came to 84,611 head on a showlist of 83,608. Discounting the formulas, however, live movement was barely over 40,000 head.

Kansas counted 31,000 head through Wednesday, but 25,600 of them were captives; last live trading was at $58-59 Tuesday. Nebraska counted 52,000 head at $59 live, but most selling was on a dressed basis at $94 to $95.

Midwest trade by Wednesday was anywhere from $56 to $59.60 live and $94-95.50 dressed, a few to $96.

The Southwest was slow through midweek, several pens of beef breed steers making $57 in domestic trade and $58 to Mexico, Holsteins $55.46 live and $87 in the beef. The Northwest was mostly steady to $1 lower at $91-93 dressed basis by midweek after having been as much as $3 lower earlier at $90.

Stocker and feeder cattle prices slipped back into reverse again this week.

Four Florida auctions offering a total of 4829 head between them called feeder cattle generally $1-3 lower, as much as $2-4 lower in some cases. St. Joseph, Mo. again offered too few cattle to test.

In Texas, Crockett sold 3600 head on a steady to $2 lower market and Amarillo was weak to $2 lower on heavy feeders but $1-2 higher on weights under 600 pounds; receipts there came to 1350 head. San Antonio was mostly steady on steers Monday and steady to $3 lower on heifers, receipts 1053 head.

San Angelo’s special feeder sale Monday was weak to $1 lower on 4280 head.

Oklahoma City offered 12,200 head and found feeder weight steers $3-4 lower, similar heifers $2-3 lower, though Brahman blood of either flavor faced as much as a $5 seasonal decline; calves were steady to $2 lower. Best 300-400 pound steer calves brought $78-84; 400-450 pounds $74.50-80.50; 450-500 pounds $70.50-78.50; 500-600 pounds $70-77; 600-650 pounds $66.75-73.25; 650-700 pounds $64.75-69.75; 700-750 pounds $64-69; 750-800 pounds $63.25-67.25; 800-850 pounds $62.75-66; 850-900 pounds $61.75-65.25; 900-950 pounds $60.75-63; and 950-1000 pounds $57.50-59.75.