Nation's Feeder Cattle Find
Prices Up, Pastures Greener

AMARILLO —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 higher around the country last week with calves $1-4 higher. Enthusiasm spilled over from late the previous week into the forepart of the week, but by the end of the week, both buyers and producers were scratching their heads while trying to figure out the market's direction.

Fed cattle sellers began the week with high hopes of extending the atmosphere from the previous week, but by midweek, gave up and sold offerings at the $60 level in the High Plains, which would equal the prior week’s close.

Relatively cheap corn prices provide enticement to own feeders, but that is balanced by memories of the recent bloodbath in the fed sector. Some feedyards are reported to be placing larger numbers of five and six-weight cattle than usual in yards to take full advantage of the lower feed costs.

Scattered rains again through some of the winter wheat and oat pasture country provided incentive to secure calves, which was evidenced by the surge in prices for these kinds.

Yearlings made up approximately 51 percent of the week's run.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 650 lbs. $67-68, 700-800 lbs. $66.50-70, 800 lbs. $66.75; 550 lbs. delivered $77.50, 700-800 lbs. $68.50-72, 800-875 lbs. $65-70; 650 lbs. for September delivery $70; 825 lbs. delivered for September $70.25-71.25; heifers, 575 lbs. $66, 675 lbs. $64; 600-700 lbs. delivered $68.50-71, 700-725 lbs. $65.50-70; 675 lbs. for September delivery $65; 725 lbs. delivered for September $67.25.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 675 lbs. $69, 725-775 lbs. $66-69, 800-850 lbs. $64.50-67.50; heifers, 700-750 lbs. $63-66.50.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 840 lbs. $66 fob; several loads 800-850 lbs. delivered $68-69.50; heifers, few loads 800 lbs. delivered $64.25-65.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 750-800 lbs. $70-72, 800-900 lbs. $65.48-70; 900 lbs. delivered $65.50-66; heifers, 800-900 lbs. $63-65.48; 860 lbs. delivered $64.75.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 850 lbs. $68.50; auction, 880-975 lbs. $65-68; heifers, 675 lbs. delivered $67.50, 840 lbs. $65; auction, 765 lbs. $66.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 850-900 lbs. $67-68, 900-925 lbs. $62-66; auction, 750-800 lbs. $69.75, 800-825 lbs. $65.50-67.50; heifers, 850-900 lbs. $62-62.50; auction, 685-700 lbs. $65.50-66.75, 780-800 lbs. $64.75-65.35, 850-900 lbs. $63.25-65.75.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $63-64, 850-875 lbs. $63-64, few 850 lbs. $61.50, 900-925 lbs. $61-61.75, 900 lbs. $65; 850 lbs. delivered $65; auction, 350-400 lbs. $74.50-80, 500-550 lbs. $70-76, 600-700 lbs. $67-69, 800-900 lbs. $61.50-63.50; heifers, 650 lbs. $60, 750 lbs. $59, 800 lbs. $60; 775 lbs. delivered $61.50; auction, 600-700 lbs. $63-66, 700-800 lbs. $61.50-63, 800-900 lbs. $61.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $84-93, 350-400 lbs. $80-88, 400-450 lbs. $75-83, 450-500 lbs. $73-80, 500-550 lbs. $68-75, 550-600 lbs. $66-73, 600-700 lbs. $64-71, 700-800 lbs. $62-68; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $72-80, 350-400 lbs. $68-75, 400-450 lbs. $65-72, 450-500 lbs. $63-70, 500-600 lbs. $62-68, 600-700 lbs. $59-65, 700-800 lbs. $58-64.

Kentucky: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $84-94, 300-400 lbs. $76-86, some $87-91, 400-500 lbs. $74-84, few $85-87, 500-600 lbs. $68-78, some $79-82, 600-700 lbs. $65-75, few $76-79.50, 700-800 lbs. $63-70.80, 800-900 lbs. $61-68.50; Holsteins, large No. 2 300-400 lbs. $54-64, 400-500 lbs. $52-62, 500-600 lbs. $53-63, 600-700 lbs. $52-59.50, 700-900 lbs. $46-54.75; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $73-83, 300-400 lbs. $67-77, few $78-81, 400-500 lbs. $63-73, few $74-76, 500-600 lbs. $67-72, 600-700 lbs. $58-66, few $67-68.75, 700-800 lbs. $57-65.90

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $78-88 few $90, 350-400 lbs. $76-87 few $91, 400-450 lbs. $75-82.50, 450-500 lbs. $72-82, 500-550 lbs. $67.50-76, 550-600 lbs. $66-74.50, 600-650 lbs. $64-71, 650-700 lbs. $61-68, 700-800 lbs. $60-67, 800-900 lbs. $63-64.25; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $67-74, 350-400 lbs. $64-71, 400-450 lbs. $63-70, 450-500 lbs. $60-68.50, 500- 550 lbs. $60-68, 550-600 lbs. $60-66.50, 600-700 lbs. $57-65.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $89-100, 250-300 lbs. $82-95, 300-350 lbs. $81-91, 350-400 lbs. $75-85, 400-450 lbs. $72-82, 450-500 lbs. $66-76, 500-550 lbs. $64-74, 550-600 lbs. $62-72, 600-650 lbs. $62-69, 650-700 lbs. $58-68, 700-800 lbs. $58-65; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $74-84, 250-300 lbs. $70-80, 300-350 lbs. $66-76, 350-400 lbs. $63-73, 400-450 lbs. $61-71, 450-500 lbs. $60-70, 500-550 lbs. $60-66, 550-600 lbs. $56-65, 600-700 lbs. $55-60.