Feeder Steers, Heifers Lower
Across The Country Last Week

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $3 lower around the country last week, instances $3-6 lower in the Southeast and Southwest.

Slaughter cattle prices were another $1 lower with $57 a not so popular but predominant price in the direct feedlot trade. Operators were unable to keep showlists current and average slaughter weights were lower. CME futures quotes have been in a nosedive. Slaughter cattle prices are about $7 below a year ago and the CME feeder index is off $12.

The world financial turmoil has stock markets reeling. However, feeder cattle offerings are in strong first hands at current prices. Receipts covered by this report are down 37 percent from a year ago in the past six weeks, but runs did pick up during the week.

Feed supplies are abundant in the major feeding areas, so farmers and ranchers are holding for heavier weights and hoping for improved prices. More are considering high ration feeding and even retaining ownership into the feedyards as weight gain costs are below 50 cents per pound.

Corn prices are the lowest since 1987 and elevators are making plans for outside storage space for this fall’s expected bumper crop.

Offerings weighing more than 600 pounds made up about 53 percent of the week’s supply.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 550-600 lbs. $77-80, 700-800 lbs. $65.50-68.50, 800-850 lbs. $61-65; 490 lbs. delivered $79, 625 lbs. $70, 700-875 lbs. $67.50-71, 925 lbs. $65.50; string 925 lbs. delivered for mid September $65.50; heifers, 475-575 lbs. $69-73, 600-700 lbs. $63-66, 700-850 lbs. $62-65.50.

Oklahoma: medium and large No. 1 540-575 lbs. delivered $72-76, 675 lbs. $69, 725-775 lbs. $66-69, 800-825 lbs. $67-67.50, 850 lbs. $63.50-64, 900 lbs. $62; heifers, 490 lbs. delivered $68, 675 lbs. $66, 700 lbs. $61.50.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 875 lbs. $65-67; 850-875 lbs. delivered $67-69, load 920 lbs. $63.25; large string 775 lbs. delivered for September $68; heifers, few loads 775 lbs. $64; 800-850 lbs. delivered $64.25-64.75

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 load 717 lbs. $71.50, 800-900 lbs. $65.75-68.50, string 925 lbs. $63; heifers, load 675 lbs. $68, 700-800 lbs. $66.25-67.75, load 910 lbs. $59.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 550 lbs. for November delivery $75.50, 825-925 lbs. $64-68; auction, 780-870 lbs. $66-66.75; heifers, 525 lbs. for November delivery $69.50, 800-850 lbs. $62-66; auction, 710-720 lbs. $66-67, 820-860 lbs. $64.25-65.75.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 auction, few 700-800 lbs. $66.25-68.50, 800-850 lbs. $63.25-66, 850-900 lbs. $62.75-66, 900-950 lbs. $62.50-65.70, 950-1000 lbs. $61.25-63.10, 1000-1050 lbs. $61.25-62.85; heifers, 800-850 lbs. $62.50-63.50; auction, 611 lbs. $65.50, 700-750 lbs. $64-65.75, 750-800 lbs. $61.50-64.25, 850-900 lbs. $61-64.35, 900-950 lbs. $60.50-63.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 600 lbs. $72, 850 lbs. $62, 900-950 lbs. $59.50-60, 1000 lbs. $61; 800-875 lbs. delivered $63-64, 900-950 lbs. $61-62; 600 lbs. for November delivery $73; auction, 650-700 lbs. $66.75, 700-800 lbs. $60.75-63.50, 800-900 lbs. $58.50-62, 900-1000 lbs. $59.60; heifers, 550 lbs. $67, 750 lbs. $61, 825 lbs. $58-60; 700-800 lbs. delivered $60-61; auction, 600-700 lbs. $58-60, 700-750 lbs. $56-59, 800-850 lbs. $53.50-54.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $86-95, 350-400 lbs. $80-88, 400-450 lbs. $75-83, 450-500 lbs. $71-78, 500-550 lbs. $67-74, 550-600 lbs. $64-71, 600-700 lbs. $62-68, 700-800 lbs. $60-66; Holsteins, large No. 2 300-500 lbs. $51-55; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $70-77, 350-400 lbs. $67-74, 400-450 lbs. $64-71, 450-500 lbs. $62-68, 500-600 lbs. $61-67, 600-700 lbs. $58-64, 700-800 lbs. $57-63.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $69.50-73, 700-800 lbs. $69-70.50, 800-900 lbs. $61.50-63.50, 900-950 lbs. $60.50; auction, 200-300 lbs. $85-95, 300-400 lbs. $77-87, few $89-94, 400-500 lbs. $72-82, few $83-86, 500-600 lbs. $67-77, several $78-82.25, 600-700 lbs. $65-75, 700-800 lbs. $63-70.95, 800-900 lbs. $60-67.70; Holsteins, large No. 2 300-400 lbs. $55-65, 400-500 lbs. $50-58, 500-600 lbs. $50-58, 600-700 lbs. $47-55, 700-900 lbs. $49-56.20; heifers, 600-700 lbs. $62-63.75, 700-800 lbs. $62-64, load fancy blacks $65; auction, 200-300 lbs. $72-82, 300-400 lbs. $65-75, 400-500 lbs. $62-72, few $73-74, 500-600 lbs. $60-70, 600-700 lbs. $57-67, few $68-69, 700-800 lbs. $56-65.

Tennessee: steers, medium and large No. 1 two loads 825 lbs. $62-62.50; auction, 300-350 lbs. $80-88 few $95, 350-400 lbs. $75-84 few $88, 400-450 lbs. $72-80, 450-500 lbs. $70-77, 500-550 lbs. $67-75, 550-600 lbs. $64-74, 600-700 lbs. $62-69.50, 700- 800 lbs. $58-64; heifers, auction, 300-350 lbs. $64-73 few $80, 350-400 lbs. $64-70, 400-450 lbs. $62-70, 450-500 lbs. $61-68, 500-600 lbs. $58-65, 600-700 lbs. $57-63.50, 700-800 lbs. $54-59.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers; medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $93-105, 250-300 lbs. $85-95, 300-350 lbs. $80-90, 350-400 lbs. $77-85, 400-450 lbs. $69-78, 450-500 lbs. $64-72, 500-550 lbs. $60-69, 550-600 lbs. $58-64.50, 600-650 lbs. $57-65, 650-700 lbs. $54-64, 700- 800 lbs. $53-62; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $75-85, 250-300 lbs. $70-80, 300-350 lbs. $67-75, 350-400 lbs. $65-71, 400-450 lbs. $60-70, 450-500 lbs. $59-67, 500-550 lbs. $58-66, 550-600 lbs. $55-63, 600-700 lbs. $53-59.