Plains Fed Cattle Yield $1
After Two Weeks Of Increase

Plains cattle feeders blinked this week.

Following a long, virtually unbroken string of price declines, they managed to put about $3 on the market over the past two weeks. This week they gave one of those dollars up.

Trading began Tuesday in the Texas Panhandle at $59, modestly at first, like a small crack in a big dam. By Wednesday morning the dam was leaking noticeably, and then it crumbled. Midafternoon saw volume at nearly 105,000 on a showlist of just under 99,000. Captives accounted for about 44,000 head.

Kansas trailed significantly in numbers, showing 36,700 head at mostly $59, and more than 20,000 of those were captives. Nebraska’s count came to 31,000 at $59-59.50 live and $93-94 dressed.

Midwest direct trade areas received mostly $59-59.50 live by Wednesday, $93-94 dressed. Terminal markets paid $57-59.50.

The Southwest was still quiet at midweek, the Northwest slow to moderate at $92-93 dressed.

The pulse of the stocker and feeder cattle market continued to strengthen this week in most areas.

St. Joseph, Mo. called a light run of cattle steady to $2 higher, and La Junta, Colo. offered 2350 head to a trade that was $3-5 higher on steer calves, steady to instances $3 higher on heifer calves, $1-2 higher on steer yearlings and steady on heifer yearlings.

In Texas, Crockett reported a fully steady trend on 2100 head. San Antonio receipts Monday came to just under 1000 head; steers there were generally steady to $3 higher with weights under 400 pounds $4-6 higher, heifers mostly steady except for a $3-5 higher trend on weights of 300-400 pounds. With 2325 head on hand, Amarillo was steady on weights under 600 pounds and $1-2 higher on heavier kinds.

Oklahoma City sold 12,000 head at a steady to $1 higher trend on feeder weight cattle and a firm to $2 higher rate on calves. Best 300-400 pound steer calves brought $76-85.50; 400-500 pounds $74-84; 500-600 pounds $70-78.50; 600-700 pounds $68.75-73.25, a few calves $66.50-68; 700-750 pounds $67.50-72; 750-800 pounds $65.25-69.75; 800-850 pounds $62.25-68.75; 850-900 pounds $61-65.75; 900-950 pounds $59.25-61.75; and 950-1000 pounds $60.75-61.75.