Plains Fed Cattle Off Again,
Movement Sluggish At Midweek

Plains fed cattle trade slipped another $1-2 this week, a decline of as much as $3 since the recent high of $60. One observer said there was no good reason for the slump, "it’s just what we’ve grown accustomed to."

Texas Panhandle feedlots traded a few pens Monday at $58, but then began selling in dribs and drabs later at $57. By Wednesday afternoon the total count came to 72,000 on a 97,873-head showlist. Captives accounted for better than half of them.

Kansas reported $58 live and $91 dressed prices on 26,500 head through late Wednesday afternoon, 14,200 of them captives; the captive count there was just over half that of a week ago. Movement came to 68,000 in Nebraska at $57-58 live and $91-92 dressed.

Midwest direct trade ranged $57-58 live and $91-92 dressed, later trades Wednesday mostly $91. Terminal markets paid $56-58.20.

The Southwest was quiet through midweek, the Northwest $1.50-3 lower in active trading at $89-90.50 dressed.

Bad news in the fat cattle ranks once again punctured hopes for stockers and feeders in most areas.

St. Joseph, Mo. was an exception to the general trend, calling 1000 head of steers and heifers steady to $2 higher, and a roundup of four Florida auctions found a steady rate on 6614 head. La Junta, Colo., with 3191 head on hand, reported steer calves steady to $2 lower, steer yearlings mostly $2 lower, and heifers of all classes steady to $1 lower.

In Texas, Crockett bucked the trend with a steady to $1 higher quote on 1500 head. San Antonio offered about 1300 head for the week and reported steers $4-7 lower Monday, heifers steady to $5 lower; Wednesday’s clean-up trade was steady to another $2 down. Amarillo was generally steady on 3800 head, though heifers over 600 pounds slipped $1-2.

Oklahoma City sold 11,723 head on a market that was steady to $1 lower on feeder steers and $1-2 lower on feeder heifers, $1-3 lower on calves of both flavors. Best 300-350 pound steer calves sold for $78-84.50; 350-400 pounds $74.25-81.50; 400-450 pounds $75.50-80.50, a fancy lot $85.50; 450-500 pounds $70.50-79.75; 500-550 pounds $67-75.75; 550-600 pounds $67-72.25; 600-700 pound calves $64-67.25, yearlings $66.25-72; 700-750 pounds $66.75-71.75; 750-800 pounds $65-69.25; 800-900 pounds $62.75-65.50; and 950-1000 pounds $59-60.