Feeder Cattle Prices Decline
Across Country, Tracking Fats

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— The feeder cattle market declined across the country last week, finding no support from the slaughter cattle trade.

Feeder steers and heifers were steady to $2 lower following losses in the direct feedlot trade of $3 over the past two weeks, back down to $57.

Packers are enjoying good cutout returns and do not have to press for slaughter numbers as there are currently ample supplies of finished cattle out there. Average slaughter and carcass weights are at or near record highs, and boxed beef product was slow to move even at reduced prices.

Abundant, cheap feeds should offer feeders some hope, but for the most part it is just putting cattle in stronger hands and creating a wide negative margin between yearling and fed cattle prices. Fall harvest is not yet in high gear, which will force elevators to pile commodities outside. Country elevator corn bids already down near $1.50. Cost of weight gains pencils well below 50 cents, but most feedyards have their huge storage pits filled with a long term, high quality, reliable feed supply not related to cheap wet corn subjected to the elements.

The Southwest is getting more moisture to germinate wheat and improve prospects for fall grazing of calves. At current price relationships, cost of weight gains and interest on money, owners are retaining title and may hold on for an extended term.

However, receipts last week were above the previous week and a year ago, after running behind a year ago for the past several months. Only 48 percent of the supply weighed more than 600 pounds, the lowest since February, indicating the seasonal fall calf run has started.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers: medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $65-69; 800-815 lbs. $65-67; delivered 350 lbs. $79; 600 lbs. $70; 700-800 lbs. $65-71; 800-875 lbs. $63-70.25; for late October-November delivery: 550-650 lbs. $70; $68-72 delivered; 725 lbs. delivered $71; large No. 2 Holsteins, string 350 lbs. $65 current delivery; heifers, medium and large No. 1 675-700 lbs. $63.50-65; 300 lbs. $72 delivered; 550-700 lbs. $65-67.25; 700-800 lbs. $62.75-67.25; 825 lbs. $58; October and November delivery 525 lbs. $61; 600 lbs. $62.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $78-84.50; 350-400 lbs. $74.25-81.50; 400-450 lbs. $75.50-80.50; lot fancy $85.50; 450-500 lbs. $70.50-79.75; 500-550 lbs. $67-75.75; 550-600 lbs. $67-72.25; 600-700 lbs. calves $64-67.25; 600-700 lbs. yearlings $66.25-72; 700-750 lbs. $66.75-71.75; 750-800 lbs. $65-69.25; 800-900 lbs. $62.75-65.50; 950-1000 lbs. $59-60; 1031 lbs. $58.25; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $69.50-72.50; 350-400 lbs. $63.50-70.50; 400-500 lbs. $62.50-69.25; 500-600 lbs. $61.25-67.50; 600-650 lbs. $62.25-66.50; 650-700 lbs. $61.50-65.25; 700-750 lbs. $62-64.25; 750-800 lbs. $60.75-63; 800-850 lbs. $56-60.

Arkansas: steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $81-90; 350-400 lbs. $77-85; 400-450 lbs. $72-80; 450-500 lbs. $69-76; 500-550 lbs. $67-74; 550-600 lbs. $64-71; 600-700 lbs. $61-67, 700-800 lbs. $59-65; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $65-72; 350-400 lbs. $63-70; 400-450 lbs. $61-67; 450-500 lbs. $60-66; 500-600 lbs. $59-65; 600-700 lbs. $56-62; 700-800 lbs. $55-61.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 string 475 lbs. $82 delivered; string 650 lbs. $71.50 delivered; 710-749 lbs. $69-70.70; load 799 lbs. $67; 809-840 lbs. $68.30-69; 859-889 lbs. $66.75-67; near 300 head 875 lbs. $65.50-66 delivered; 900-930 lbs. $64-66.50; feeder steers, medium No. 1 string 725 lbs. $66.50; heifers, medium and large No. 1 two loads 475 lbs. $77 delivered; string 600 lbs. $68 delivered; load 715 lbs. $66.25; load 810 lbs. $63.70; two loads 910 lbs. $60.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 300-400 lbs. $84.50-90, few to $95; 400-500 lbs. $75-87, mostly $78.50-82; 500-600 lbs. $65-77, bulk $68.50-74; 600-700 lbs. $67-74; 700-800 lbs. $62.50-68; 800-900 lbs. $62-67.50; 900-1000 lbs. $61.50-65.75; direct trade for current delivery few loads 650-725 lbs. $68-72 delivered; couple loads 850 lbs. $67 delivered; few loads 710 lbs. $69 ; bulk 850 lbs. $65-67.50; for late October delivery 570-600 lbs. $73-77 delivered; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-400 lbs. $68.50-77.50; 400-500 lbs. $67.50-74.50, few to $78; 500-600 lbs. $63.50-67.50; 600-700 lbs. $62-67.50; 700-800 lbs. $60.50-67, mostly $62-64.50; 800-900 lbs. $59.50-64.50; direct trade for current delivery, 750-775 lbs. $63-65.50 fob; string 775 lbs. $65.25.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 auction, 300-400 lbs. $87-94; 400-475 lbs. $76-83; 500-600 lbs. $72-80.50; 600-700 lbs. $70.50-74.50; 740-800 lbs. $67.50-72.25; 800-900 lbs. $63.90-72; 900-1000 lbs. $61.75-65; 1000-1100 lbs. $59.25-62.50; direct, 360 lbs. $90 delivered; 490-540 lbs. $76-79.50; 825-875 lbs. $65.50-68.25; heifers, medium and large No. 1 auction, 385 lbs. $74; 400-485 lbs. $67-71.50; 500-525 lbs. $65.75-71.50; 600-700 lbs. $63-68.25; 700-800 lbs. $63.50-68.50; 800-900 lbs. $61.25-64.50; direct, 340 lbs. $82 delivered; 530-550 lbs. $68.50-71; 775-850 lbs. $63-67.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 at auction, package 400 lbs. $75.25; 450-500 lbs. $74.75-76; 500-550 lbs. $72-73.50; 550-600 lbs. $70.50-72.75; 600-650 lbs. $68.50-70.25; yearlings, 745-800 lbs. $64.75-69; 800-850 lbs. $64.75-67.50; 850-900 lbs. $61.60-66; 900-965 lbs. $60.50-64.25; direct, load 360 lbs. $87 current; 800-825 lbs. $65-67; 850-900 lbs. $61.50-65; string 950 lbs. $62; couple loads 475 lbs. $75-80; 500-550 lbs. $76-79.50; 550-600 lbs. $72-75; 600-675 lbs. $68-73; heifers, medium and large No. 1 at auction: 400-450 lbs. $67-69; 450-500 lbs. $66-67; 500-550 lbs. $66-67.50; 550-600 lbs. $65-65.50; 650-700 lbs. $67.50-67.75; yearlings 700-750 lbs. $62.75-64; 750-800 lbs. $62.25-63.75, full $60-60.50; 800-850 lbs. $61.50-63.35; 850-900 lbs. $60-63.50; direct, 750-800 lbs. $62-63 current delivery; string 850 lbs. $61.40; 450-500 lbs. $70-74; 500-550 lbs. $65-70; 600-650 lbs. $64-66.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 550-600 lbs. $71-72; 600-625 lbs. $66; 850-900 lbs. $63-64; 925-950 lbs. $60-61; auctions, 300-350 lbs. $81; 450-500 lbs. $71-76.50; 500-600 lbs. $69-73; 600-700 lbs. $64.50-71; 700-800 lbs. $61-65; 800-900 lbs. $60-62.50; 900-1000 lbs. $57-62; heifers, medium and large No. 1 500-550 lbs. $65-66; 575 lbs. $60-61.50; 850-900 lbs. $60-61; auction, 450-500 lbs. $70; 500-600 lbs. $62.50-64; 600-700 lbs. $60-62; 700-750 lbs. $56.50-60; 850-900 lbs. $59.50.

Kentucky: auction steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $73-83; 300-400 lbs. $70-80, some 80-85; 400-500 lbs. $67-76, some 78-83; 500-600 lbs. $62-72, few 73-76; 600-700 lbs. $60-68, few to 72; 700-800 lbs. $58-68; 800-900 lbs. $57-66.40. Holsteins, large No. 2 300-400 lbs. $50-60, few to 64; 400-500 lbs. $48-58; 500-600 lbs. $50-59.50; 600-700 lbs. $46-52; 700-900 lbs. $45-50.20; heifers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $63-70; 300-400 lbs. $60-70; 400-500 lbs. $58-66; 500-600 lbs. $57-66; 600-700 lbs. $55-63; 700-800 lbs. $53.50-62.

Tennessee: steers, medium and large No. 1 300-400 lbs. $70-80; 400-450 lbs. $67-75; 450-500 lbs. $65-72; 500-550 lbs. $62-70; 550-600 lbs. $62-69; 600-700 lbs. $60-67; 700-800 lbs. $58-63.50; medium and large No. 1-2 two loads 740 lbs. $63.90; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-400 lbs. $60-69 few 72; 400-450 lbs. $57.50-65; 450-500 lbs. $56.50-63; 500-550 lbs. $56-62 few $64; 550-600 lbs. $55-62; 600-700 lbs. $55-62; 700-800 lbs. $53-58.50; four loads 725-775 lbs. $59-60.50, two loads 800 lbs. $60.70.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No.1 200-250 lbs. $90-99, few $103; 250-300 lbs. $80-88, few $91; 300-350 lbs. $74-84; 350-400 lbs. $73-83; 400-450 lbs. $65-74; 450-500 lbs. $62-72; 500-550 lbs. $58-67; 550-600 lbs. $56-66; 600-700 lbs. $54-64; 700-800 lbs. $52- 61; heifers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $63-74; 250-300 lbs. $63-72; 300-350 lbs. $60-70; 350-400 lbs. $58-65.50; 400-450 lbs. $55-64; 450-500 lbs. $54-62; 500-550 lbs. $52-61; 550-600 lbs. $52-60; 600-800 lbs. $50-58.