Texas Fed Cattle Prices Mostly
$2 Lower In Midweek Trading

AMARILLO —(USDA)— Slaughter steers and heifers closed mostly $2 lower in Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma feedlot trading last week.

The bulk of the movement occurred on Wednesday. Price trends on live cattle moved lower in reaction to daily declines in boxed beef cutout values.

Buying interests continued to work with lower bids as feedlots reluctantly traded most or all of their showlists with only minimal carryover to be noted. Confirmed sales were reported on 70,700 slaughter steers and 42,900 heifers, of which 38,900 were formulas and 200 head contracts.

The weighted average price of all beef type steers this week was 57.17. The average liveweight of most cattle slaughtered at area packing plants last week was 1192 pounds with 44 percent heifers compared to 1195 pounds and 48

percent heifers the previous week, and 1168 pounds and 42 percent heifers the corresponding week a year ago.

USDA’s estimated composite of boxed beef cutout values on Thursday for choice 2-3, 550-700 pound carcasses was $97.92, down $1.67; 700-850 pounds were $95.72, down $1.21. With boxed beef cutout values declining daily, buyers had little trouble purchasing slaughter inventory at lower levels for the second consecutive week. Some commercial feedlots rejected late-week lower bids, choosing to carry limited numbers into this week. Some Texas quotes:

Slaughter steers: select and choice 2-3 1100-1250 lbs. $57-58, late $57, weighted average price $57.18; selectand few choice 2-3 1150-1300 lbs. $56-57, weighted average price $56.75.

Slaughter heifers: select and choice 2-3 1050-1200 lbs. $57-58, late $57, weighted average price $57.17; select and few choice 2-3 1075-1150 lbs. $56-57, weighted average price $56.36; utility to choice 2-4 1050-1250 lbs., including heiferettes, $52-55.50.