Plains Fed Cattle Trading
Off Again In Short Session

Santa Claus ain't comin' to town. At least he hasn't been seen around any feedlots lately.

Texas Panhandle feeders saw cattle sell for $58 Tuesday and faced $57 bids Wednesday, at least briefly. Texas counted about 30,000 head selling Tuesday and a total of 77,094 through midweek on a 78,000-head showlist. Almost 33,000 of them were captives.

The count in Kansas came to 61,100 head through Wednesday, early sales at $58 and late sales $91.25 in the beef; about half the total were captives. Nebraska moved 60,400 and saw $56.50-57 live sales by Wednesday, dressed $90-91.

Midwest direct areas by Wednesday were trading at $56.50-57 live and $90-91.25 dressed. Terminals paid $55-57.

The Southwest was relatively quiet, a few pens of steers bringing $57 in Southern California and a couple of loads of Arizona steers making $59-60 enroute to Mexico. Slow trade in the Northwest was $3 lower at $94-95 dressed.

The sad plight of fat cattle weighed on stockers and feeder as well.

St. Joseph, Mo. called 3200 head of steers and heifers $2-4 lower, and with almost 7000 on hand, La Junta, Colo. saw a $2-5 decline on calves and $1-2 lower rates on yearlings

In Texas, Crockett offered 1550 head to bidding that ranged steady to $1 lower. San Antonio sold 1650 head over two days and termed steers steady to $1 lower Monday, heifers $3-4 lower; Wednesday quotes were steady on heifers but steady to $2 lower on steers. On sales of 1800 head, Amarillo was unevenly steady on a short run of weights under 600 pounds and untested on heavier kinds.

San Angelo's special feeder sale Monday was weak to $1 lower on 1600 head.

Oklahoma City moved 10,000 head and called feeder weight steers $2-4 lower, similar heifers $1-2 lower; steer calves were steady to $2 lower and heifer calves $2-3 lower. Best 300-400 pound calves brought $97-104; 400-450 pounds $92-100; 450-500 pounds $84-95; 500-550 pounds $76-83.25; 550-600 pounds $71-79.25; 600-650 pounds $68-74; 650-700 pounds $66.25-67; 525 pound yearlings made $87; 600-650 pounds $71.25-76.50; 650-700 pounds $70.75-73; 700-800 pounds $66-72.25; 800-850 pounds $64.25-70; and 870 pounds $61.25.