Midweek Trade Wipes Out Big
List Of Plains Fed Cattle

Plains feedlots traded cattle before midweek for the first time in a while, but they gave up a little recent ground in the doing.

More than 60,000 head moved in the Texas Panhandle area Wednesday at $63, a buck back of the $64 earned on almost 50,000 head Friday. Total live movement for the period came to 111,683, more than enough to cover the carryover-swollen showlist of 108,441. Add in 37,361 captives, and it will count as a whopping week.

Kansas commanded mostly $63 as well and traded 78,500 head through Wednesday afternoon, including about 16,000 captives. Nebraska's count came to 110,900, prices $62-63 live and $98 to mostly $99 dressed.

Midwest direct trade was $62-63 live by Wednesday, a few to $63.50; dressed terms were $98-99 after a few at $100 early. Terminal markets paid $58.50-61.35.

Fed cattle trade was slow at best in the Southwest, a few loads of select with an end of choice beef steers bringing $62.23-62.48, similar heifers $59 and Holstein steers mostly $59. Active trade in the Northwest saw prices $1 lower at $100-101 dressed.

Stocker and feeder cattle prices continued to gain ground, for the most part.

St. Joseph, Mo. counted 3200 head in a steady to $2 higher trend, and a $1-3 higher tenor prevailed on a total of 3763 head at four Florida auctions. La Junta, Colo. offered 3734 head and called steer calves steady to $1 higher, light heifer calves steady to $3 higher but weights over 600 pounds $1-2 lower; steer yearlings were steady to $1 lower, heifer yearlings steady to $1 higher.

In Texas, Crockett was steady to $1 higher on 1000 head, San Antonio steady to as much as $6 higher Monday on 1357 head. Amarillo sold 1700 but once again declined to call a trend.

With receipts of 12,125, Oklahoma City reported feeder weight steers and heifers steady to $1 higher, stockers $1-3 higher. Best 350-400 pound steer calves brought $104.50-108; 400-450 pounds $97.50-106.50; 450-500 pounds $92.50-99.75; 500-550 pounds $86.50-90, a few lots $92.50-99.75; 500-550 pounds $86.50-90, a few lots $92-93; 550-600 pounds $82-86.50; 600-650 pounds $77.50-83.75; 650-700 pounds $73.75-79, several lots to $80-81; 700-750 pounds $73-76.75; 750-800 pounds $71.25-75.10; 800-850 pounds $70-73.50; 850-900 pounds $67.50-71.50; 900-950 pounds $66.75-69; and 950-1000 pounds $66.50-67.50.