Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Mixed In Spite Of Higher Fats

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly $2 lower to $2 higher last week with a few more declines than advances; the calf country of the Southeast was as much as $4 lower. There was no definite pattern relating to sex, calves or yearlings.

Feedlot operators got their way again as slaughter steers and heifers moved $1-2 higher, most direct sales at $66. However, packer cutouts were minus, CME futures turned lower late in the week, grain prices were sharply higher for the past two weeks, and average slaughter weights remain. Also, liberal replacement numbers are now filling up the empty pens. April futures struggled to hold $68 and other months lost ground rapidly.

Current feeder prices related to costs of gain do not hedge out well for some of the further out months. It could be a narrow window for feeders. Slaughter cattle prices hit $66 in May of last year. Feeder cattle prices are under a year ago, but offerings came to town earlier this year. The year to date receipts covered by this report are 15 percent above a year ago. Observers look for larger replacement numbers again in Friday's cattle on feed report.

Yearlings accounted for 54 percent of the week's supply.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $71-73.50, 800-825 lbs. $69-70.50; 550 lbs. delivered $85.50, 675 lbs. $77.75, 700-800 lbs. $72-75.25, 825 lbs. $73.25; 425 lbs. for April delivery $95, 750-775 lbs. for April $70.50-72, 750 lbs. for August $75; 775 lbs. delivered for August $75; 750 lbs. delivered even on May CME board; heifers, 525 lbs. $76, 650-750 lbs. $66-71, mostly $66-69; 625-725 lbs. delivered $69-72.50; 400 lbs. for April delivery $82; 725 lbs. delivered for May $68; 725 lbs. delivered $3.50 under August CME board.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 675-725 lbs. $72-75, 750-800 lbs. $70-74, 800-825 lbs. $68-72, 850-925 lbs. $66.50-67; 800-860 lbs. for May delivery $70.35-72, 800 lbs. for June $72.85, 800 lbs. for July $72.50, 835 lbs. for August $73; 775 lbs. $2 back of April CME board; heifers, 625-675 lbs. $71.50, 700-725 lbs. $67-71.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 800 lbs. $69.50; 550-585 lbs. delivered $85.50-90.50, few loads 650 lbs. $76.50, 725-750 lbs. $73-75, 800-850 lbs. $70-74; auction, few 350-400 lbs. $96.50-105, 400-500 lbs. $93.50-104, mostly $94-99.50, 500-550 lbs. $88.50-97, 550-600 lbs. $84.50-92, few to $94, 600-700 lbs. $72.50-81.50, mostly $74.50-80, 700-800 lbs. $69.50-76.75, mostly $72-75.50, 800-900 lbs. $67-71.85; heifers, 725-770 lbs. delivered $68.50-71; auction, 300-400 lbs. $83-93.25, 400-500 lbs. $81-86.50, few to $88, 500-600 lbs. $73.50-84, bulk $75.50-82, 600-700 lbs. $70.50-75.25, 700-800 lbs. $67-71.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $75-77, string 725 lbs. $75, 800-900 lbs. $69-71.25, some delivered, 900-950 lbs. $65.50-67.50; heifers, load 550 lbs. $76, 650-700 lbs. $70.25-72.25, 750-800 lbs. $66-67.50.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 625 lbs. $81; 800-815 lbs. delivered $70-73; heifers, 575-580 lbs. $80-81, 600-650 lbs. $74-76.10, 775 lbs. $70.50; auction, 430-490 lbs. $82.50-85, 500-550 lbs. $80.50-83, 550-600 lbs. $77-83.25, 600 lbs. $78, 750 lbs. $73, 885-965 lbs. $64-65.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 couple loads 600 lbs. $82.50, load 685 74, 800-850 lbs. $70-71; auction, 500-550 lbs. $92.50-94.50, 550-600 lbs. $83-91, 600-650 lbs. $79-85, 650-700 lbs. $75-80.50, 700-750 lbs. $71-76, 750-800 lbs. $69.85-72.35, few 800-850 lbs. $68-69.50, 850-900 lbs. $66-69.25, 900-950 lbs. $65.25-65.50, 950-1000 lbs. $65.10-65.75; heifers, load 550 lbs. $78.50, load 640 lbs. $72, 750-775 lbs. $66-68.50; auction, 450-500 lbs. $81-83.35, 500-550 lbs. $78.50-81.75, 550-600 lbs. $74.50-78.10, 600-650 lbs. $72-76.75, 650-700 lbs. $69-73, 700-750 lbs. $67.75-70.50, 750-800 lbs. $68-69.25, 850-900 lbs. $64.25-65.10.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 650 lbs. $79, 700-750 lbs. $76-77, 800-850 lbs. $71, 950 lbs. $68; 800-850 lbs. delivered $70-71, auction, 400-450 lbs. $85.50, 500-600 lbs. $80-86, 600-650 lbs. $75-81, 700-800 lbs. $67.50-74, 800-850 lbs. $67.50-72.50; heifers, 750 lbs. $69; 750-800 lbs. delivered $67-68, 800-850 lbs. delivered $67-68; 800 lbs. for June delivery $70; auction, 300-350 lbs. $86, 400-500 lbs. $78-83, 500-600 lbs. $77.50-79, 600-700 lbs. $69.50-75, 700-800 lbs. $66-70.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $97-107, 350-400 lbs. $93-103, 400-450 lbs. $87-96, 450-500 lbs. $84-93, 500-550 lbs. $81-90, 550-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $66-73; heifers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $81-90, 350-400 lbs. $78-86, 400-450 lbs. $76-84, 450-500 lbs. $73-81, 500-600 lbs. $71-78, 600-700 lbs. $65-72, 700-800 lbs. $63-70.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-600 lbs. direct $84.50-85, 600-725 lbs. $73-75.75, 700-800 lbs. $68.50-72, 800-900 lbs. $66.50-69, load fancy 900 lbs. $68; large No. 2 Holsteins 600-700 lbs. $55.75-60, load 825 lbs. $52.25; auction, 200-300 lbs. $100-110, 300-350 lbs. $96-104, few to $107, 400- 450 lbs. $86-96, 450-500 lbs. $81-91, 500-600 lbs. $75-85, fancy $86-87.50, 600-700 lbs. $67-75, few $76-78, 700-800 lbs. $64-73.25, 800-900 lbs. $62-70.10; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $62-72, 400-500 lbs. $60-69, 500-600 lbs. $55-62, 600-700 lbs. $51-57.75, 700-900 lbs. $51-56.60; heifers, 500-600 lbs. direct $71-74, load fancy $76.50, 600-700 lbs. $68.50-70, load fancy $74, 700-800 lbs. $64-66. 200-300 lbs. $82-92, 300-400 lbs. $75-85, few to $89, 400-500 lbs. $73-82, few $83-85, 500-600 lbs. $68-75, few $76-79, 600-700 lbs. $63-72, 700-800 lbs. $60-67.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $96-110, 350-400 lbs. $93-105, 400-450 lbs. $86-95, 450-500 lbs. $81-92, 500-550 lbs. $75-85 few $88, 550-600 lbs. $73-83, 600-700 lbs. $66-77, 700-800 lbs. $63-69; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $77-91, 300-350 lbs. $75-89, 350-400 lbs. $74-87, 400-450 lbs. $71-83, 450-500 lbs. $70-80 few $82, 500-550 lbs. $65-75, 550-600 lbs. $64-73, 600-700 lbs. $62-68, 700-800 lbs. $60-66.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $100-124, 250-300 lbs. $100-115, 300-350 lbs. $97-109, 350-400 lbs. $92-102, 400-450 lbs. $89-98, 450-500 lbs. $79-89, 500-550 lbs. $76-86, 550-600 lbs. $75-85, 600-650 lbs. $72-78, 650-700 lbs. $64-74, 700-750 lbs. $63-69, 750-800 lbs. $62-67; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $85-105, 250-300 lbs. $83-93, 300-350 lbs. $80-90, 350-400 lbs. $77-87, 400-450 lbs. $73-83, 450-500 lbs. $72-77, 500-550 lbs. $66-76, 550-600 lbs. $63-73, 600-650 lbs. $60-70.