Plains Fed Cattle Trading
Stuck In Midweek Rut Again

In what has become the norm, Plains feedlots and their customers remained at least a couple of dollars apart at midweek, packers bidding $64 and feedlots asking $66-67.

Last week's Panhandle trade didn't develop until late Wednesday and Thursday, but it finished with a whopping 158,000 head. That gave packers the slack to sit tight, and they've done so. This week's movement so far was all on Friday, about 9075 head at $65. Captives added about 33,000 head on a 95,386-head showlist.

Kansas counted 28,700 head through late Wednesday, about 23,000 of them captives and the balance last Friday's deals, also at $65. Nebraska's tally stood at 32,900 head, latest sales mostly $104 in the beef.

Midwest direct areas saw $64-65.50 live prices in a light test, dressed deals $103.50-104. Terminals received $62-65.

The Southwest was quiet through midweek, the Northwest $1 lower on moderate trade at $101-103 dressed.

Given the inability of fed cattle prices to take and hold ground, stocker and feeder cattle trended lower in most areas. There were exceptions, however. St. Joseph, Mo. called 1400 head steady to $2 higher Wednesday, and La Junta, Colo. was steady to $1 higher on most steers and heifers, $3 to instances $5 higher on 500-550 pound steers and $2 higher on 450-500 pound heifers; receipts totaled 4186 head.

A roundup of four Florida auctions with 4818 head between them was closer to the norm at steady to $2 lower prices.

In Texas, Crockett sold 1821 head $1-2 lower. San Antonio on Monday offered 1115 head and gave up $2-4 on all weights of steers as well as 400-600 pound heifers, but heifers over and under that range were $2-3 higher; Wednesday's trend was $5-9 lower on steers and $3-4 lower on heifers with a head count of 462 head. Amarillo sold 1758 pounds at steady prices on weights under 700 pounds and $1 lower on heavier kinds.

Oklahoma City sold 12,300 head, steady rates prevailing on stocker steers and heifers, feeder steers $1-3 lower and heifers steady to $2 lower. Best 400-450 pound steer calves brought $95-102.50; 450-500 pounds $91-98; 500-550 pounds $85.25-89.50; 550-600 pounds $83.75-93.25; 600-650 pounds $79.50-87; 650-700 pounds $72.25-80.50; 700-750 pounds $70.75-76; 750-800 pounds $67.25-71.75; 800-850 pounds $65.25-70; 850-900 pounds $63-67.50; 900-950 pounds $62-65; and 950-1000 pounds $62.50-63.75.