Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Lower Despite Better Factors

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to $2 lower around the country last week.

Several positive factors figured in the week's trade, but feeder buyers were concerned about recent large percentage increases of placements into feedlots. Total numbers are now above a year ago.

Last summer and winter the slaughter market dropped well below $60. However, August futures for this year are at $61.50 and December $65.50. Bulls are not looking for $10 hogs this year and are thinking increased exports.

A booming U.S. economy, cookout time, a good demand for beef, and higher slaughter cattle prices with the third week of liberal kills were strong points. Packers did not get hurt too badly by paying $66 live and $103-105 in the beef as cutouts were up at $110.50.

Costs of weight gains remained around 50 cents to entice heavier weights. The current crop of finished animals is making a few bucks for feeders. Yearling trend lines were flat the past three months, 800 pound steers at $67-71. The slaughter market also showed a rather straight chart line at $62-66.

Corn prices did not stray very far either side of $2 price bar, and graphs for calves and short yearlings made the usual seasonal upward slope following the migration of greener pastures northward. Upturns ranged from $5-10 since the first of the year, and currently stand approximately $10 above a year ago.

Calf season demand is tapering off in many places, as most ranchers already have stock grazing. There are few spots without plentiful moisture and lush pastures, but feed is washy. Returns have been higher returns and marketings earlier this year.

Receipts were again substantially above a year ago and 51 percent weighed more than 600 pounds.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $68-72.25, 800-850 lbs. $63.50-67; 650 lbs. delivered $77, 750-800 lbs. $68-71.50, 800-835 lbs. $66-68; 825 lbs. delivered for June $73.75; heifers, 625 lbs. $72.50, 650-700 lbs. $66-70, 700-750 lbs. $64-69, 775-800 lbs. $62-63.50; 650 lbs. delivered $70-72; 700 lbs. delivered for January $73, 800 lbs. for June $70.75.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 750-785 lbs. $68-72, 800-825 lbs. $65-69, 900 lbs. $64; 900 lbs. for June delivery $64.50, 800 lbs. for September $70; heifers, 550 lbs. $75, 700-725 lbs. $65-68, 775 lbs. $61.75-62, 800 lbs. $62.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 string 625 lbs. delivered $81.50, few loads 775 lbs. $71, 800-825 lbs. $69-69.50; auction, few 300-400 lbs. $95-99, 400-500 lbs. $86.50-98, 500-600 lbs. $82.50-93, mostly $84.50-89, 600-700 lbs. $76.50-85, bulk $77.50-83, 700-800 lbs. $69-74.25, 800-850 lbs. $66.50-68.50; heifers, 700-775 lbs. delivered $67-70.50, few loads 810 lbs. $65; string 700 lbs. delivered for June $70.50; auction, 350-400 lbs. $87-91, 400-500 lbs. $80-88.50, 500-600 lbs. $76.50-83, 600-700 lbs. $69-75.50, 700-800 lbs. $65-69.75.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 load 475 lbs. delivered $92, two loads 578 lbs. $80, two loads 750 lbs. $75, 800-850 lbs. $67.50-69; heifers, string 700 lbs. $70.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 800-850 lbs. $69-71.50; 490 lbs. delivered $88; auction, 450-500 lbs. $92-98.50, 510-550 lbs. $94-98.50, 580-590 lbs. $86-91, 600-650 lbs. $82.50-85.50, 650-700 lbs. $75.35-81, fancy 650-655 lbs. $86-87.50, 720-750 lbs. $73.25-77, 750-800 lbs. $69.75-74.35, 815-880 lbs. $65.25-70.60, 900-1040 lbs. 62.25-66; heifers, 740-800 lbs. $66; 450 lbs. delivered $79, 625 lbs. $74; auction, 450-480 lbs. $85-86.75, 500-550 lbs. $81.25-85, 550-600 lbs. $78.25-83.50, 600-650 lbs. $75.25-80, 650-700 lbs. $72.75-75, 700-800 lbs. $65.60-70.75, fancy 700-765 lbs. $71.75-72, 805 lbs. $66, 830-880 lbs. $61.50-64.85, 900-980 lbs. $60.85-63.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 840-850 lbs. $65-68; auction, 500-550 lbs. $88, 550-600 lbs. $84-85.50, 600-650 lbs. $79.50-83, 650-700 lbs. $76.50-80.75, 700-750 lbs. $73.25-75.25, part load 760 lbs. $71, 800-850 lbs. $65.50-69.25; heifers, string 800 lbs. $62; auction, 400-450 lbs. $83.50-85, 450-500 lbs. $81-83.50, 550-600 lbs. $74-80, 600-650 lbs. $72.50-75, 650-700 lbs. $69.75-73.75, 700-750 lbs. $67-69.75.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 800-850 lbs. $66-68; 850 lbs. for August delivery $68; 725 lbs. delivered for June through August $75; auction, 400-500 lbs. $79.50-85, 500-600 lbs. $77.50-84, 600-700 lbs. $70-73, 700-800 lbs. $66-67, 800-900 lbs. $65-65.50; heifers, 800 lbs. $65; 700-800 lbs. for August delivery $66.50-67; auction, 450-500 lbs. $72-75, 500-600 lbs. $67.50-74.50, 600-700 lbs. $64.50-71, 700-800 lbs. $58-60.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $95-105, 350-400 lbs. $90-100, 400-450 lbs. $85-94, 450-500 lbs. $81-90, 500-550 lbs. $78-86, 550-600 lbs. $75-83, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $65-72; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-500 lbs. $57-64; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $81-90, 350-400 lbs. $77-85, 400-450 lbs. $74-82, 450-500 lbs. $72-80, 500-600 lbs. $70-77, 600-700 lbs. $64-71, 700-800 lbs. $61-67.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 load 550-600 lbs. $84, 600-700 lbs. $72-73, load fancy $77, 700-800 lbs. $68-70, 800-900 lbs. $64-66, load 950-1000 lbs. $60; auction, 200-300 lbs. $100-109, 300-350 lbs. $94-104, 350-400 lbs. $85-95, 400-500 lbs. $84-94, fancy $98, 500-600 lbs. $75-85, fancy $86-88, 600-700 lbs. $67-77, thin $77.50-81, 700-800 lbs. $66-75, 800-900 lbs. $62-68.25; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $60-72, 400-500 lbs. $59-68, 500-600 lbs. $55-64.75, 600-700 lbs. $54-60, 700-900 lbs. $50-57; heifers, load 500-550 lbs. $77, load 650 lbs. $67, 700-800 lbs. $61-64; auction, 200-300 lbs. $82-92, 300-400 lbs. $77-87, few to $90, 400-450 lbs. $75-85, 450-500 lbs. $72-82, 500-600 lbs. $66-76, thin $77-79.75, 600-650 lbs. $65-73.25, 650-700 lbs. $62-70, 700-800 lbs. $60-66.50.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $94-114, 300-350 lbs. $94-105, 350-400 lbs. $90-103, 400-450 lbs. $85-95, 450-500 lbs. $80-90 few $94, 500-550 lbs. $77-86.50, 550-600 lbs. $75-82, 600-700 lbs. $68-76.50, 700-800 lbs. $66-70; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $78-92, 300-350 lbs. $78-88, 350-400 lbs. $74-87, 400-450 lbs. $74-84, 450-500 lbs. $70-80 few $83, 500-550 lbs. $70-78.50, 550-600 lbs. $67-76.50, 600-700 lbs. $62-69.50.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $107-120, 250-300 lbs. $98-112, 300-350 lbs. $95-105, some $109, 350-400 lbs. $88-98, some to $102, 400-450 lbs. $83-93, 450-500 lbs. $76-86, 500-550 lbs. $73-83, 550-600 lbs. $70-80, 600-650 lbs. $68-74, 650-700 lbs. $65-69, 700-750 lbs. $63-69, 750-800 lbs. $58-66; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $85-100, 250-300 lbs. $78-90, 300-350 lbs. $77-87, 350-400 lbs. $76-86, 400-450 lbs. $72-82, 450-500 lbs. $68-78, 500-550 lbs. $65-75, 550-600 lbs. $64-74, 600-650 lbs. $60-67, 650-700 lbs. $58-65.