Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Move Higher Again Last Week

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Another steady to $2 higher trend was registered in the nation’s feeder cattle trade last week. Volume has been adequate from one or more areas on one or more weight groups to apply the $2 upturn nationally in 10 out of the past 15 weeks.

This reflects the prolonged strong demand for replacement cattle as relatively few lower trends have been recorded during this period. Cheap feed costs and good demand for beef has been a godsend to the cattle industry this year.

Feeder cattle producers shared the good news. Yearling steers and heifers are currently quoted $12-13 above a year ago. The CME feeder index is up around $10. Commercial red meat production in June set an all-time record high and beef production was three percent above a year ago.

July and August cattle slaughter remains seasonally liberal, but slaughter steer and heifer prices are nearly $10 above a year ago. Boxed beef cutouts are nearly $20 above a year ago and beef packers continue to enjoy highly favorable kill returns.

Feedlots are current, but packers lined up big kill numbers during the pre-holiday period. Labor Day retail cleanup will be a big test of the demand side.

The suffering of grain and soybean producers provides a cheap source of feeds and cost of weight gains. Country elevator bids on corn are already below $1.50 a bushel and harvest is just getting underway.

Liberal receipts have continued since the first of July, and 51 percent of last week's supply weighed more than 600 pounds, which is normal for this season of the year.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-800 lbs. $75-79, few 800 lbs. $76; 600-700 lbs. delivered $79.25-84, 700-800 lbs. $76-81, 800-875 lbs. $75-78.50; 700-750 lbs. for September and October delivery $77.50-78.75, 825 lbs. $74, 750 lbs. for November $77-78.50; 680 lbs. delivered for September and October $77.50, 700-800 lbs. $76.50-79, 800-875 lbs. $75.50-79.75, 550 lbs. for November $90, 700 lbs. $79.50; heifers, 700-750 lbs. $72.50-74; 650-700 lbs. delivered $75-77, 700-800 lbs. $75-77.25, 850 lbs. $69.50; 625 lbs. delivered for September and October $77.50, 700-800 lbs. $72.75-76.50, 525 lbs. for November $83, 625 lbs. $79; 675-725 lbs. $3.50 under CME for September and October delivery.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 650 lbs. $80-82.50, 675 lbs. $78.50-79, 700-775 lbs. $75.50-77, 800 lbs. $74-75, 900 lbs. $70; 650 lbs. for September delivery $80, 425-450 lbs. for October $105-106, 500-545 lbs. $91-98, 550 lbs. $87-94, 400 lbs. for November $106, 550 lbs. $94; heifers, 525 lbs. $78, 600-625 lbs. $75-76.25, 725 lbs. $73-75, 750 lbs. $72-73; 610 lbs. for September delivery $76, 400-430 lbs. for October $97, 460-500 lbs. $89-91, 475 lbs. $86, 500-525 lbs. $80-81, 400 lbs. for November $95.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 525 lbs. $93, 650 lbs. $86.50-87; 850 lbs. delivered late October $77, 900 lbs. $76; heifers, 600 lbs. delivered late October $71.50, 800 lbs. $77.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 775 lbs. $77, 850-875 lbs. $74.75-76, string 900 lbs. $74; load 790 lbs. delivered $76, 825-875 lbs. $76-77.50, 900-935 lbs. $73.50-75.25; few loads 650 lbs. delivered for October $87, 800-850 lbs. $75-75.75, few loads 580 lbs. for November $89.75; heifers, 750-800 lbs. $73-75; few loads 660 lbs. delivered $78, 750-785 lbs. $73-75, 800-850 lbs. $73.50-76; few loads 600 lbs. delivered for October $82, load 420 lbs. for November $93.75.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 875 lbs. $75-78, 925-960 lbs. $71.50-73.50; 700 lbs. delivered $84, 900-930 lbs. $74-75; 425-460 lbs. for October delivery $100-102.50, 530 lbs. $93, 565 lbs. $85; auction, 690-695 lbs. $77.25-77.75, 765 lbs. $75.25; heifers, 660-790 lbs. $73-76, 800-860 lbs. $72-73.50; 675 lbs. delivered $79.50; 410-430 lbs. for October delivery $92-92.50, 500-525 lbs. $77-86; auction, 550-580 lbs. $67.50-70.50, 600 lbs. $74.75.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-750 lbs. $81-82.50, 850-900 lbs. $74-75, 900-950 lbs. $72-73; 500-550 lbs. for October delivery $90-93, 550-600 lbs. $86-88.50, 600-650 lbs. $82-86, string 850 lbs. $75.50, 650 lbs. for November $85; auction, 600-650 lbs. $81-81.50, 783 lbs. $77.25, 800-850 lbs. $74.75-75.25, 850-900 lbs. $72-75.25, 900-950 lbs. $71.60-73.35, few 1000-1050 lbs. $69; heifers, 650-700 lbs. $77-78, 800-850 lbs. $72-74, load 900 lbs. $71; 500-550 lbs. for October delivery $80-83, 550-600 lbs. $77-80, string 540 lbs. for November $78.50; auction, 780 lbs. $72.75, few 800-850 lbs. $72.50-73, 850-900 lbs. $72.25-73, 900-950 lbs. $68.50-71.75.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-725 lbs. $77, 900 lbs. $71.50-72, 800-875 lbs. $72-73.50; 875 lbs. delivered $73; 500-575 lbs. for October delivery $88-90, 625 lbs. $84; auction, 500-600 lbs. $78-86, 600-700 lbs. $76.50-82, 700-800 lbs. $73.50-77, 800-900 lbs. $72.50-73.50, 900-1000 lbs. $66.50-69; heifers, 750-800 lbs. $70-70.50, 800-825 lbs. $70-72; 800 lbs. delivered $71; 500 lbs. for October delivery $82-83; auction, 700-800 lbs. $67-69.50, 850-900 lbs. $63.50-68.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. l 300-350 lbs. $98-110 few to $117, 350-400 lbs. $93-102, 400-450 lbs. $88-97, 450-500 lbs. $84-93, 500-550 lbs. $80-88, 550-600 lbs. $77-85, 600-700 lbs. $74-82, 700-800 lbs. $68-75; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $83-92, 350-400 lbs. $79-87, 400-450 lbs. $75-83, 450-500 lbs. $73-81, 500-600 lbs. $72-79, 600-700 lbs. $68-75, 700-800 lbs. $66-72.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $78-81, 700-800 lbs. $73-76.50, 800-900 lbs. $71.50-75, 900-950 lbs. $71-72; auction, 200-300 lbs. $104-113, 300-350 lbs. $96-106, 350-400 89-99, 400-500 lbs. $83-93, few $95-98, 500-550 lbs. $79-88.25, 550-600 lbs. $74-84, 600-700 lbs. $74-82.75, 700-800 lbs. $70-78.85, 800-900 lbs. $70-77, 900-1000 lbs. $65-73; heifers, 500-600 lbs. $74-77.75, 600-650 lbs. $73-76, 650-700 lbs. $71-73, 700-800 lbs. $68-72, couple loads $74; auction, 200-300 lbs. $83-91, 300-350 lbs. $78-87.50, 350-400 lbs. $74-83, 400-450 lbs. $77-86, 450-500 lbs. $72-82, 500-550 lbs. $74-83, 550-600 lbs. $70-80 600-700 lbs. $68-78, 700-800 lbs. $65-72.85.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $101-126, 300-350 lbs. $93-113, 350-400 lbs. $85-103, 400-450 lbs. $82-92, 450-500 lbs. $78-88, 500-550 lbs. $75-85, 550-600 lbs. $75-83, 600-700 lbs. $73-81, 700-800 lbs. $71.50-74.50, two loads 850-875 lbs. $70.75-73.80; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $80-100, 300-350 lbs. $75-88, 350-400 lbs. $73-86, 400-450 lbs. $73-83, 450-500 lbs. $72-81, 500-550 lbs. $70-80, 550-600 lbs. $70-78, 600-700 lbs. $67-76, load 675 lbs. $74.75, 700-800 lbs. $67.50-70.

Southeastern complex: steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $107-127, 250-300 lbs. $105-125, 300-350 lbs. $97-115, 350-400 lbs. $89-99, 400-450 lbs. $82-94, 450-500 lbs. $78-88, 500-550 lbs. $74-84, 550-600 lbs. $70-80, 600-650 lbs. $67-77, 650-700 lbs. $65-75, 700-800 lbs. $64-73; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $94-109, 250-300 lbs. $85-100, 300-350 lbs. $80-92, 350-400 lbs. $75-85, 400-450 lbs. $72-82, 450-500 lbs. $70-80, 500-550 lbs. $68-78, 550-600 lbs. $67-74, 600-700 lbs. $64-72.