Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Continue Longterm Upward Trend

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder cattle prices across the country continued their almost unabated upward spiral last week, steers and heifers trending steady to $2 higher.

Some relief was offered on concerns for post-holiday beef demand, big feedlot cattle numbers and placements, increased summer marketings, dry weather, higher feed costs, and low hog prices. Good demand for beef kept slaughter cattle trends firm, direct sales holding at $66-66.50. Record red meat production figures keep showing up, but boxed beef cutouts at $113 are $18 above a year ago.

Feedlots are making a concerted effort to stay current with large numbers in the pens. Packers are enjoying big kills and highly favorable returns. Even drops are making a strong comeback.

Feeder cattle movement for July, August and early September as reflected in this report is nearly 50 percent above a year ago. The increased summer marketings of feeders, mostly calves, was due to dry weather and prices substantially above a year ago.

Estimated corn production for this crop year at 9.38 billion bushels is near a record, and soybean production at 2.78 billion bushels will set a record. With large carryover stocks and increased world feedstuff production, prices are expected to remain at a low level. A large volume of hay is out there in many places, but moisture is needed for seeding wheat pastures. Hog prices dropped back down into the low $30s, but consumer appetite for beef passed up the abundant supplies of cheap pork and poultry.

Offerings weighing less than 600 pounds made up 60 percent of the week's supply.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 500 pounds $86.50, 550 pounds $83, 600-675 pounds $81-82, 700-800 pounds $76-78, 800 pounds $74-76; 450 pounds delivered $97, 750-780 pounds $77.50-80, 800-825 pounds 75.50-79.50; 650 pounds for September and October delivery $82, 725 pounds for November $79; 700-800 pounds delivered for September and October $78-84, 800-850 pounds $76.50-80.50, 800 pounds for November $78.50-79; 750-775 pounds delivered $1 under to 50 cents over CME board for October; heifers, 500 pounds $77, 740 pounds $74; 430 pounds delivered $89, 700-750 pounds $75-78.50, 810 pounds $77.50; 735 pounds for September and October delivery $73; 800 pounds delivered for September and October $78.50; 700-750 pounds delivered $3.25-3.50 under CME board for April.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 750-775 pounds $76-77, 800-825 pounds $74.50-76; 725 pounds for October delivery $78, 800-850 pounds $74-75; heifers, 725-750 pounds $73.50-74; 700 pounds for October delivery $74.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 couple strings 775 pounds delivered $80.50-81.50, few loads 825 pounds $77-78; load 480 pounds for October and November delivery $96; few loads 625 pounds delivered for October and November $88; auction, few 500-550 pounds $87-97, 550-600 pounds $84-90, 600-700 pounds $80-88, mostly $82.50-86.75, 700-800 pounds $74-82.50, mostly $77-80.50, 800-900 pounds $71.50-78, bulk $74-76.50; heifers, 675-680 pounds delivered $75.50-79.50, 700-750 pounds $75-76.75; load 440 pounds delivered for October and November $88, few loads 575 pounds $83; auction, 500-600 pounds $80-86.50, few 600-700 pounds $77.85-78.50, 725-800 pounds $73.50-76.50, 800-850 pounds $70.50-74.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 750-787 pounds $83-83.50, 850-860 pounds $76.50, 906-925 pounds $75.50-76; 550 pounds delivered for October $91, 825 pounds $80.50; heifers, 800 pounds $74-75.50, 900-925 pounds $69.25-72.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 485-550 pounds for October delivery $91-95, 825-885 pounds $74.50-78, 910-940 pounds $71.50-75; auction, 295 pounds $122.50, 330-365 pounds $106-117.75, mostly $112-117.75, 400-430 pounds $96.50-115.25, mostly $105.50-115.25, 450-470 pounds $90-100, 500-600 pounds $88.50-95.50, 600-700 pounds $85.50-90.50, 700-800 pounds $73.50-86.75, 800-900 pounds $73.85-81.25, mostly $79.10-86.75, 900-985 pounds $70.35-76.60, 1000-1060 pounds $66.60-71.35; heifers, 440 pounds for October delivery $88, 650 pounds $80, 725-775 pounds $72.25-75.50, 800-850 pounds $72-74; auction, 290 pounds $110.25, 320-400 pounds $88-107.75, mostly $98-107.75, 400-500 pounds $81-97, mostly $93-97, 500-565 pounds $81.50-85.75, 600-700 pounds $76.25-84.50, 700-800 pounds $72-81, 800-900 pounds $70.75-78.50, 900-960 pounds $71.35-72.35, 1035 pounds $68.50.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 string 900-925 pounds $73-74, string 960 pounds $71.50; 500-550 pounds for October delivery $90-91.50, 600-650 pounds $83-86.75, load 700 pounds $83, 550-600 pounds for November $90; auction, 450-500 pounds $89-91.50, few 590 pounds $82.50, 640 pounds $81, 700-750 pounds $78.75-79, 750-800 pounds $76.25-79, 800-850 pounds $74.50-76.25, 850-900 pounds $74-74.75, 900-950 pounds $70.60-73, 1000-1050 pounds $69.25-70.50; heifers, 500 pounds for October delivery $84, 580 pounds $80.50, 600-650 pounds $78-80; 500-550 pounds for November $83-84; auction, 400-450 pounds $83-86, 500-550 pounds $78.50-81, 600 pounds $75.25, 700-750 pounds $74-76, few 800-850 pounds $72-73.50, 850-900 pounds $70.50-73, lot 995 pounds $70.25.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 700-750 pounds $72-76, 850-875 pounds $74, 900-925 pounds $72-73.50; 850-875 pounds delivered $73-74; 500-575 pounds for November delivery $85-90; auction, 350-400 pounds $90-95, 450-500 pounds $87-88, 500-600 pounds $83.50-85, 600-700 pounds $79-84, 700-800 pounds $71-75, 800-900 pounds $71-74; heifers, 700 pounds $72-73, 800-850 pounds $70-71; auction, 400-500 pounds $77-80, 500-600 pounds $76.50-78, 600-700 pounds $73-76, 700-800 pounds $70-72, 800-900 pounds $68-72.50.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 pounds $98-110, few to $120, 350-400 pounds $93-102, 400-450 pounds $89-98, 450-500 pounds $84-93, 500-550 pounds $80-88, 550-600 pounds $77-85, 600-700 pounds $75-83, 700-800 pounds $68-75; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-500 pounds $58-62; heifers, 300-350 pounds $83-92, 350-400 pounds $79-87, 400-450 pounds $76-84, 450-500 pounds $73-81, 500-600 pounds $72-79, 600-700 pounds $68-75, 700-800 pounds $66-72.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 575 pounds $84, 600-700 pounds $78-82, 700-800 pounds $73-78, 800-900 pounds $69.50-74, load black $76; auction, 200-300 pounds $105-115, 300-350 pounds $98-108, few to $110, 350-400 pounds $91-101, 400-500 pounds $84-94, thin $91-101, 500-550 pounds $78-88, 550-600 pounds $75-85, 600-700 pounds $75-83.25, 700-800 pounds $71-78.80, 800-900 pounds $69-75.85; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 pounds $62-73, 400-500 pounds $54-64, 500-600 pounds $53-64, 600-700 pounds $54-63.25, 700-800 pounds $54-59.75, 800-900 pounds $50.50-59.95; heifers, 600-700 pounds $75, 700-750 pounds $70-73, auction, 200-300 pounds $84-94, 300-400 pounds $80-90, few to $91.50, 400-450 pounds $77-86.50, 450-500 pounds $74-84, 500-600 pounds $72-82, few thin to $84.75, 600-650 pounds $69-77.50, 650-700 pounds $66-72, 700-800 pounds $65-73.40.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 pounds $106-129, 300-350 pounds $95-110 few $116, 350-400 pounds $89-102, 400-450 pounds $84-95 few $100, 450-500 pounds $80-90, 500-550 pounds $77-87 few $89, 550-600 pounds $75-84, 600-700 pounds $74-83, 700-800 pounds $70-75 few $77; heifers, 200-300 pounds $80-95, 300-350 pounds $80-92, 350-400 pounds $75-87, 400-450 pounds $73-82 few $85, 450-500 pounds $73-81, 500-550 pounds $71-79.50, 550-600 pounds $70-78, 600-700 pounds $65-75.50, 700-800 pounds $62-69.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 pounds $122-132, 250-300 pounds $103-123, 300-350 pounds $98-112, 350-400 pounds $90-100, few $107, 400-450 pounds $85-95, 450-500 pounds $82-89, 500-550 pounds $74-84, 550-600 pounds $72-82, 600-650 pounds $68-78, 650-700 pounds $67-77, 700-800 pounds $65-71; heifers, 200-250 pounds $100-110, 250-300 pounds $88-98, few $100, 300-350 pounds $80-90, 350-400 pounds $75-85, 400-450 pounds $73-83, 450-500 pounds $70-80, 500-550 pounds $68-78, 550-600 pounds $68-75, 600-700 pounds $64-74.