Nation’s Feeder Cattle Price
Trends Mixed, But Most Lower

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold generally steady to $2 lower across the country last week, but several places were steady to $2 higher. Numbers with lower trends overwhelmed as most calves sold lower and continue to make up an unusually large percentage of increased receipts.

Slaughter cattle prices moved upward, but this occurred a little too late in the week to offer support for some of the lower early week trends.

The slaughter steer and heifer market was a bright spot in the cattle trade. Direct feedlot sales were $1-2 higher on a large volume at mostly $66-67 live and $104-106 in the beef. Cattle slaughter was liberal again, but boxed beef cutouts ended up on top of $118.

Feedlots are so current they are picking a few green cattle as packers seek more Choice offerings to capitalize on a $15 premium over Select carcasses. Consumer demand for red meat is back in vogue. Cattle slaughter was well over 700,000 head again and hog slaughter was near two million, but dressed product for both species ended up sharply higher. Slaughter hog prices are currently $5 above a year ago and slaughter cattle prices are up $10.

Rains improved fall pastures and prospects for winter wheat pastures in some areas, but calves continue to make up a larger than usual percentage of the increased receipts. This is especially true compared to a year ago.

Weights over 600 pounds made up only 40 percent of the supply.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 500 lbs. $86, 625-675 lbs. $80-83, 700-800 lbs. $77-80.50, 800-850 lbs. $74.50-76.25; 675-690 lbs. delivered $81.50-84.50, 700-800 lbs. $78-80.75, 825-875 lbs. $78-79.75; 725-750 lbs. for December through March delivery $78.50-81; 825 lbs. delivered for February $79; 750 lbs. delivered 50-75 cents over February-March CME board; heifers, 650-750 lbs. $74-78; 625-775 lbs. delivered $75-81, mostly $77-81; 700-750 lbs. for November through March delivery $74-76.50; 700 lbs. $78.25 delivered for December; 700 lbs. $5.50 under March CME board; 725 lbs. delivered $4 under January CME board.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 510-525 lbs. high quality northern calves $96-98.75, 610 lbs. $83, 660 lbs. $81, 700-775 lbs. $77-78.50, 800 lbs. $76-77; 535 lbs. for November delivery $95, 625 lbs. for November $76.50, 825 lbs. $74.50, 750 lbs. for January $80; heifers, 480-485 lbs. high quality northern calves $89, 535 lbs. $88, 575 lbs. $75.50, 650-680 lbs. $74-75; 470 lbs. for November delivery $89.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 800-825 lbs. $77.75-78.50; 700-750 lbs. delivered $81.50-82.50, 850 lbs. $76-79; load 480 lbs. delivered for October and November $100, few loads 550 lbs. $88.25-93, couple loads 650 lbs. $87.50; auction, few 325-400 lbs. $101.50-111.50, 400-500 lbs. $91.50-98.75, 500-600 lbs. $84-88.50, 600-700 lbs. $78-87.50, 700-800 lbs. $75.75-82.25, 800-900 lbs. $74.50-78, 900-1000 lbs. $70.50-74.75; heifers, 785-800 lbs. delivered $74.50-75, string 850 lbs. $77; 480-500 lbs. delivered for October and November $87-92, 535-610 lbs. $82.25-82.50; auction, 400-500 lbs. $80.50-90.50, mostly $82.75-88.50, 500-600 lbs. $76.75-84.50, 600-700 lbs. $75.50-81, 700-800 lbs. $73.50-77, 800-900 lbs. $70.75-74.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 string 600 lbs. $86.50, load 725 lbs. $81.25, 800-825 lbs. $80.25-81, 900 lbs. $71.25-76; heifers, 550 lbs. $82, 750-800 lbs. $75.25-78; load 930 lbs. fleshy, delivered $65.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 400 lbs. $105, 500-550 lbs. $90-95, 840-875 lbs. $74-76.50; 900 lbs. delivered $75.50; auction, 360-350 lbs. $107.50-115, 350-400 lbs. $104-114, 400-450 lbs. $98.50-109, fancy $114-116.25, 450-500 lbs. $90-104.25, mostly $99.50-104.25, fancy 450 lbs. $107, 500-600 lbs. $85.50-101.50, mostly $89-94, 600-700 lbs. $83.25-91, 700-800 lbs. $73.75-87.50, mostly $80.75-87.50, 800-900 lbs. $74.25-82.75, 900-1000 lbs. $70.50-77.40, 1000-1060 lbs. $66-73.20; heifers, 395 lbs. $92, 735-800 lbs. $74-77; auction, 250-300 lbs. $99-109, 300-350 lbs. $103.50-105, 350-400 lbs. $89-100.35, mostly $94-98, 400-500 lbs. $84-96, mostly $91.50-96, 500-600 lbs. $80-88, 600-700 lbs. $74.25-82.25, 700-800 lbs. $73.50-79, 800-900 lbs. $70-76.25, 900-1000 lbs. $68.75-74.25.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 600 lbs. $84, 700-750 lbs. $79.50-80, 825 lbs. $76, 900-925 lbs. $73-74; couple strings 550 lbs. for October delivery $89-92.50, load 480 lbs. for November $98, 550 lbs. $88, load 650 lbs. $84.50; auction, 550-600 lbs. $85-88, 650-700 lbs. $79-80, 800-850 lbs. $73-77, 850-900 lbs. $73.25-73.75, 900-950 lbs. $72.50-73.50, 950-1000 lbs. $71-73; heifers, 800 lbs. $77, 850 lbs. $73-75.50, 500-550 lbs. $80-84; 480 lbs. for November delivery $90, 560 lbs. $87, load 610 lbs. $79.50; auction, 450-500 lbs. $86.50-89, 550-600 lbs. $77-79, 700-750 lbs. $74.25, 750-800 lbs. $70-72, 900-950 lbs. $70-72.50.

Washington, Oregon, and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-525 lbs. $86-90, 600-625 lbs. $85-86, 850-875 lbs. $73-74.50, 900-925 lbs. $72; auction, 400-500 lbs. $85.50-92, 500-600 lbs. $80-87, 600-700 lbs. $75-85, 700-800 lbs. $70-79, 800-900 lbs. $70-73; heifers, 450 lbs. $81, 575 lbs. $80, 700-800 lbs. $70-71, 800-850 lbs. $71-73; auction, 350-400 lbs. $79-80, 400-500 lbs. $75.50-82, 500-600 lbs. $74-78, 600-700 lbs. $72-75, 700-800 lbs. $68-72.50, 800-900 lbs. $71.50-72.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $100-112, 350-400 lbs. $94-104, 400-450 lbs. $89-100, 450-500 lbs. $84-93, 500-550 lbs. $80-88, 550-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $70-77; heifers; 300-350 lbs. $82-91, 350-400 lbs. $78-86, 400-450 lbs. $75-83, 450-500 lbs. $72-80, 500-600 lbs. $70-77, 600-700 lbs. $67-74, 700-800 lbs. $66-72.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-700 lbs. $76.50-80, few fancy $80-82.50, 700-800 lbs. $74-77, 800-900 lbs. $70-76, 900-950 lbs. $70; auction, 200-300 lbs. $103-112, 300-350 lbs. $100-110, 350-400 lbs. $91-101, 400-450 lbs. $86-95, 450-500 lbs. $80-90, 500-550 lbs. $78-88, 550-600 lbs. $75-85, 600-700 lbs. $74-84, 700-800 lbs. $72-81.50, 800-900 lbs. $70-77, 900-1000 lbs. $65.50-73; large No. 2 Holsteins 300-400 lbs. $56-66, 400-500 55-64, 500-600 lbs. $57-66, 600-700 lbs. $55-65, 700-800 lbs. $52-63.50, 800-900 lbs. $50-62; heifers, 500-600 lbs. $76-78.50, 600-700 lbs. $72-76, 700-800 lbs. $71-73; auction, 200-300 lbs. $80-90, 300-350 lbs. $78-88, 350-400 lbs. $76-86, 400-500 lbs. $75-85, 500-600 lbs. $73-80.50, 600-700 lbs. $70-78, 700-800 lbs. $66-73.10.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $103-125, 300-350 lbs. $95-111, 350-400 lbs. $85-103, 400-450 lbs. $82-93, 450-500 lbs. $80-90, 500-550 lbs. $76-84, 550-600 lbs. $73-80, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $70-76.50, load 850 lbs. $73.20; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $75-90, 300-350 lbs. $75-86 few $89, 350-400 lbs. $74-84, 400-450 lbs. $72-81, 450-500 lbs. $70-79, 500-550 lbs. $70-77.50, 550-600 lbs. $68-75.50, 600-700 lbs. $65-72, 700-800 lbs. $62-68.50.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $113-123, 250-300 lbs. $105-125, 300-350 lbs. $98-108, 350-400 lbs. $90-100, 400-450 lbs. $85-95, 450-500 lbs. $79-89, 500-550 lbs. $73-82, 550-600 lbs. $70-80, 600-700 lbs. $67-77, 700-800 lbs. $64-74; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $85-100, 250-300 lbs. $82-95, 300-350 lbs. $77-87, 350-400 lbs. $75-85, 400-450 lbs. $74-80, 450-500 lbs. $70-79, 500-550 lbs. $68-78, 550-600 lbs. $65-75, 600-700 lbs. $60-70.