Nation’s Feeder Cattle Prices
Followed Fats Lower Last Week

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder cattle prices were steady to $3 lower around the country last week, a few places $4-5 lower.

Dry weather and the second week of lower slaughter cattle trends curbed demand for the increased supply. Good consumer demand for beef offered strong price support for the large supplies of cattle.

Cattlemen are keeping a close watch on the boxed beef trade. It faltered a little again and the direct feedlot trade on slaughter steers and heifers was another $1 lower at $68.50-69.50, and $110 in the beef as cutouts dropped below $120. Feedlots are current, but empty pens are a rarity.

Choice offerings are in tight supply and selling at a $16 premium in the beef to Select. Average slaughter weights are dropping below a year ago. Slaughter continues liberal as does the disappearance of cattle just as soon as or before they get market-ready.

Dry weather limited wheat grazing this fall but made for an early finish of harvest. Another bountiful grain crop with low prices is expected to keep costs of feedlot weight gains in the low to mid forties.

Calves continued to make up the majority of receipts, but pastures are short and most feedlots are filled to desired capacity.

A meager 28 percent of the week’s supply weighed more than 600 pounds.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 525 lbs. $89, 625-650 lbs. $79-85, few 750 lbs. $77.50-78; 625-675 lbs. delivered $79.50-83, 750-800 lbs. $78-79.50; 725-750 lbs. for January through March delivery $80-81.50; 775 lbs. delivered for October $80; heifers, 575-650 lbs. $75.25-78, 700-725 lbs. $74-75; 625-750 lbs. delivered $75-78.50, string 660 lbs. from Nevada $82.75.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 585 lbs. $83, 625-675 lbs. $80-82.50, 700-775 lbs. $77-81.50; 800 lbs. for January delivery $79.50, 800 lbs. for February $79, 775 lbs. for April $79.50; heifers, 380 lbs. $85.50, 550 lbs. $76.50.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 couple loads 775 lbs. $78.50; couple loads 515 lbs. for November delivery $92; auction, 300-400 lbs. $102.50-113, 400-450 lbs. $94.50-99.50, 450-500 lbs. $86-97, 500-600 lbs. $87.50-91.50, 600-700 lbs. $80.50-86.50, 700-800 lbs. $75.50-81.50, 800-900 lbs. $73.75-80.25, mostly $74.50-78; heifers, couple loads 775 lbs. delivered $75.50; load 485 lbs. for November delivery $86, few loads 650 lbs. $78; auction, 300-400 lbs. $88.50-93, 400-500 lbs. $82.50-90.50, 500-600 lbs. $76-84.50, 600-700 lbs. $75-80.50, 700-800 lbs. $74-77.50, 800-850 lbs. $70.50-76.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 115 head 414 lbs. $107, 55 head 556 lbs. $94.50, 73 head 689 lbs. $81.50, 65 head 775 lbs. $84.50, 53 head 940 lbs. $76.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 575 lbs. $92, 600-700 lbs. $87.25-90, 795 lbs. $81; auction, 240 lbs. $125, 250-300 lbs. $110-115, 300-400 lbs. $107-119, 400-450 lbs. $93-108, fancy $109-115, 450-500 lbs. $91-98, fancy $103-107.50, 500-550 lbs. $84.25-96.25, 550-600 lbs. $83.25-91.50, 600-650 lbs. $81.50-88, 650-700 lbs. $79-83.50, 700-750 lbs. $75.50-81, 750-800 lbs. $80.85-84.50, 800-850 lbs. $77-83.90, fancy 800 lbs. $85.60, 850-900 lbs. $74-78.75, 900-1000 lbs. $66.75-76, 1000-1200 lbs. $64.50-70; heifers, 550-575 lbs. $85-86, 850 lbs. $75; auction, 250-300 lbs. $96-104, 300-350 lbs. $97-108, 350-400 lbs. $90-102, 400-500 lbs. $82-89.25, fancy $92.50-97, 500-600 lbs. $79.75-87.25, 600-700 lbs. $78.75-82.80, 700-800 lbs. $73-79.20, 800-900 lbs. $72-77.90, 900-1000 lbs. $70.50-73.85, 1025-1040 lbs. $68.70-72.50.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 auction, 300-400 lbs. $95-110, lot fancy $114, 400-450 lbs. $90-109, fancy $105-111, 450-500 lbs. $89-101, 500-550 lbs. $81-94.75, 550-600 lbs. $81-91.75, fancy $94.50, 600-700 lbs. $78.75-87, 700-800 lbs. $77-83.50, few 800-850 pounds $79-80.50, 850-900 lbs. $75-79.50, 900-950 lbs. $76.50-79, 950-1000 lbs. $75-75.50; heifers, auction, 300-400 lbs. $83-93.75, 400-500 lbs. $80-92.50, fancy $92-95, 500-600 lbs. $78-89.50, 600-650 lbs. $79.50-87.50, 650-700 lbs. $75.50-82.75, 700-750 lbs. $73-80, 750-800 lbs. $71-75.50, 800-900 lbs. $72.50-75.50, pen 910 lbs. $73.25.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-575 lbs. $84-88, 600 lbs. $82, 850-875 lbs. $75; auction, 400-500 lbs. $84-87, 500-600 lbs. $78-86, 600-700 lbs. $72.50-80, 700-800 lbs. $69-74.50; heifers, 500-550 lbs. $80, 600 lbs. $81, 800-850 lbs. $72-73; auction, 350-400 lbs. $77- 83, 400-500 lbs. $72-79.50, 500-600 lbs. $72-77, 600-700 lbs. $70-74, 700-800 lbs. $65-70.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $100-110, 350-400 lbs. $93-103, 400-450 lbs. $86-95, 450-500 lbs. $83-92, 500-550 lbs. $80-88, 550-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $73-81, 700-800 lbs. $71-78; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-400 lbs. $69-73.50, 400-500 lbs. $63-68, 500-600 lbs. $60-63; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $83-92, 350-400 lbs. $79-87, 400-450 lbs. $76-84, 450-500 lbs. $74-82, 500-600 lbs. $72-80, 600-700 lbs. $68-75, 700-800 lbs. $68-74.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-600 lbs. $85-88, 600-700 lbs. $80-83, 700-800 lbs. $77-80, 800-900 lbs. $74.50-77; large No. 2 Holsteins 350-450 lbs. $64.50, 700-800 lbs. $58-62, 900 lbs. $59-60; auction, 200-300 lbs. $100-110, 300-350 lbs. $93-103, 350-400 lbs. $83-93, 400-450 lbs. $88-97.50, 450-500 lbs. $82-92, 500-550 lbs. $80-90, 550-600 lbs. $77-87, 600-700 lbs. $75-83, 700-800 lbs. $71-81, 800-900 lbs. $71-78.10; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-400 lbs. $58-67.25, 400-500 lbs. $60-70, 500-600 lbs. $56-65.75, 600-700 lbs. $57-64.95, 700-800 lbs. $58.50, 800-900 lbs. $52.50-58.50; heifers, 500-600 lbs. $76, 600-700 lbs. $74-77, 700-800 lbs. $72-74; auction, 200-300 lbs. $80-90, 300-350 lbs. $81-91, 350-400 lbs. $75-85, 400-500 lbs. $74-84, 500-600 lbs. $71-81, 600-700 lbs. $67-76, 700-750 lbs. $67-75.50, 750-800 lbs. $62-70.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $101-125, 300-350 lbs. $93-106, 350-400 lbs. $88-104, 400-450 lbs. $83-95, 450-500 lbs. $80-91, 500-550 lbs. $75-86, 550-600 lbs. $73-83, 600-700 lbs. $71-80, 700-800 lbs. $70-75.50; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $78-91, 300-350 lbs. $79-90, 350-400 lbs. $75-85, 400-450 lbs. $73-83, 450-500 lbs. $72-82, 500-550 lbs. $70-77, 550-600 lbs. $68-76, 600-700 lbs. $68-74.25, 700-800 lbs. $63-70.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $114-129, 250-300 lbs. $108-124, 300-350 lbs. $100-114, 350-400 lbs. $90-100, 400-450 lbs. $87-97, 450-500 lbs. $82-92, 500-550 lbs. $76-86, 550-600 lbs. $72-82, 600-650 lbs. $69-78, 650-700 lbs. $67-77, 700-750 lbs. $65-74, 750-800 lbs. $60-68; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $86-106, 250-300 lbs. $82-95, 300-350 lbs. $80-92, 350-400 lbs. $78-86, 400-450 lbs. $74-84, 450-500 lbs. $71-81, 500-550 lbs. $68-78, 550-600 lbs. $65-75, 600-650 lbs. $62-72, 650-700 lbs. $60-68.