Nation’s Feeder Cattle Trends
Higher, Grazing Prospects Dim

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly across the country last week, but most were steady to $2 higher. Feeder cattle continued to sell higher and slaughter cattle held $70 again despite several negative factors.

Dry weather is becoming more widespread and of a much more serious nature, even at this time of the year, in many places. Winter wheat is not germinating and establishing a root system, fall pastures are short, and stock ponds are drying up. However, calves under 500 pounds are showing big price upturns in many places.

Beef packers reduced kills as cutout margins narrowed considerably the past few weeks and boxed beef cutouts dropped below $115. Corn prices were lower again, and cheap grain prices are making for low costs of weight gains. This is one reason so many lighter cattle are going into the feedlots.

Beautiful mild open weather is the rule and livestock are living the good life and really putting on the pounds. The calf run continues in full swing and only 30 percent of the week’s supply weighed more than 600 pounds.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 400 lbs. $98, 500-675 lbs. $84-88, 725-800 lbs. $79-81, six loads 700 lbs. thin and fancy $84.50; 650-700 lbs. delivered $82-86, 750-800 lbs. $82; 675 lbs. for December delivery $82.50, 725-800 lbs. for January through March $81; 750 lbs. $1-1.50 under March-April CME board, 750 lbs. delivered 50 cents to $1 over January through March; heifers, 675-700 lbs. $76-78, 480-500 lbs. delivered $81.50-83, 650-685 lbs. $80-84.50, 725 lbs. $5 under March CME board, 700-725 lbs. delivered $3.25-3.50 under February-March.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 570-605 lbs. $85-87, 750-765 lbs. $77.50-79; 750 lbs. for January delivery $81.25, 800 lbs. for February $78.50, 775 lbs. for April $78.75; heifers, 470 lbs. $80, 650-700 lbs. $76; 725 lbs. for May delivery $76.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 few loads 550 lbs. $88; couple loads 485 lbs. delivered $93.50, 555-590 lbs. $88-93.50, few loads 750-775 lbs. $81.50-82; auction, 300-400 lbs. $104-112.50, 400-500 lbs. $92.50-99, 500-600 lbs. $88.50-95, 600-700 lbs. $80-88, 700-800 lbs. $78.75-82.50, few 800-900 lbs. $75.50-79.75; heifers, couple loads 525 lbs. $84; load 435 lbs. delivered $87.50, load 535 lbs. $84; 300-400 lbs. $90-100, 400-500 lbs, 500-600 lbs. $79.50-84, 600-700 lbs. $75.50-83.50, 700-800 lbs. $74.50-80.50, 800-900 lbs. $72-78.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 105 head 475 lbs. $99, 200 head 515 lbs. $96, 150 head 775 lbs. $85, 180 head 825 lbs. $83; 70 head delivered 720 lbs. $86.90, 51 head 998 lbs. $72.40; large No. 2 Holsteins, 200 head 800 lbs. $65.50, 110 lbs. $900 lbs. $63; heifers, 75 head 652 lbs. delivered $86.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 485-590 lbs. $88-93.50, 600-650 lbs. $85-87, 750-865 lbs. $83.25-83.75, 925 lbs. $75; auction, 300-400 lbs. $101-115, 400-450 lbs. $96-107, 450-500 lbs. $91-101, fancy $103.75-106, 500-550 lbs. $86.25-95.75, fancy $95.20-97, 550-600 lbs. $87.25-92.50, 600-700 lbs. $81.25-89.50, 700-800 lbs. $79.25-85.60, 800-900 lbs. $77.75-83.85, 900-1000 lbs. $75.10-79.85, 1000-1060 lbs. $72.50-75.50, 1100-1150 lbs. $64-66; heifers, 390 lbs. $91-93.50, 435-490 lbs. $84-86, 510-625 lbs. $81-84, 650-740 lbs. $78.50-79, 860 lbs. $75; auction, 300-400 lbs. $95-102, 400-450 lbs. $85-94.50, fancy $94-97, 450-500 lbs. $84-91, 500-550 lbs. $81.50-90.25, fancy $89.60-90.25, 550-600 lbs. $80.50-84.75, 600-700 lbs. $79-83.75, 700-800 lbs. $73.25-82.85, 800-900 lbs. $71.50-79.75, 900-970 lbs. $71-77.50.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 auction, 300-350 lbs. $101-111.50, 350-400 lbs. $92-114, 400-450 lbs. $89.50-107, fancy $97-109, 450-500 lbs. $90.25-100, package 457 lbs. $112, 500-600 lbs. $86-94.75, fancy $94.50-97, 600-650 lbs. $80.50-88, fancy $87.50-88.75, 650-700 lbs. $79.25-86, 700-800 lbs. $77-84.75, 800-900 lbs. $76-82, few 900-1000 lbs. $74-74.50; heifers, auction, 300-350 lbs. $90-92, 350-400 lbs. $84-92.25, 400-500 lbs. $82-92.50, fancy $89-93.50, 500-600 lbs. $82-89.35, fancy $87-90, 600-700 lbs. $79.75-83.25, lot 791 lbs. $74.25, 800-900 lbs. $73-74.75, 900-1000 lbs. $70.50-73.25.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 450-500 lbs. $92, 500-550 lbs. $88-92, 550-600 lbs. $84-86, 600-650 lbs. $82-83, 750-800 lbs. $75-78, 800-850 lbs. $74-75, 900 lbs. $73; 750-800 lbs. delivered $77.50-80.50, 850 lbs. $75-76.50; auction, 400-500 lbs. $86.50-90, 500-600 lbs. $85-89.50, 600-700 lbs. $78-83, 700-800 lbs. $72-77, 800-900 lbs. $70.50-73; heifers, 500-600 lbs. $75-78, 800-850 lbs. $71-72, 900 lbs. $71; 800-825 lbs. delivered $72.50-74.50; auction, 400-500 lbs. $77-85, 500-600 lbs. $74-80, 600-700 lbs. $70.50-75.50.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $105-115 few to $118, 350-400 lbs. $97-107, 400-450 lbs. $90-100, 450-500 lbs. $86-95, 500-550 lbs. $82-91, 550-600 lbs. $78-86, 600-700 lbs. $75-83, 700-800 lbs. $72-80; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-500 lbs. $58-64; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $83-92 few to $104, 350-400 lbs. $79-87, 400-450 lbs. $77-85, 450-500 lbs. $74-82, 500-600 lbs. $72-80, 600-700 lbs. $69-76, 700-800 lbs. $68-74.

Kentucky: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $104-108, 300-350 lbs. $93-104, 350-400 lbs. $83-93, 400-450 lbs. $88-97.10, 450-500 lbs. $82-92, 500-550 lbs. $81-90, 550-600 lbs. $76-86, 600-700 lbs. $75-84, 700-800 lbs. $71-80, 800-900 lbs. $70-78.50, 900-1000 lbs. $65-70; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-400 lbs. $64-73.75, 400-500 60-70, 500-600 lbs. $58-67.80, 600-700 lbs. $58-66.50, 700-800 lbs. $54-64.60, 800-900 lbs. $53.50-62.75; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $82-89, 300-400 lbs. $76-86, 400-500 lbs. $75-85, 500-600 lbs. $70-81, 600-700 lbs. $68-77, some $80.90-82.05, 700-800 lbs. $64-74.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $105-127, 300-350 lbs. $95-110, 350-400 lbs. $88-105, 400-450 lbs. $85-96, 450-500 lbs. $80-91, 500-550 lbs. $77-88, 550-600 lbs. $75-85, 600-700 lbs. $70-80, 700-800 lbs. $70-74.50 part load to $82.75, 800-900 lbs. $70-79.50; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $80-100, 300-350 lbs. $78-93, 350-400 lbs. $75-88, 400-450 lbs. $73-83, few $85, 450-500 lbs. $72-81, 500-550 lbs. $70-78, 550-600 lbs. $68-76, 600-700 lbs. $65-74.50, 700-800 lbs. $65-72.50, part load $74.25.

Southeastern states: auction, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $112-136, 250-300 lbs. $106-123, 300-350 lbs. $103-119, 350-400 lbs. $96-106, 400-450 lbs. $86-96, some to $99, 450-500 lbs. $81-91, 500-550 lbs. $75-85, 550-600 lbs. $73-83, 600-650 lbs. $70-80, 650-700 lbs. $68-78, 700-800 lbs. $63-73; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $93-108, 250-300 lbs. $88-101, 300-350 lbs. $85-98, 350-400 lbs. $80-90, 400-450 lbs. $75-85, 450-500 lbs. $71-81, 500-550 lbs. $68-78, 550-600 lbs. $65-75, 600-700 lbs. $63-73.