Limited Trading Thanksgiving
Week Found Feeder Cattle Firm

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to firm across the country on a limited test Thanksgiving week with calves in the mountain states $1-5 higher.

Buyers appeared undaunted by the continued higher price levels with ownership of paramount importance in what many believe to be a shrinking pool of feeders from which to draw.

Fed cattle prices in the High Plains held fairly steady with live trades at $70 to mostly $71 while boxed beef prices were able to regain a large share of the loss recorded the previous week.

Many areas of the nation continue on the dry side with most wheat and oat pastures in serious need of moisture.

Yearlings weighing more than 600 pounds accounted for approximately 57 percent of the week’s supply.

Some trading:

Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 500 lbs. $88, 550-650 lbs. $82-83, 725-750 lbs. $80.25-82; 550-650 lbs. delivered $83.75-85.50, 725 lbs. $82.25-85.50, 825 lbs. $80; 725-750 lbs. for February and March delivery $81-83, 825 lbs. for May $79; 575-600 lbs. delivered for March and April $86-87, 675-750 lbs. for January through June $83.50-85.50, 800 lbs. for December $79; 775 lbs. $2.50 under March CME board; 750 lbs. delivered 50 cents over May; heifers, 525-575 lbs. delivered $80-84, 650-750 lbs. $77-79.50; 700-725 lbs. for March through May delivery $79-80; 575-700 lbs. delivered for December through March $79.75-81.75; 725 lbs. $3.50 under March CME board.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 600-650 lbs. $83.50-84.50, 775-825 lbs. $80-81.50; 725-750 lbs. for January delivery $82-83, 725-775 lbs. for May $79-80, 750 lbs. for May $81.50, 775 lbs. for January $80, 775-800 lbs. for March $80.50-81.50, 800 lbs. $78.25; heifers, 525 lbs. $81, 660 lbs. $78.50, 725 lbs. $75.50; 700 lbs. for February delivery $77, 725 lbs. for March $78, 725 lbs. for May $76.

Colorado: steers, medium and large No. 1 load 725 lbs. delivered $84.50, few loads 820-825 lbs. $83.50-84; auction, few 300-400 lbs. $105.50-111.50, 400-500 lbs. $93.50-107, mostly $95-102.50, 500-600 lbs. $87.25-98.50, bulk $88.50-95.50, 600-700 lbs. $82-88.25, 700-800 lbs. $78.50-85.85, 800-875 lbs. $76.50-84.60; heifers, couple loads 725 lbs. delivered $79.50, load 750 lbs. $76; auction, 350-400 lbs. $93.50-100.50, 400-500 lbs. $84.50-94.50, mostly $86-92.50, 500-600 lbs. $80-86.75, 600-700 lbs. $78.50-83.50, 700-800 lbs. $77.50-83, 800-875 lbs. $73.50-77.85.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1, auction, 300-400 lbs. $100-109, 400-450 lbs. $94-102, fancy $105-109, 450-500 lbs. $89-102.50, 500-600 lbs. $87-95.75, fancy $95.50-99.75, 600-650 lbs. $81-88.50, fancy $87.50-90.25, 650-700 lbs. $78-88, lot 653 lbs. fancy $90, 700-800 lbs. $79-82, 800-900 lbs. $77.75-80, few 900-950 lbs. $76.25-78.75; heifers, auction, 350-400 lbs. $87-91, 400-500 lbs. $83-90, fancy $90.50-96, 500-600 lbs. $81.50-86.75, fancy $87-89, 600-700 lbs. $79.25-84.50, 738 lbs. $75.75, 828 lbs. $77.75, 903 lbs. $77.25.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 400-450 lbs. $95-100, few 400 lbs. $105, 450-500 lbs. $94, 500-525 lbs. $90, 600-650 lbs. $82.50-88, 700-725 lbs. $83, 825 lbs. $74-80; 850 lbs. for January delivery $80; auction, 600-650 lbs. $84.50-85; heifers, 450-475 lbs. $82-83, 575-600 lbs. $76.50-78, 600 lbs. $81; auction, 500-600 lbs. $75.50-80.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $105-115, few to $119, 350-400 lbs. $99-109, 400-450 lbs. $94-104, 450-500 lbs. $89-98, 500-550 lbs. $85-94, 550-600 lbs. $81-90, 600-700 lbs. $78-86, 700-800 lbs. $76-83; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $86-95 few to $104, 350-400 lbs. $83-92, 400-450 lbs. $81-90, 450-500 lbs. $78-86, 500-600 lbs. $76-84, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $68-75.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $105-121, 300-350 lbs. $96-112, 350-400 lbs. $91-107, 400-450 lbs. $85-91, few $102, 450-500 lbs. $80-93, 500-550 lbs. $78-88, 550-600 lbs. $76-83.50, 600-700 lbs. $70-80.50, 700-800 lbs. $72-77.50; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $78-95, 300-400 lbs. $75-89 few $95, 400-450 lbs. $73-85, 450-500 lbs. $70-81, 500-550 lbs. $72-80, 550-600 lbs. $70-79, 600-700 lbs. $66-74.