Feeder Cattle Buyers Bullish
Despite Softer Consumer Demand

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. —(USDA)— Feeder cattle buyers were even more bullish than normal last week, despite some unnerving news on the screens. Feeder steers and heifers sold $1-3 higher across the country, calves $3-6 higher in several places.

Some markets are compared to two weeks earlier, due to the holiday hiatus.

Signs of faltering consumer beef demand are beginning to appear. Boxed beef cutout returns have been a blessing to the cattle industry for the past several months. Prices have been $18-22 above a year ago, with year to date beef production up 2.7 percent from a year ago. Operations have been profitable from the retailers on down the line to where now the ranchers and cow-calf producers are enjoying some of the wealth.

Cheap grain prices and beautiful mild fall weather added to the good fortune. However, boxed beef cutouts are $4 lower on reduced production figures. Cattle slaughter under federal inspection has not been over 700,000 for the past six weeks, after running at a much higher level this summer and early fall.

Reports keep showing increased numbers going into the feedlots with the majority of the pens already close to full.

Fewer than 34 percent of the week's supply weighed more than 600 pounds.

Some trading:

Texas: steers, medium and large No. 1 525 lbs. $90, 600-675 lbs. $84-87.50, 700-800 lbs. $81.50-85; string 675 lbs. fancy $92.75, 625-675 lbs. $84.75-89.50, 700-800 lbs. $85.50-86.25, 835-850 lbs. $81-83; 500-550 lbs. for March delivery $90, 725-775 lbs. for January through May $82-84.50, 750 lbs. for August $84; 750 lbs. delivered for January through May $85; heifers, 500-700 lbs. $79.50-82; 425-590 lbs. delivered $83-86.50, 600-700 lbs. $79-85.50, 825 lbs. $77.50; 600-650 lbs. for January through March delivery $80-82.75; 650-700 lbs. delivered for March through May $80-81.50.

Oklahoma: steers, medium and large No. 1 750 lbs. $81.50; 750 lbs. for March delivery $81.25-83, 750 lbs. for April $82.50, 800 lbs. $82.25, 750-775 lbs. for May $81-84, 800-825 lbs. $79-82; heifers, 540 lbs. $81; 750 lbs. for April delivery $77.

Colorado: steers, medium and large few loads 640 lbs. delivered $94.50; string 750 lbs. delivered for January $87.25; auction, 300-400 lbs. $110.50-122, 400-500 lbs. $98-106, 500-550 lbs. $96.50-105.50, 550-600 lbs. $94.50-99.50, 600-700 lbs. $86.50-94.50, 700-800 lbs. $83.50-86.50, few 800-835 lbs. $81-83; heifers, couple loads 725 lbs. $80; load 500 lbs. delivered $87; string 750 lbs. for February delivery $78.50; auction, 300-400 lbs. $97.50-105, 400-500 lbs. $400-500 lbs. $87.50-97.50, 500-600 lbs. $82-91, 600-700 lbs. $80-84.50, 700-800 lbs. $79-82.50.

South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 string 650 lbs. $91, 800-850 lbs. $82-84.25, string 1000 lbs. $73.50; heifers, string 625 lbs. $87.

Wyoming, Western Nebraska and Western North and South Dakota: steers, medium and large No. 1 585-625 lbs. $89, 800-825 lbs. $82-83; auction, 275-300 lbs. $106-123, 300-350 lbs. $114-121, 350-400 lbs. $110.25-121.50, 400-450 lbs. $100-110.75, fancy $113.50-117.25, 450-500 lbs. $96.75-110.75, fancy $112-112.25, 500-550 lbs. $91.50-105.50, fancy $105.75-106.25, 550-600 lbs. $85.50-98.85, fancy $100.25-101, 600-700 lbs. $81-90.25, 700-750 lbs. $79-88, 800-900 lbs. $79.75-86.50, 900-1000 lbs. $77-81; heifers, 570 lbs. $85, 800 lbs. $81; auction, 295-350 lbs. $96-110.50, 350-400 lbs. $97-112, 400-450 lbs. $90-102, fancy $103-108.50, 450-500 lbs. $84.25-105, mostly $96-100.75, 500-550 lbs. $81.50-94.50, fancy $96-100.50, 550-600 lbs. $80-89, fancy 580 lbs. $96, 600-700 lbs. $76-88, mostly $82.75-88, 700-800 lbs. $75.50-86.50, 800-900 lbs. $74.85-83.10, fancy 810 lbs. $85.50, 900-1000 lbs. $75.50-79.35.

Montana: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-550 lbs. $93.50-95, 650 lbs. $87.25-91; string 750 lbs. for January delivery $85, string 850 lbs. for February and March $85; auction, 300-400 lbs. $103-113, 400-450 lbs. $92-106, 450-500 lbs. $90.50-106, 500-550 lbs. $90-98, 550-600 lbs. $87-94.25, 600-650 lbs. $87-94.25, 650-700 lbs. $84-87, 700-750 lbs. $80.50-84.50, 800-900 lbs. $72.50-79, 900-1000 lbs. $75-78.50, 1000-1060 lbs. $74; heifers, load 515 lbs. $90, 625 lbs. $82.25-86.50, load 650 lb. replacements $550 per head; auction, 300-400 lbs. $92-101, 400-500 lbs. $81.50-90.50, fancy $90.50-95, 500-600 lbs. $80.50-88.50, package 505 lbs. fancy $91.50, 600-700 lbs. $76.50-83.25, lot 639 lbs. $77.50, 700-800 lbs. $73.50-75.

Washington, Oregon and Idaho: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-525 lbs. $96, 550-600 lbs. $88, 600-625 lbs. $83-90, 650-700 lbs. $83, 800-825 lbs. $80, 850-875 lbs. $76-79; auction, 300-400 lbs. $102.50-108, 400-500 lbs. $92-100, 500-600 lbs. $85.50-93.50, 600-700 lbs. $81.50-90, 700-800 lbs. $76-83, 800-850 lbs. $76-78; heifers, 575-600 lbs. $77, 750-775 lbs. $76, 800-825 lbs. $73-73.50; auction, 300-400 lbs. $86-90.50, 400-500 lbs. $81-87, 500-600 lbs. $81.50-86, 600-700 lbs. $77-83, 700-800 lbs. $73.50-78, 800-850 lbs. $69.50-70.50.

Arkansas: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 300-350 lbs. $110-120, 350-400 lbs. $104-114, 400-450 lbs. $99-109, 450-500 lbs. $93-103, 500-550 lbs. $87-96, 550-600 lbs. $83-92, 600-700 lbs. $80-88, 700-800 lbs. $76-83; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-500 lbs. $65-69.50; heifers, 300-350 lbs. $90-100, few to $104, 350-400 lbs. $87-96, 400-450 lbs. $84-93, 450-500 lbs. $81-89, 500-600 lbs. $78-86, 600-700 lbs. $72-80, 700-800 lbs. $69-76.

Kentucky: steers, medium and large No. 1 500-600 lbs. $87-91.50, 600-700 lbs. $82-86, 700-800 lbs. $78-82, few loads late $83, 800-900 lbs. $76-80; auction, 200-300 lbs. $100-112, 300-350 lbs. $104-114, 350-400 lbs. $95-105, 400-450 lbs. $95-105, 450-500 lbs. $87-97, 500-550 lbs. $86-95.50, 550-600 lbs. $82-92, 600-650 lbs. $80-89.50, 650-700 lbs. $74-84, 700-750 lbs. $80-88.40, 750-800 lbs. $74-82; large No. 2 Holsteins, 300-400 lbs. $69-76, 400-500 lbs. $67.50-77, 500-600 lbs. $62-70.75, 600-700 lbs. $65-71, 700-800 lbs. $64.50-68.20, 800-900 lbs. $60-65.70; heifers, 500-600 lbs. $77-80, 600-700 lbs. $76-78, 700-800 lbs. $72-75; auction, 200-300 lbs. $82-92, 300-350 lbs. $85-95, 350-400 lbs. $82-90, 400-450 lbs. $80-90, 450-500 lbs. $76-86, 500-600 lbs. $75-85, 600-650 lbs. $74-82.50, 650-700 lbs. $68-76, 700-750 lbs. $70-77.50, 750-800 lbs. $66-73.

Tennessee: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-300 lbs. $110-132, 300-350 lbs. $105-125, 350-400 lbs. $100-115, 400-450 lbs. $95-105, 450-500 lbs. $88-100, 500-550 lbs. $84-93, 550-600 lbs. $80-88, 600-700 lbs. $75-85; heifers, 200-300 lbs. $85-102, 300-350 lbs. $85-96, 350-400 lbs. $80-95, 400-450 lbs. $80-90, 450-500 lbs. $77-87, 500-550 lbs. $73-83, 550-600 lbs. $72-80, 600-700 lbs. $69-78, 700-800 lbs. $68-73.50.

Southeastern complex: auction, steers, medium and large No. 1 200-250 lbs. $123-148, 250-300 lbs. $118-135, 300-350 lbs. $109-119, 350-400 lbs. $104-118, 400-450 lbs. $95-105, 450-500 lbs. $86-96, 500-550 lbs. $83-93, 550-600 lbs. $77-87, 600-650 lbs. $75-85, 650-700 lbs. $70-80, 700-800 lbs. $68-75; heifers, 200-250 lbs. $94-110, 250-300 lbs. $88-102, 300-350 lbs. $87-98, 350-400 lbs. $84-94, 400-450 lbs. $83-90, 450-500 lbs. $79-89, 500-550 lbs. $75-85, 550-600 lbs. $72-82, 600-650 lbs. $68-78, 650-700 lbs. $63-73.