Half the market traded inside the band shown; a quarter sold above it and a quarter below. Where your calves land inside that band is about their quality, flesh, health and how many you can sell in one even lot.
Use it to know roughly where the market is before you haul, and to tell a fair bid from a poor one.
| Weight | Steers $/cwt | Middle half | Heifers $/cwt | Steer premium | Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-499 lb | $454.77 | $425.00 – $495.00 | $408.74 | +$46.03 | 7,172 |
| 500-599 lb | $406.31 | $382.50 – $435.00 | $371.74 | +$34.57 | 9,716 |
| 600-699 lb | $373.73 | $355.00 – $395.00 | $349.05 | +$24.68 | 11,307 |
| 700-799 lb | $353.59 | $340.00 – $370.75 | $328.99 | +$24.60 | 13,351 |
| 800-899 lb | $336.93 | $329.00 – $348.00 | $313.79 | +$23.14 | 14,908 |
| 900-999 lb | $322.20 | $315.50 – $331.50 | $300.04 | +$22.16 | 12,560 |
Weighted average, SUM(price × head) ÷ SUM(head), across every USDA-reported auction. Priced per hundredweight; the small share of lots USDA quotes per head is excluded rather than mixed in.
Anchored on the last complete sale week — barn reports arrive through the week, so the current one is always part-filled.
This page answers one weight at a time. For a whole state's ladder side by side, see feeder prices by state and region. To see the actual sales behind a number, use find your barn — every reported sale has its own page.
Related: hay and forage for the cost side, bred stock for replacement values, and drought for what moves cow numbers. This site is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the USDA.