Compared to last week: The best test for feeder steers was 600-649 lbs which sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Heifers 500-599 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. All other weights of steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Cattle were offered mostly in small packages with a very limited offering of load lots. Most cattle were in light flesh this week. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good on light offerings. CME contracts saw mixed prices throughout the week. However, with differed contracts hovering near 160.00 grass cattle buyers were very aggressive as they bid on offerings. Many farmer feeders were actively bidding on offerings this week as grass fever has begun to set in. As of Thursdays close the April contract settled at 145.425, down 0.90 from last Thursday; the May contract settled at 149.85, down 0.225 from last Thursday; August settled at 157.65, up 0.65 from last Thursday. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand this week. Packers continue to be the driving force in the market as they showed strong demand for cows for immediate harvest. With a strong late season winter storm dumping snow and blizzard conditions across much of the upper plains packers were forced to look west in order to find supplies for harvest. Packers attempted to purchase the majority of cows on offer this week, even purchasing high quality feeding cows in order to secure harvest needs. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 higher. Feeding buyers were forced mostly out of the market this week as packers absorbed much of the cow offering. Feeding cows were lightly tested this week, however most cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher. Bull quality this week was noticeably higher than last week. Strong demand was seen for 2-3 year old cows suitable to rebreed. These offerings sold on very good demand this week as farmer feeders were in the market bidding on high quality offerings.
| Head | Wt range | Avg wt | Price range | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 92 | — | 1,141 | 48.50–60.00 | 55.70 |
| 3 | — | 1,002 | 45.00–49.00 | 47.22 |
| 11 | — | 1,225 | 64.00–67.50 | 65.54 |
| 90 | — | 1,237 | 56.50–64.50 | 60.72 |
| Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 3 | — | 978 | 53.00–64.00 | 60.35 |
| 5 | — | 902 | 52.00–58.50 | 55.11 |
| Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 1 | — | 1,595 | 64.50 | 64.50 |
| 3 | — | 1,680 | 59.00 | 59.00 |
| Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 8 | — | 1,388 | 66.00–68.00 | 66.61 |
| 23 | — | 1,441 | 56.00–61.50 | 59.43 |
| 70 | — | 1,428 | 57.50–65.50 | 62.00 |
| Cows — Boner 80-85% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 1 | — | 890 | 53.00 | 53.00 |
| Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 27 | — | 1,618 | 61.50–77.50 | 71.10 |
| 18 | — | 2,123 | 83.50–97.50 | 91.64 |
| 24 | — | 1,859 | 77.50–85.50 | 80.90 |
| Age | Stage | Head | Wt range | Avg wt | Price range | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||||
| Young (2-4 yrs) | Open | 255 | — | 1,059 | 63.00–108.00 | 87.29 |
| Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs) | Open | 71 | — | 1,288 | 60.00–67.50 | 63.82 |
| (<2 yrs) | Open | 254 | — | 936 | 80.00–131.00 | 105.97 |
| Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | Open | 44 | — | 1,428 | 58.00–67.00 | 61.06 |
| Aged (>8 yrs) | Open | 20 | — | 1,358 | 52.00–65.50 | 58.86 |
| Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||||
| Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs) | Open | 6 | — | 1,033 | 56.50 | 56.50 |
| (<2 yrs) | Open | 4 | — | 881 | 95.00 | 95.00 |
| Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||||
| Young (2-4 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 4 | — | 1,193 | 1,360.00–1,375.00 | 1,371.51 |
| Bred Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||||
| (<2 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 4 | — | 851 | 850.00 | 850.00 |
| Head | Wt range | Avg wt | Price range | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 14 | — | 834 | 127.00–134.00 | 128.67 |
| 8 | — | 778 | 136.50–146.00 | 139.97 |
| 16 | — | 659 | 163.00 | 163.00 |
| 5 | — | 935 | 127.00 | 127.00 |
| 19 | — | 486 | 184.00–185.00 | 184.53 |
| 26 | — | 584 | 171.00–177.00 | 174.19 |
| 45 | — | 733 | 144.00–152.50 | 150.40 |
| 8 | — | 406 | 194.00 | 194.00 |
| Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 199 | — | 628 | 173.75–179.00 | 176.07 |
| 20 | — | 757 | 147.00–151.50 | 150.14 |
| 3 | — | 857 | 137.00 | 137.00 |
| 84 | — | 746 | 155.50–157.00 | 155.57 |
| 25 | — | 532 | 181.00–190.00 | 189.27 |
| 13 | — | 484 | 193.00–195.50 | 194.64 |
| 11 | — | 412 | 198.50 | 198.50 |
| 6 | — | 657 | 172.50 | 172.50 |
| Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 6 | — | 922 | 127.00 | 127.00 |
| 6 | — | 853 | 132.00 | 132.00 |
| 5 | — | 807 | 133.50 | 133.50 |
| Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 3 | — | 1,012 | 126.00 | 126.00 |
| Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 23 | — | 553 | 190.50 | 190.50 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 8 | — | 657 | 132.00–143.00 | 136.85 |
| 8 | — | 641 | 140.00 | 140.00 |
| 7 | — | 447 | 160.00–161.00 | 160.71 |
| 11 | — | 478 | 149.00–168.75 | 160.06 |
| 10 | — | 515 | 149.00 | 149.00 |
| 6 | — | 717 | 130.00–133.00 | 131.02 |
| 6 | — | 769 | 129.50–130.00 | 129.67 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 69 | — | 535 | 157.00–161.50 | 159.99 |
| 16 | — | 721 | 133.00–137.50 | 134.35 |
| 23 | — | 463 | 162.50–178.00 | 172.10 |
| 33 | — | 444 | 168.00 | 168.00 |
| 55 | — | 608 | 149.50–155.00 | 151.02 |
| 89 | — | 580 | 155.00–159.50 | 158.08 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 11 | — | 565 | 152.00 | 152.00 |
| Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 3 | — | 400 | 160.00 | 160.00 |
| 13 | — | 795 | 134.00 | 134.00 |
| 5 | — | 985 | 115.00–126.00 | 117.13 |
| 6 | — | 886 | 129.00 | 129.00 |
| 7 | — | 539 | 174.00 | 174.00 |
| Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 13 | — | 1,026 | 114.00–115.00 | 114.84 |
| 4 | — | 1,069 | 112.00 | 112.00 |
| Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 2 | — | 888 | 117.50 | 117.50 |