Compared to last week: Steer calves 2.00 to 5.00 lower, except 500-550 lbs 3.00 higher, heifer calves steady to 3.00 higher except 550-600 lbs 2.00 lower. Moderate to good demand for steer and heifer calves this week. CME Live Cattle futures dropped by 2.50 on Thursday, adding more uncertainty to market. Futures prices declined while boxed beef prices have skyrocketed all the way up to 237.00 for Choice boxes even as daily slaughter totals hover around 120,000 head. The beef market appears very healthy but the futures contracts paint an alternative picture. There has been an extremely large volume of calves marketed in the past 4 weeks across the Northern Great Plains region which has also put some pressure on the market, as it does every year.
| Head | Wt range | Avg wt | Price range | Avg price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 326 | — | 720 | 133.50–147.75 | 140.19 |
| 698 | — | 522 | 153.00–179.00 | 170.32 |
| 1,712 | — | 675 | 137.00–150.50 | 145.06 |
| 1,884 | — | 576 | 140.00–165.00 | 155.77 |
| 157 | — | 422 | 159.00–194.00 | 182.80 |
| 1,161 | — | 628 | 141.00–157.50 | 149.26 |
| 45 | — | 389 | 194.00–206.00 | 198.05 |
| 406 | — | 472 | 158.00–180.50 | 170.84 |
| 132 | — | 764 | 125.50–142.00 | 136.59 |
| 22 | — | 907 | 123.50–126.00 | 125.09 |
| 67 | — | 817 | 130.00–136.00 | 132.41 |
| Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 6 | — | 645 | 135.00 | 135.00 |
| 20 | — | 439 | 157.00–174.00 | 166.54 |
| 90 | — | 529 | 143.00–162.00 | 155.12 |
| 7 | — | 777 | 122.00 | 122.00 |
| 11 | — | 479 | 158.00 | 158.00 |
| 38 | — | 680 | 126.00–135.00 | 132.16 |
| Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 8 | — | 1,101 | 110.00 | 110.00 |
| 13 | — | 1,030 | 127.00 | 127.00 |
| Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 15 | — | 556 | 173.00 | 173.00 |
| 34 | — | 466 | 183.50 | 183.50 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 48 | — | 776 | 122.00–131.50 | 126.11 |
| 11 | — | 941 | 112.00 | 112.00 |
| 237 | — | 423 | 138.00–158.00 | 149.39 |
| 6 | — | 348 | 156.00 | 156.00 |
| 52 | — | 724 | 123.50–131.75 | 129.13 |
| 1,164 | — | 574 | 124.00–144.00 | 135.69 |
| 693 | — | 620 | 118.00–142.35 | 131.91 |
| 6 | — | 848 | 117.00 | 117.00 |
| 592 | — | 522 | 130.00–152.00 | 143.81 |
| 19 | — | 383 | 148.00–154.00 | 150.46 |
| 535 | — | 666 | 120.00–143.50 | 131.36 |
| 7 | — | 994 | 126.00 | 126.00 |
| 27 | — | 873 | 123.50–126.50 | 125.03 |
| 428 | — | 477 | 136.00–160.00 | 147.99 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 7 | — | 508 | 151.50 | 151.50 |
| 28 | — | 600 | 139.75 | 139.75 |
| Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 8 | — | 1,033 | 114.00 | 114.00 |
| Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 19 | — | 1,032 | 116.00–125.00 | 122.14 |
| Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 21 | — | 471 | 126.00–134.00 | 130.66 |
| 40 | — | 543 | 126.00–132.50 | 129.37 |
| 98 | — | 580 | 119.00–129.50 | 125.74 |
| Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt | ||||
| 15 | — | 692 | 126.00 | 126.00 |
| 6 | — | 376 | 174.00 | 174.00 |
| 12 | — | 510 | 145.00 | 145.00 |