The Morning Wire / Thu Aug 6, 2026

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The Morning Wire

The trading day in one page — Thu, Aug 6
● Written from USDA reportsEvery figure as filed
← Aug 5Aug 6Aug 7 →

The market in a line

Thu, Aug 6
Choice cutout closed $4.11 lower at $363.86. 31 barns across 15 states reported 1,625 priced lots.

Feeder steers

National, week of Aug 3 USDA
Weighted across every reported lot, by weight class. Weekly rather than daily — one day's barns are too thin a base for a national figure.
WeightPricevs prior weekHeadBarns
300-399 lb520.97/cwt$7.73 lower2,144132
400-499 lb455.79/cwt$13.49 higher3,874147
500-599 lb414.24/cwt$14.95 higher6,223157
600-699 lb387.51/cwt$15.57 higher6,926156
700-799 lb363.42/cwt$12.71 higher5,686134
800-899 lb350.75/cwt$8.69 higher8,51394

Barn by barn, 500–599 lb steers

Same day, same class USDA
Every barn that sold at least 20 head of this class on Thu, Aug 6, weighted by head. Spread of $102.79 between the top and bottom of 14 barns. An average moves with the cattle that showed up as much as with the buyers in the seats — a yard with better grade will average higher on the same demand. This is where the money landed, not a verdict on the barn.
BarnStateAverageHead
ValentineNE475.00/cwt22
Paris Livestock AuctionKY447.21/cwt120
Apache Livestock AuctionOK441.90/cwt122
Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission - KansasKS435.16/cwt62
Woodward Livestock IncOK431.66/cwt36
Wheeler Livestock AuctionMO429.45/cwt30
Guthrie Livestock AuctionKY426.31/cwt25
Mid Missouri StockyardsMO420.65/cwt82
Stanford Livestock AuctionKY416.13/cwt40
Dalhart Livestock AuctionTX409.27/cwt27
Benton County Sale BarnAR409.14/cwt58
Producers Livestock Auction Co - San AngeloTX403.95/cwt33
Hope Livestock Auction Inc.AR387.20/cwt29
Tulia Livestock AuctionTX372.21/cwt53

Boxed beef

PM close · Aug 6 USDA
Choice $363.86, $4.11 lower. Select $349.78, $1.72 higher. The Choice–Select spread stands at $14.08. 118 loads traded.

Fed cattle

Negotiated cash, week to date USDA
49,995 head traded Jul 31–Aug 6.
RegionBasisPriceHead
Iowa-MinnesotaDressed Delivered375.393,154
Iowa-MinnesotaLive Delivered236.932,071
Iowa-MinnesotaLive FOB234.938,405
KansasDressed Delivered370.0039
KansasLive FOB234.445,017
NebraskaDressed Delivered370.2114,682

At the barns

USDA market reporters, as filed USDA
One barn per state, largest first — more states file than fit here. Your own state is linked below.

Compared to last week, steers over 550 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Steers under 550 lbs not enough for market test. Heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, with heifers under 550 lbs not enough for market test.

Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission - Kansas · Kansas

Compared to last week: Steers were 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Most other classes didn't have enough comparable trades from the previous week, but a firm undertone was noted. Several groups traded with a good quality and a strong demand.

Woodward Livestock Inc · Oklahoma

Compared to two weeks ago: Feeder steers over 900 lbs, were unevenly steady. Only a hand full of heifers trend not applicable. Demand was good. Most heavy steers came from three consigners today. Many large load lots. The next feeder cattle auction will be Aug.

Mitchell Livestock Auction · South Dakota

Compared to last Thursday, stocker and feeder cattle steady in a light test. Feeder cattle futures are falling $3.32 to $5.72 across the nearby contracts on Thursday. The CME Feeder Cattle Index was back down 48 cents on August 4 to $348.65. Slaughter cows firm to 9.00 higher. Slaughter bulls firm.

Toppenish Livestock Commission · Washington

Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers sold higher while feeder bulls sold weaker. Slaughter cows overall sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady.

Producers Livestock Auction Co - San Angelo · Texas

Comparted to last week: Feeder steers sold mixed under 450lbs 2.00-5.00 lower, 450-500lbs 5.00-10.00 higher, 500-600lbs 10.00-15.00 lower, over 600 15.00-20.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 15.00-20.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-7.00 lower.

Benton County Sale Barn · Arkansas

Compared to last week's sale, Slaughter High Choice and Prime Steers traded mostly 8.00 higher, while Slaughter Choice Steers traded mostly 6.00 higher. Slaughter Select Steers traded mostly 2.00 lower. Light run of Slaughter Steers. Slaughter Breaker Dairy Cows traded mostly 1.00 lower.

New Holland Sale Stables · Pennsylvania

Compared to the last sale three weeks ago, steers and heifers sold mostly steady. Slaughter cows 5.00 to 10.00 higher. This week's sale was highlighted by a couple really attractive consignments of fall calving bred heifers and running age cows, all met with very good demand.

New Cambria Livestock Market · Missouri

Cows and bulls

National direct, dressed USDA
ClassPriceDirectionHead
Breaker (75% lean)314.18/cwt$5.49 lower287
Boner (85% lean)329.05/cwt$5.48 lower1,699
Cutter (90% lean)330.32/cwt$2.38 lower3,110
Premium White325.83/cwt$1.91 lower2,076
Bull (92% lean)375.25/cwt$1.68 lower376

What published

See every report →
67 USDA reports carried this date — sale barns, state summaries, video and board sales, grain, hay and the national desks.
Source: USDA AMS. Every figure is USDA's as filed, and the direction words — higher, lower, steady— follow the arithmetic rather than an opinion. Quoted comment is the work of USDA market reporters, credited to the sale it came from. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of USDA data, not a copy of USDA's document and not endorsed by USDA.