Cattle Market Reports

Compiled by USDA Market News Service * Oklahoma City-Des Moines-St. Joseph-Moses Lake.

Cattle prices in dollars per hundredweight (cwt.) except some replacement animals per pair or head as indicated.

NORTHWEST DIRECT CATTLE

(USDA Market News)

Moses Lake, Wash.

Nov. 16

This week Last week Last year

1,560 1,900 4,900

Compared to Nov. 2, Stocker and feeder cattle weak in a light test. Trade slow with light to moderate demand. The supply included 64 percent steers and 36 percent heifers. Near 71 percent of the supply weighed over 600 lbs. Prices are FOB weighing point with a 1-4 percent shrink or equivalent and with a 5-10 cent slide on calves and a 3-6 cent slide on yearlings.

Steers: Medium and Large 1-2: Current FOB Price: 550 lbs. $142 Oregon; 650-700 lbs. $138 calves Washington; 800 lbs. $140 Idaho. Current Delivered Prices: 550-600 lbs. $145 Idaho; 600-650 lbs. $143 calves Idaho.

Heifers: Medium and Large 1-2: Current FOB Price: 500-550 lbs. $129-135 Washington-Oregon; 600-650 lbs. $129 calves Washington; 750-800 lbs. $136 Idaho. Current Delivered Prices: 500-550 lbs. $138 Idaho.

NATIONAL SLAUGHTER CATTLE

(Federal-State Market News)

Oklahoma City-Des Moines

Nov. 16

Compared to Nov. 9: Slaughter cattle trade is steady to $1 higher with dressed sales in Nebraska steady to $2 higher. Beef prices and cattle futures have traded on the weak side and this doesn't help the fact we are headed into the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the worst weeks for beef trade. Foreign beef demand has also declined from a year ago. However numbers of market available cattle remain light and this still giving the feedlots some bargaining power.

Boxed beef prices Nov. 16 averaged $182.58 down $.13 from Nov. 9. The Choice/Select spread is at $20.51. Slaughter cattle on a national basis for negotiated cash trades through Nov. 16 totaled about 42,000. The previous week's total head count was 65,418.

Midwest Direct Markets: Live Basis: Steers and Heifers 35-80 Percent Choice, 1200-1400 lbs. $125-126 Dressed Basis: Steers and Heifers: 196.

South Plains Direct Markets: Live Basis: Steers and Heifers 35-65 percent Choice, 1100-1400 lbs. $125-126

Slaughter Cows and Bulls (Average Yielding Prices): Slaughter cows and bulls mostly steady.

USDA's Cutter cow carcass cut-out value Nov. 16 was $160.17 up $.12 from Nov. 9.

NATIONAL FEEDER AND STOCKER CATTLE

(Federal-State Market News)

St. Joseph, Mo.

Nov. 16

This week Last week Last year

338,700 360,200 364,600

Compared to Nov. 2, steer and heifer calves sold steady to $3 lower with the exception of the I-70 corridor from eastern Colorado across through Kansas and Missouri where prices trended steady to $3 higher. Limited supplies of true yearling feeders and longtime weaned calves over 650 lbs. traded with a higher undertone, except for Southern Plains direct markets which were dominated by fleshier feeders coming out of growing yards. The best demand was noted from Midwestern and Northern Plains backgrounders who are now fully done with a disappointing harvest and looking for additional off-season profit opportunities. Last week's cold front also boosted calf interest with widespread hard-freezes which eliminated most flies and many airborne viruses plaguing new calf purchases this fall. Each week a larger percentage of the northern quality calves have now been weaned for at least 30 days and starting to reach the desired time frame which is 45-60 days away from momma.

Demand has grown progressively lighter for stocker calves near the grazing wheat regions of Texas and Oklahoma as the cooler temperatures and the lack of moisture has spoiled most dry-land wheat pasture prospects with some cattlemen now interested in selling their pre-conditioned stockers that they put together for once promising forage. This also affected the Southeastern calf markets, especially on pee-wee calves under 450 lbs., which (for the first time in recent memory) suffered sharper losses than the heavier calves with some areas quoting featherweights as much as $10 lower.

The cattle-on-feed report was well anticipated with the average of analyst's predictions coming within two-tenths of a percentage point in all three categories. Nov. 1 inventories were 94.7 percent of the same time a year ago with placements only 87.5 percent and marketings 102.8 percent of the same period in 2011.

Despite the bullish appearance of the data, the market is not expected to receive a major shot in the arm. The industry is fully aware that feeder cattle numbers are extremely tight (the lightest placement total since the data series began in 1996) and on-feed inventories are lightening.

Carcass weights have been heavy. October saw the highest weekly average steer carcass weights on record with the heaviest recorded weight of 880 lbs. occurring twice. Tonnage is making up for headcounts. Despite outstanding performance, feedlots are losing money and sky-high feedcosts are inevitable until at least this time next year. Fed cattle sold steady to $1 higher from $125-126 and steady to $2 higher in the meat at $196. This week's reported auction volume included 39 percent over 600 lbs. and 41 percent heifers.

AUCTIONS

This week Last week Last year

299,400 291,500 327,500

WASHINGTON 2,300. 64 pct over 600 lbs. 39 pct heifers. Steers: Medium and Large 1-2 400-450 lbs. $166.30; 450-500 lbs. $160.94; 500-550 lbs. $145.52; 550-600 lbs. $148.70; 600-650 lbs. $136.98; 650-700 lbs. $132.18; 700-750 lbs. $133.26; 750-800 lbs. $133.51; 800-850 lbs. $124.84; 850-900 lbs. $120. Heifers: Medium and Large 1-2 450-500 lbs. $146.45; 500-550 lbs. $141.04; 550-600 lbs. $136.06; 600-650 lbs. $126.82; 650-700 lbs. $126.56; 700-750 lbs. $123.39; 800-850 lbs. $120.73.

DIRECT

This week Last week Last year

36,600 35,500 33,800

SOUTHWEST (Arizona-California-Nevada) There were no direct sales reported.

NORTHWEST (Washington-Oregon-Idaho) 1,600. 71 pct over 600 lbs. 36 pct heifers. Steers: Medium and Large 1-2 Current FOB 550 lbs. $142 Oregon; 650-700 lbs. $138 calves Washington; 800 lbs. $140 Idaho; Current Delivered 550-600 lbs. $145 Idaho; 600-650 lbs. $143 calves Idaho. Heifers: Medium and Large 1-2 Current FOB 500-550 lbs. $129-135 Washington-Oregon; 600-650 lbs. $129 calves Washington; 750-800 lbs. $136 Idaho; Current Delivered 500-550 lbs. $138 Idaho.