NATIONAL FEEDER

AND STOCKER CATTLE

(Federal-State Market News)

St. Joseph, Mo.

Sept. 23

RECEIPTS

This Week Last Week Last Year

280,500 310,400 286,400

Compared to last week, steers and heifers sold uneven; 2.00 lower to 2.00 higher.

Moderate to good demand for yearling steers and heifers, best demand for those coming straight off grass in that highly desirable, light flesh condition.

Drought conditions continue to intensify nationwide as the drought monitor now shows over 70% of the country in drought status. The last time the monitor spiked over 70% drought was the fall/winter of 2022 when it ran up to 85% of the country in drought status.

With the official arrival of fall, temperature swings are once again making calves with no vaccination or weaning programs a high-risk venture and these calves are seeing increasing discounts each day, while those that have received more attention and work generally sold higher this past week.

Lighter calves were mostly in small drafts and odds and ends with very few drafts of any size making buyers work to put loads together. Lighter weight calves found demand that was directly proportional to the anticipated health risk associated with each offering.

Receipts on this report continue to lag behind historical numbers as Year-to-Date auction receipts are near 400K behind a year ago; 23 weeks of receipts out of 38 on this report so far this year were lower than the previous year.

The Cattle on Feed report was released on Friday with values coming in at expectations. Sept. 1 On Feed number was at 101%, Placements were at 99% and Marketings were at 96%.

The CME Cattle Complex put together 2 weeks of gains back-to-back. Live Cattle futures were mostly 7.00 to 8.00 higher in the last couple of weeks, while the FeederCattle futures were 10.00 to 13.00 higher in the same period. Live sales of negotiated cash fed cattle trade in the Southern Plains sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher at 183.00. In Nebraska, live sales sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher at 184.00 to 185.00, while the dressed sales sold unevenly steady at 290.00 to 292.00.

Choice boxed beef closed the week 4.72 lower at 300.19 while Select was 5.58 lower at 288.59 for the same period. Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 610K, 10K less than last week and 17K less than a year ago.

Auction volume this week included 59% weighing over 600 lbs and 42% heifers.

NORTHWEST WEIGHTED AVERAGE DIRECT FEEDER CATTLE

Weekly Summary WA-OR-ID-UT

Sept. 20

THIS WEEK LAST WEEK LAST YEAR

5981 479 925

Compared to last week: Not enough comparable sales to establish a trend. Demand moderate. Supply included: 100% Feeder Cattle (29% Steers, 22.2% Dairy Steers, 24.9% Heifers, 23.8% Dairy Heifers). Feeder cattle supply over 600 lbs was 100%. Unless otherwise noted, Feeder Cattle prices FOB based on net weights after a 2% shrink or equivalent, with a 8-14 cent slide >600 lbs. Livestock reported this week originated from ID, UT.

Steers — Large 1

1298 head: 850 lbs, 230.53 Oct FOB

Steers — Medium and Large 1-2

225 head: 894 lbs, 222.84 Current FOB

42 head: 925 lbs, 212.00 Current DEL

50 head: 950 lbs, 204.00 Current DEL

120 head: 950 lbs, 204.00 Oct DEL

Dairy Steers — Medium and Large 1-2

180 head: 650 lbs; 250.00 Current FOB

80 head: 700 lbs; 243.00 Current FOB

Dairy Steers — Medium and Large 2

320 head: 650 lbs; 243.00 Oct FOB

375 head: 650 lbs; 238.00 Nov FOB

375 head: 650 lbs; 238.00 Dec FOB

Northwest Direct: https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/AMS_3059.pdf

Northwest Direct — https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/AMS_3059.pdf