Livestock report

By NewsPress Now

RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total

This Week: 180,900 16,900 14,400 212,200

12/26/2023: 103,100 36,300 1,300 140,700

Year Ago: 262,300 43,500 32,900 338,700

Compared to last reported (two weeks ago), steer and heifer calves sold 8.00 to 12.00 higher, while yearlings sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Demand was good to very good throughout the week and it usually is the first couple weeks of the new year as buyers are ready to get back to business as usual.

This week was still an abbreviated week as there were several barns that took a full two weeks off for the holidays. Demand was good to very good as buyers were ready to get back to filling orders following the holidays and there were no major weather issues interrupting transportation in most of the nation.

Buyers continue to want cattle that have had vaccination and weaning programs. Some buyers now have orders for calves that are required to have a 60-day weaning period, up from the typical 45-day period that was standard not that long ago.

On the last day of this month, the Cattle Inventory report will come out and analysts are finding that a bullish report could happen. Herd expansion would be rather difficult to expect as drought has affected so many areas this past two years and the amount of forage produced has limited how many cows that producers can have in their pastures.

On light trading, negotiated cash fed cattle trade, live sales in the Southern Plains were reported steady to 1.00 higher at 172.00 to 173.00. In Nebraska, live sales sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher at 173.00 to 175.00, while the dressed sales sold 1.00 to 2.50 higher at 274.00 to 275.50.

Choice boxed beef closed the week 12.55 lower at 277.16 while Select was 0.80 lower at 259.53 for the same period. Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 556K, 48K higher than last week and 8K less than a year ago. Auction volume this week included 64% weighing over 600 lbs and 40% heifers.