NATIONAL FEEDER & STOCKER CATTLE SUMMARY – WEEK ENDING 01/18/2025

RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total

This Week: 334,700 23,600 67,500 425,800

Last Week: 235,200 40,800 111,600 387,600

Year Ago: 96,900 47,000 4,500 148,400

Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers in the Southeast sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher, while the Central part of the country was steady to 5.00 higher.

Good to very good demand again this week for all weights of steers and heifers, yet there was some pressure on the market at late week markets as the CME Live and Feeder Cattle contracts were down Thursday and that was enough to give some cattle feeders pause and slowed their pursuit of feeder cattle.

Auction receipts were very large as auctions got back to business this week after weather disrupted commerce the previous week and this is typically the busiest time of the year in some areas for marketing of cattle.

Markets have been unbelievably strong and have set new record after new record recently. The volume of cattle that have been offered and sold across the nation since the start of the year has also caused a little market pressure as cattle feeders filled a lot of empty pens already.

Winter has ranged from dry to wet in places nationwide and is very different in terms of taking care of cattle. In those wet places, we must remember we are still in winter, and snow and ice can make cow comfort challenging as wind chills below zero makes it hard on man and beast.

Feed conversion falls as well so moving cattle a few weeks to a month early hasn’t been a hard choice in most cases when big prices have been waiting at the barns. Although not every sale may be a new record, prices are still impressive and for the most part, producers that are marketing cattle currently are doing so at prices they have never previously received.

Negotiated sales of slaughter steers and heifers in the Southern Plains sold steady to 1.00 higher at 201.00. In Nebraska, live sales were steady to 2.00 higher at 203.00 to 205.00, while dressed sales sold 2.00 higher at 322.00.

For the week, Choice Boxed beef closed on Friday at 333.69, 0.85 higher and Select closed at 319.83, 5.69 higher. Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 603K, 14K more than last week and 2K less than a year ago. Auction volume this week included 57% weighing over 600 lbs and 40% heifers.