NATIONAL FEEDER & STOCKER CATTLE SUMMARY — WEEK ENDING 03/29/2025
By USDA-MO Dept of Ag Market News
RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total
This Week: 203,500 23,700 2,900 230,100
Last Week: 178,100 35,000 37,300 250,400
Year Ago: 129,400 23,300 5,200 157,900
Compared to last week, steers and heifers in the Southeast sold 4.00 to 9.00 higher, while the North-Central and South-Central sold steady to 5.00 higher.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record markets continued to climb and once again finding several new records to replace as good to very good demand was reported nationwide. The supply of feeders was moderate and although there were still many loads of yearlings showing up calves are making up more of the supply each week. The bullish market fundamentals still exist, and cattle feeders are focused on that and willing to compete heavily to buy the cattle they need to fill their pens.
Some areas got back into the fields applying fertilizer, working ground and even getting some corn planted. This isn't the case in all areas due to early spring storms dropping more moisture, whether it be in liquid or frozen form as in the case in the Northern Plains over the weekend. Drought conditions are worrisome to cattle producers in the North Plains as it has been a very dry and windy winter, however there are still plenty of buyers for light cattle and replacement heifers.
There were some top-quality replacement heifers sold at various auctions throughout the week as several lots were sold by the head so the prospective buyer new exactly what the first cost would be as they headed to the breeding pen. Negotiated sales of slaughter steers and heifers in the Southern Plains sold steady to 1.00 lower 209.00 to 210.00. In Nebraska, live sales were unevenly steady at mostly 213.00, while dressed sales sold steady to 10.00 higher at 335.00 to 345.00.
For the week, Choice Boxed beef closed on Friday at 332.82, 7.37 higher and Select closed at 318.68, 9.06 higher.
Weekly Cattle Slaughter under federal inspection estimated at 609K, 49K more than last week and 27K more than a year ago.
Auction volume this week included 55% weighing over 600 lbs and 43% heifers.
