Boom or Bust Bidding

Just like the weather extremes that have defined the past year, last week was a case study in the stocker and feeder market taking a sizeable jump or a steep drop.

Try this on for size: According to reporters from the Ag Marketing Service (AMS), last week's sales ranged from $3 lower to a whopping $10 higher depending on location. Overall, the market was called steady to $2 higher.

"The really rough spot in this week's market picture was a $5 drop in boxed-beef cutouts," AMS analysts say, but point out the direct feedlot trade, finally under way by Friday afternoon in Nebraska, was $1 higher than the previous week at $87. For the week, the average price was on par with the previous one at $85.59 for steers and $85.66 for heifers. The average price for both at the same time last year was $79.07.

The summary below reflects the week ended Aug. 25 for Medium and Large 1 - 500- to 550-lb., 600- to 650-lb., and 700- to 750-lb. feeder heifers and steers (unless otherwise noted). The list is arranged in descending order by auction volume and represents sales reported in the weekly USDA National Feeder and Stocker Cattle Summary:

Summary Table

State	Volume	Steers			Heifers
Calf Weight		500-550 lbs.	600-650 lbs.	700-750 lbs.	500-550 lbs.	600-650 lbs.	700-750 lbs.
OK	34,100	$129.92	$123.04	$118.81	$117.57	$114.11	$109.66
TX	33,100	$118.00	$113.45	$106.74	$111.53	$103.77	$106.43
MO	28,700	$131.14	$126.97	$117.73	$120.87	$116.30	$108.07
KY*	18,100	$117-125	$108-118	$103-1135	$10-115	$99-1083	$94-1045
Dakotas	17,400 South Dakota North Dakota	$1305.63 **	$126.16 $128.02	$126.32 $123.83	$124.95 **	$117.404 **	$114.42 $114.59
AL	16,400	$115-123	$108-1153	$102-1065	$108-116	$102-108	$94-1035
NE	12,800	$138.19	$126.29	$125.66	$123.592	$117.624	$116.88
AR	10,700	$119.40	$113.56	$108.81	$111.72	105.50	$98.80
TN*	9,900	$118.60	$111.92	$106.15	$110.13	$102.41	$97.81
FL*	9,100	$96-118	$96-108	$97-1034	$94-112	$88-102	$87-964
GA*(***)	8,700	$103-123	$99-114	$93-107	$100-116	$92-105	$89-94
MS*	8,000	$110-120	$100-110	$90-1004	$100-1101	$90-1003	**
Carolinas*	7,000	$102-125	$99-1153	$95-1085	$96-111	$90-1053	$78-955
KS	6,500	$133.84	$127.22	$121.18	$120.102	$115.61	$114.09
LA*	5,900	$108-119	$101-113	**	$103-118	$97-1102	**
WY*	5,600	**	$121.744	$116.83	**	$111.614	$112.64
VA	3,100	$122.992	$115.75	$112.804	$108.25	$106.17	$106.054
WA*	2,500	**	$111.17	$106.11	**	$105.29	$100.97

^* Plus 2
^** None reported at this weight or near weight
^(***) Steers and bulls
^NDNo Description
¹500-600 lbs.
²550-600 lbs.
³600-700 lbs.
⁴650-700 lbs.
⁵700-800 lbs.
⁶750-800 lbs.
⁷800-850 lbs.