Icy weather forced many auction markets to forego sales last week, and that may have been a good thing. As it was, based heavily on USDA's bearish corn report the previous week, as well as rocketing corn futures, the stocker calves and feeders that did sell were $3-$7 off the preceding week.

Moreover, analysts with USDA's Ag Marketing Service (AMS) explain, "Higher feed costs and weather expenses that feedlots are faced with have not been offset with a higher fed cattle market as sales were mostly $1 lower this week from $86.50-$87. Last year at this time, fed cattle were selling at $96, cash corn was more than $2/bu. cheaper, and the feeder cattle index was more than $17 higher."

As such, the AMS folks say, "Many feeder-cattle buyers and sellers were more than willing to take a step back and watch cattle and corn markets settle down."

The summary below reflects the week ended Jan. 19 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: