NATIONAL FEEDER & STOCKER CATTLE SUMMARY – WEEK ENDING 09/12/2025

By USDA-MO Dept of Ag Market News

RECEIPTS: Auctions Direct Video/Internet Total
This Week: 205,000 25,900 38,850 269,750
Last Week: 120,200 24,100 48,400 192,700
Year Ago: 220,300 50,400 39,700 310,400

Compared to last week, a very uneven week of prices which for the most part was lower, ranging mostly from 5.00-15.00 lower with instances of 20.00 lower and yet in several regions from steady to as much as 10.00 higher.

All of your large volume sales on Monday were compared to two weeks ago as were several others on two-week schedules.

The market has reached the time of year where the fall calf run has started and lower calf prices are not uncommon.

The variation on the calf crop is numerous as many are un-weaned , right off the cow, less than 30 days to 45 days, flesh conditions, overall quality from top to plain calves, vaccination programs from no shots , 1 round, to two rounds.

Then we have the weather to contend with as well as we have gone from cool temperatures to very warm conditions this week.

All of this can make a big difference in calf prices with many wide price spreads.

To make matters worse Feeder Cattle futures tanked on Tuesday with limit down moves of 9.25, bounced back some on Wednesday and Thursday then sold off sharply on Friday with losses of 4.82 to 7.32 on the front 4 months.

It seems the market has been anticipating a break or correction in prices but, the velocity in the break gets everyone's attention.

Good news, buyers still want feeders and the better kind, top quality still bring top prices and for the most part are determined to have cattle on hand to market later.

Feeder cattle buyers for all classes are trying to put together feeders for feedyards and backgrounders and are flapping cards to get them.

With the belief that they can put lbs on cheap enough that they can grow the cattle into money. Looking at prices from around the country buyers still want them, on Monday at Tri-State Livestock in McCook, NE sold 288 hd of 750-800 lb steers averaging 784 lbs at a weighted average price of 388.80 and 391 hd of 902 lb yearling steers at 359.25.

Tuesday in Unionville Livestock in Unionville, MO sold 249 hd of 850-900 lb steers averaging 879 lbs at 364.00 weighted average.

At Blue Grass Stockyards in Lexington, KY on Tuesday sold 71 hd steers weighing 729 lbs at 388.00.

Wednesday at Hub City Livestock in Aberdeen, SD sold 368 hd of 1000-1050 lb steers averaging 1016 lbs for a weighted average of 351.14.

At OKC West Livestock in EL Reno, OK on Wednesday sold 425 hd of 800-850 lb steers averaging 812 lbs at 360.83 average.

Thursday in Valentine NE sold 85 hd of 624 lb steers at 465.00 and 293 hd weighing 950-1000 lbs averaging 969 lbs at 355.42 average.

Blue Grass Stockyards in Stanford, KY on Thursday sold 65 steers weighing 785 lbs at 377.75.

Thursday at Stockman's Livestock Exchange in Dickinson, ND sold 130 hd of steers averaging 821 lbs at a weighted average price of 380.12.

On Friday in Bowling Green, MO at Eastern MO Commission sold 100 hd of 1071 lb heifers at 273.00 and in Herreid, SD at Herreid Livestock Auction sold long strings of steers with 778 hd of 850-900 lbs steers averaging 879 lbs at 374.45 and 691 hd 900-950 lb steers averaging 927 lbs for a weighted average of 366.48.

Fed Cattle prices pretty much 3.00-5.00 lower from 238.00-240.00 and dressed sales 5.00-7.00 lower at 375.00- 378.00.

Boxed-beef prices continue to head lower with Choice closing .75 cents lower on Friday at 400.04 which is 10.72 lower then the previous Friday.

Estimated Daily Livestock Slaughter under Federal Inspection on Friday was 561K, 74K more than the previous week and 63K less than a year ago.