Feeder cattle numbers continue to increase in volume, which is always normal during the fall. The prices were mostly steady to $1 higher but did see a bigger jump on some of the calves that were thin and weaned. There is always a bigger price spread on calves right now because the new crop, fleshy bawling calves that are not weaned always bring lower prices than the weaned and thinner calves.
When it comes to slaughter cows, there was a solid, normal fall run of slaughter cows with 6,100 head at the test auctions. Prices were either side of steady from $2 lower to $1 higher, but the higher prices were set early in the week and the lower prices were mostly mid-week on the back of declining cow meat prices. Also there was bigger numbers of lean type cows, along with a $2.63 drop in the 90% trimming prices by Wednesday, which pushed the lean or cutter type cow prices lower.
