A Drovers article
In recent weeks, average cash fed cattle prices have found a higher range slogging through the upward recovery seemingly necessary following the rout, with prices dropping precipitously from $235/cwt. in the first week of August to $219/cwt. three weeks later. The more recent range has been bidirectional, with averages spanning $224/cwt. to $228/cwt.
Regionally, the range has been more dramatically spread as Iowa/Minnesota steers sold from $218/cwt. to $225/cwt. At the same time, the recently expanded “South Central” combined regional report shows a wide $220 to $230/cwt. price chasm.
As record-large carcass weights hit the USDA ledger for the week of Oct. 11, the anticipated increase toward the annual fall weight highs received an early shot in the arm. The single-week, 8 lb. jump to 994 lb. in steer carcass weights took out last March’s record high by a margin of 5 added pounds per head.
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