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Preview editionHow to read a cattle market report
The reports are free. This guide explains what is in them, so you can compare offers with confidence.
Cattle markets are public, and USDA publishes the reports for free. The trick is knowing what you are looking at. This page explains the structure. It deliberately contains no prices, because they change by the hour and by the sale barn.
1. Find the right report
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) publishes Market News reports for auctions, direct sales and national summaries. Start with the report for the sale barn or region you actually sell into. The title tells you where, which week and what kind of cattle.
2. Learn the columns
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Head | How many animals sold in that group. A small group tells you less than a large one. |
| Class | Steers, heifers, bulls, cows, or bred cows and pairs. Compare like with like. |
| Weight | Average or range, usually in pounds. Heavier cattle usually bring a lower price per hundredweight. |
| Price per cwt | Dollars per hundredweight (100 lb). Some classes, such as bred cows, may be quoted per head. |
| Frame, muscle, grade | Descriptions of size and muscling that affect the price. Reports usually explain their grading terms. |
3. Watch the weight breaks
Price per cwt tends to step down as weight steps up. That is why a 550-pound calf and a 750-pound calf from the same pen are not priced the same, and why selling a little earlier or later can change your per-head revenue.
4. Understand shrink and pay weight
Cattle lose weight from gut fill and stress between the pasture and the scale. Ask what shrink is assumed, and where the cattle will be weighed, before you compare offers.
5. Compare carefully
- Same class, similar weight, similar quality and similar location
- Same week, or you are comparing the market, not the cattle
- The report reflects what sold. Your cattle are yours, and condition, health program, uniformity and timing all matter