Georgia weekly cattle auction summary

The Georgia weekly livestock auction summary indicated receipts of 9,370 head of cattle selling the week ending on Dec. 17, compared to 12,650 head the previous week and 6,873 head a year ago, according to the USDA-Georgia Department of Agriculture Market News, Thomasville, Georgia.

The total included 7,179 head of feeder cattle, 1,554 head of slaughter cattle and 637 head of replacement cattle compared to the previous week’s total of 10,671 head of feeder cattle, 1,388 head of slaughter cattle and 594 head of replacement cattle. A year ago the total was 5,013 head of feeder cattle, 1,233 head of slaughter cattle and 627 head of replacement cattle. Compared to the previous week, the slaughter cows and bulls were selling $1 to $4 lower. The feeder classes weighing over 600 pounds were steady to $4 lower and those under 600 pounds were mostly selling $2 to $7 lower. The replacement cows were mostly steady. The year-to-date receipts totaled 360,934 head compared to 398,646 head a year ago. The supply included 77% feeder cattle with 16% steers, 43% were heifers and 40% were bulls; 17% was slaughter cattle with 84% cows and 16% were bulls; and 7% was replacement cattle with 75% bred cows and 25% were cow-calf pairs. The feeder cattle supply weighing over 600 pounds was 16%.