Federally inspected steer and heifer dressed weights may have peaked for the year.
USDA data that was compiled, graphed and published by the Livestock Marketing Information Center showed that steer and heifer dressed weights over the last two weeks were down from the previous week. However, both remain well above the same weeks last year and in the 2018-2022 average.
STEER CARCASS WEIGHTS
Last week, the USDA reported that steer carcass weights during the last week of November averaged 952 pounds, down four, or 0.42%, from 956 the previous week and eight, or 0.83%, less than the 2024 high of 960 two and five weeks earlier.
However, steer dressed weights remain 12 pounds, or 1.28%, higher than last year’s 940 pounds and 34.2, or 3.73%, pounds higher than the previous five-year average of 917.8 pounds.
This year’s peak cane just one week before the average annual peak. The five-year average dwindles into the next annual low in early to mid-June. There will be a few weekly bumps along the way, but the trend for now will be lower.
Last year’s annual peak came in the third week of December, but the trend from there was lower until the annual low the first two weeks of June at 882 pounds.
This year, the annual low in steer carcass weights came the first week of February at 909 pounds. This was the closest weekly steer carcass weights got to last year or the 2018-2022 average at 908 and 093.8 pounds, respectively. The mid-year low came the last week of June at 911 pounds, compared with 884 pounds in 2023 and the average of 876.4 pounds.
HEIFER CARCASS WEIGHTS
Heifer carcass weights the last week of November were reported at 861 pounds, down five. Or 0.58%, from 866 in the prior week and down eight, or 0.92%, from the 2024 peak of 869 pounds in the two weeks before that.
However, the latest reported weekly weight remained higher than last year’s 854 pounds and the previous year’s 844.4 pounds by seven, or 0.82%, and 16.6, or 1.97%, respectively.
This year’s annual peak in heifer dressed weights came a month earlier than usual with the five-year average peak at 845.8 pounds the last week of November. Last year, the annual peak in heifer dressed weights, at 854 pounds, came the last three weeks of November and was tied the second week of December
Heifer dressed weights dipped beneath last year and the average in January and February but have been higher for the rest of the year.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
The USDA reported formula and contract base prices for live FOB steers and heifers this week ranged from $191.08 per cwt to $193.76, compared with last week’s range of $189.83 to $193.00 per cwt. FOB dressed steers, and heifers went for $297.79 per cwt to $301.30, compared with $292.77 to $303.53.
The USDA choice cutout Wednesday was down $0.50 per cwt at $311.23 while select was off $1.54 at $278.11. The choice/select spread widened to $33.12 from $32.08 with 99 loads of fabricated product and 22 loads of trimmings and grinds sold into the spot market.
The USDA-listed weighted average wholesale price for fresh 90% lean beef was $325.80 per cwt, and 50% beef was $79.31.
The USDA said basis bids for corn from feeders in the Southern Plains were unchanged at $1.26 to $1.43 a bushel over the Mar corn contract and in Kansas were unchanged at $0.15 over Mar. Mar settled at $4.48 1/4, down $0.00 3/4.
No delivery intentions were posted for the Dec live cattle contract Wednesday.
The CME Feeder Cattle Index for the seven days ended Tuesday was $261.46 per cwt, down $0.16. This compares with Wednesday’s Jan contract settlement of $259.05, up $1.72.