Packer cow doldrums

[BC]

The slaughter cow market is pretty sad. Packer's have taken $10 to $12 per cwt dressed weight off in the last 8 days. Best packer cow that walks is in low $40's The buyers I talk to say the plants are full and cattle they buy today are scheduled for slaughter a week latter. Lots of weak cows showing up that producers tried to get one more calf out of them. They are bringing $15 to $30 per cwt. Some of them cannot make a long haul.

 

[farmerjan]

Seeing exactly the same thing here. Another thing that hurt is that the 2 hurricanes that went up through the carolinas have caused enough damage to plants and such that there is a bunch of cattle having to be trucked elsewhere, and full places mean they have to wait for a week or sometimes more before they get killed. There is no good solution except to keep them and feed them if you have the feed to do so; probably until after the first of the year. We aren't sending any cull cows now. And with the drop in feeders, will be holding on to some feeders for a little while also. It's never a good time to ship around hunting season here anyway.

 

[76 Bar]

Market is definitely in the toilet. Results from the 11/2 sale at Shasta...largest volume sales yard on the west coast:
http://www.shastalivestock.com/shastacurrent.htm