Feeder Cattle Production Is an Important Beef Enterprise in North Carolina

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Feeder cattle production is an important beef enterprise in North Carolina. Graded sales continue to be viable alternatives for marketing these cattle and increasing profits for producers who choose to participate. These sales were initiated in North Carolina in 1952 and have operated each year since that time. Sale information is published each year but this summary represents the accumulated information from 11 years of sales, from 1991-2001. This information provides a longer term view of North Carolina cattle prices and include years of high and low prices, Table 1. As such, it can be used for long term planning purposes. The data in tables 1 and 2 can be used to assess the effects of weight, sex, breed or color, and frame and thickness on the value of feeder calves, as a guide to business decision making.

Trained personnel from the Livestock Marketing Division of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture grade all cattle sold through these sales. Cattle are commingled in uniform lots of grade, sex, and breed, and penned with similar cattle in 100-pound increments. Steers sold through these sales must be properly castrated and healed, and all horned cattle must be dehorned and healed. Feeder calves must also be vaccinated for Blackleg and Malignant Edema.

Frame size and thickness are the two primary factors used to determine feeder cattle grades. Frame size is estimated by predicting a weight at which an animal will produce a carcass that will grade Choice under normal feeding conditions. Larger framed animals will require a longer time on feed to reach a given grade and will be heavier than smaller framed cattle of the same grade. Thickness is related to muscle to bone ratio at a given degree of fatness. In general, thicker cattle will produce more lean meat than thin cattle of the same height and weight.

The following USDA Feeder Cattle Grades are used in the N.C. graded cattle sales:

L-1 -Large frame cattle with average or better thickness

M-1 -Medium frame cattle with average or better thickness

S-1 -Small frame cattle with average or better thickness

LMS-2 -Variable in frame size with less than average thickness.

Predicted Finished Weights by Sex

Frame Size Heifers Steers______

L 1150 and up 1250 and up

M 1000 - 1150 1100 - 1250

S < 1000 < 1100

The following color and breed descriptions are used to differentiate cattle in the N.C. graded sales. Black, Black-White Face, Hereford, Straight Continental, Exotic Cross, Brahman Cross and Other Cross.

Blacks are cattle of any breed combination with a black hide. Most of these cattle have some Angus in their parentage. Black-White Faced cattle have the color pattern their name implies and are typically, but not necessarily a cross between Angus or black cattle and Hereford or Hereford colored cattle. Herefords are those cattle with typical Hereford breed markings including a red hide with a white face, neck or underline. Cattle in the above three categories tend to be of British descent.

Straight Continentals are usually purebred cattle from one of the exotic breeds that are likely to grow excessively large prior to reaching a finishing weight. Representative breeds include but are not limited to Charolais, Chianina, Gelbvieh, Saler and Simmental. Exotic Crosses are offspring of mating cattle of Continental and British breeds. These cattle may be any color and are usually larger framed, have longer legs, longer faces and larger ears than cattle of British breeds. Brahman Crosses are any cattle that exhibit some percentage of Brahman breeding as evidenced by large, rounded ears, more leather in the neck and sheath, humps on the neck and a distinctive shrill bellow. Other Cross cattle are any cattle that do not fit reasonably well into one of the previous color or breed categories.

The following table contains the total numbers and average weights of cattle, by sex, sold through the North Carolina Spring Graded Stocker Sales from 1991-2001.

Numbers Sold Through NC Spring Stocker Sales - 11 Years
Year / # Steers / Wt / Price / # Heifers / Wt / Price
(lb.) / ($/cwt.) / (lb.) / ($/cwt.)
2001 / 1,913 / 626 / 92.34 / 1,765 / 580 / 82.53
2000 / 1,917 / 608 / 93.47 / 1,671 / 571 / 87.16
1999 / 2,888 / 602 / 75.64 / 2,775 / 569 / 67.6
1998 / 2,464 / 605 / 81.98 / 2,114 / 560 / 72.39
1997 / 2,551 / 597 / 78.07 / 1,983 / 545 / 66.47
1996 / 4,693 / 605 / 52.43 / 3,852 / 565 / 41.18
1995 / 3,938 / 625 / 68.6 / 2,292 / 558 / 60.31
1994 / 3,245 / 610 / 86.43 / 1,918 / 553 / 77.5
1993 / 2,413 / 608 / 90.31 / 1,589 / 534 / 82.45
1992 / 3,287 / 629 / 80.82 / 1,971 / 560 / 75.66
1991 / 2,166 / 628 / 94.73 / 1,427 / 566 / 87.2

This publication is available on line at:

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/market/Ahmarket.html

Table 1. Summary of North Carolina Spring Graded Stocker Sales
for 1991-2001
/ Steers / Heifers /
Grade / Weight
Class / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head /
L1 / 300-399 / 3 / 378 / 93.48 / 353.03 / 0
400-499 / 37 / 461 / 99.28 / 454.50 / 20 / 457 / 79.19 / 362.04
500-599 / 99 / 561 / 89.19 / 499.37 / 85 / 557 / 71.98 / 402.37
600-699 / 259 / 651 / 79.01 / 516.76 / 233 / 653 / 68.54 / 448.46
700-799 / 303 / 750 / 71.39 / 535.91 / 184 / 751 / 63.70 / 476.07
800-999 / 349 / 884 / 67.75 / 593.61 / 129 / 870 / 59.36 / 511.14
L1 / 1050 / 614 / 83.35 / 492.20 / 651 / 658 / 68.55 / 440.02
M1 / 300-399 / 621 / 368 / 95.69 / 352.17 / 649 / 367 / 79.56 / 290.85
400-499 / 2341 / 458 / 92.50 / 422.14 / 2166 / 457 / 77.20 / 353.05
500-599 / 3985 / 552 / 89.27 / 493.88 / 3573 / 552 / 74.88 / 413.35
600-699 / 4938 / 650 / 78.67 / 511.89 / 3454 / 647 / 66.87 / 432.87
700-799 / 3729 / 745 / 69.87 / 521.28 / 1773 / 742 / 63.49 / 472.14
800-999 / 2205 / 878 / 65.33 / 564.78 / 521 / 858 / 58.83 / 502.43
M1 / 17819 / 609 / 81.89 / 477.69 / 12136 / 604 / 70.14 / 410.78
S1 / 300-399 / 309 / 362 / 79.87 / 288.92 / 259 / 358 / 65.99 / 236.17
400-499 / 742 / 455 / 76.13 / 347.22 / 611 / 453 / 63.64 / 288.44
500-599 / 998 / 549 / 72.77 / 400.95 / 556 / 545 / 61.51 / 336.21
600-699 / 715 / 644 / 66.72 / 430.62 / 295 / 645 / 59.02 / 382.89
700-799 / 277 / 742 / 61.66 / 460.87 / 86 / 746 / 58.31 / 435.68
800-999 / 108 / 860 / 56.89 / 501.94 / 20 / 827 / 51.89 / 432.94
S1 / 3149 / 602 / 69.01 / 405.09 / 1827 / 596 / 60.06 / 352.05
LMS2 / 300-399 / 913 / 362 / 88.01 / 316.45 / 1304 / 361 / 71.41 / 257.43
400-499 / 2311 / 454 / 83.30 / 377.95 / 2883 / 453 / 71.38 / 322.93
500-599 / 2760 / 549 / 79.79 / 438.22 / 2793 / 547 / 67.84 / 370.54
600-699 / 2081 / 644 / 72.82 / 469.20 / 1380 / 639 / 62.59 / 402.52
700-799 / 967 / 742 / 65.74 / 490.02 / 291 / 736 / 57.94 / 428.01
800-999 / 279 / 865 / 58.58 / 501.37 / 66 / 864 / 51.29 / 440.25
LMS2 / 9311 / 603 / 74.71 / 432.20 / 8717 / 600 / 63.74 / 370.28
31329 / 607 / 77.24 / 451.79 / 23331 / 612 / 65.50 / 391.25
Table 2. Summary of North Carolina Spring Graded Stocker Sales, by Breed or Color,
for 1991-2001
/ Steers / Heifers /
Breed / Grade / Weight
Class / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head /
Black / L1 / 300-399 / 0 / 0
400-499 / 0 / 1 / 443 / 87.75 / 388.73
500-599 / 11 / 561 / 93.99 / 526.33 / 10 / 557 / 76.70 / 427.35
600-699 / 28 / 658 / 78.07 / 512.25 / 30 / 657 / 73.51 / 480.61
700-799 / 56 / 751 / 73.81 / 553.48 / 33 / 748 / 70.88 / 528.26
800-999 / 89 / 880 / 68.14 / 598.80 / 20 / 875 / 59.74 / 524.99
Black / L1 / 184 / 713 / 78.50 / 547.71 / 94 / 656 / 73.72 / 469.99
M1 / 300-399 / 240 / 367 / 97.11 / 355.93 / 257 / 366 / 79.95 / 291.45
400-499 / 926 / 455 / 94.81 / 431.93 / 792 / 456 / 79.06 / 361.43
500-599 / 1432 / 553 / 91.62 / 506.93 / 1315 / 551 / 75.57 / 415.93
600-699 / 1799 / 652 / 79.94 / 520.13 / 1278 / 646 / 68.63 / 444.24
700-799 / 1427 / 745 / 70.47 / 525.82 / 745 / 744 / 65.05 / 484.24
800-999 / 898 / 881 / 66.27 / 568.76 / 217 / 862 / 59.34 / 505.26
Black / M1 / 6722 / 609 / 83.37 / 484.92 / 4604 / 604 / 71.27 / 417.09
S1 / 300-399 / 146 / 360 / 79.99 / 287.98 / 134 / 359 / 66.06 / 237.02
400-499 / 372 / 456 / 77.17 / 352.74 / 320 / 452 / 65.34 / 295.44
500-599 / 470 / 549 / 73.96 / 406.16 / 299 / 547 / 62.65 / 342.36
600-699 / 333 / 646 / 66.83 / 431.56 / 162 / 642 / 59.81 / 387.29
700-799 / 118 / 741 / 62.23 / 466.03 / 42 / 749 / 60.39 / 453.08
800-999 / 33 / 851 / 56.26 / 482.50 / 6 / 820 / 56.14 / 460.13
Black / S1 / 1472 / 600 / 69.41 / 404.50 / 963 / 595 / 61.73 / 362.55
LMS2 / 300-399 / 330 / 359 / 92.24 / 331.45 / 449 / 362 / 73.50 / 264.36
400-499 / 775 / 454 / 86.35 / 391.98 / 1051 / 454 / 73.65 / 333.72
500-599 / 1018 / 549 / 82.54 / 454.05 / 1010 / 546 / 71.01 / 387.44
600-699 / 765 / 647 / 75.08 / 484.40 / 558 / 640 / 64.35 / 414.30
700-799 / 389 / 742 / 67.58 / 503.72 / 117 / 742 / 62.05 / 460.88
800-999 / 110 / 872 / 59.61 / 511.94 / 20 / 864 / 49.44 / 425.84
Black / LMS2 / 3387 / 604 / 77.23 / 446.26 / 3205 / 601 / 65.67 / 381.09
Black / 11765 / 624 / 77.00 / 463.86 / 8866 / 612 / 67.85 / 404.97

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Table 2. Summary of North Carolina Spring Graded Stocker Sales, by Breed or Color,
for 1991-2001, continued
/ Steers / Heifers /
Breed / Grade / Weight
Class / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head /
B&W Face / L1 / 300-399 / 1 / 352 / 93.00 / 327.36 / 0
400-499 / 1 / 474 / 109.00 / 516.66 / 0
500-599 / 3 / 565 / 102.00 / 576.30 / 1 / 564 / 60.00 / 338.40
600-699 / 16 / 650 / 80.18 / 524.75 / 11 / 642 / 72.37 / 465.68
700-799 / 20 / 744 / 70.70 / 525.66 / 10 / 747 / 57.82 / 432.30
800-999 / 47 / 882 / 67.57 / 591.65 / 21 / 871 / 58.07 / 510.28
B&W Face / L1 / 88 / 611 / 87.07 / 510.40 / 43 / 706 / 62.07 / 436.66
M1 / 300-399 / 159 / 365 / 97.60 / 354.86 / 147 / 364 / 80.53 / 291.75
400-499 / 445 / 454 / 94.77 / 430.40 / 458 / 457 / 79.54 / 362.81
500-599 / 845 / 551 / 92.11 / 508.82 / 777 / 552 / 75.76 / 418.82
600-699 / 1044 / 650 / 80.64 / 523.65 / 704 / 645 / 69.32 / 447.25
700-799 / 775 / 747 / 71.66 / 535.02 / 438 / 741 / 60.93 / 452.38
800-999 / 394 / 874 / 65.34 / 562.26 / 104 / 861 / 58.05 / 501.33
B&W Face / M1 / 3662 / 607 / 83.69 / 485.83 / 2628 / 603 / 70.69 / 412.39
S1 / 300-399 / 81 / 366 / 83.22 / 302.58 / 73 / 358 / 68.10 / 242.72
400-499 / 189 / 455 / 77.84 / 353.81 / 139 / 449 / 65.07 / 295.04
500-599 / 295 / 550 / 74.67 / 412.92 / 152 / 543 / 61.67 / 337.49
600-699 / 192 / 644 / 69.11 / 446.07 / 67 / 644 / 58.41 / 378.68
700-799 / 65 / 741 / 65.67 / 488.62 / 24 / 741 / 59.92 / 445.78
800-999 / 17 / 845 / 57.38 / 485.66 / 5 / 840 / 53.20 / 444.84
B&W Face / S1 / 839 / 600 / 71.32 / 414.94 / 460 / 596 / 61.06 / 357.42
LMS2 / 300-399 / 180 / 365 / 90.83 / 329.62 / 309 / 363 / 72.63 / 262.65
400-499 / 487 / 452 / 85.28 / 385.37 / 608 / 449 / 73.90 / 331.91
500-599 / 518 / 551 / 81.91 / 450.29 / 562 / 545 / 69.40 / 378.75
600-699 / 353 / 646 / 74.99 / 482.82 / 257 / 638 / 64.83 / 416.61
700-799 / 131 / 741 / 68.21 / 509.32 / 50 / 733 / 59.89 / 440.00
800-999 / 43 / 861 / 59.17 / 508.39 / 7 / 863 / 46.63 / 399.38
B&W Face / LMS2 / 1712 / 603 / 76.73 / 444.30 / 1793 / 598 / 64.55 / 371.55
B&W Face / 6301 / 605 / 79.70 / 463.87 / 4924 / 618 / 64.82 / 390.67

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Table 2. Summary of North Carolina Spring Graded Stocker Sales, by Breed or Color,
for 1991-2001, continued
/ Steers / Heifers /
Breed / Grade / Weight
Class / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head / No.
Head / AvgWt
(Lbs) / AvgPrice
$/cwt / AvgPrice
$/Head /
Hereford / L1 / 300-399 / 0 / 0
400-499 / 0 / 0
500-599 / 1 / 545 / 87.50 / 476.88 / 0
600-699 / 1 / 645 / 79.50 / 512.78 / 0
700-799 / 1 / 795 / 75.75 / 602.21 / 3 / 768 / 59.47 / 456.72
800-999 / 4 / 890 / 63.57 / 573.91 / 1 / 870 / 51.00 / 443.70
Hereford / L1 / 7 / 719 / 76.58 / 541.44 / 4 / 819 / 55.23 / 450.21
M1 / 300-399 / 28 / 372 / 94.65 / 351.07 / 24 / 370 / 83.33 / 303.98
400-499 / 97 / 457 / 87.92 / 401.24 / 67 / 460 / 75.31 / 345.52
500-599 / 199 / 555 / 88.93 / 496.97 / 167 / 557 / 74.79 / 416.86
600-699 / 308 / 653 / 77.97 / 508.92 / 163 / 647 / 69.84 / 450.42
700-799 / 214 / 746 / 71.76 / 535.40 / 73 / 739 / 62.28 / 461.18
800-999 / 93 / 876 / 65.22 / 567.65 / 31 / 843 / 54.59 / 462.28
Hereford / M1 / 939 / 610 / 81.08 / 476.87 / 525 / 603 / 70.02 / 406.71
S1 / 300-399 / 36 / 363 / 67.50 / 244.59 / 21 / 353 / 70.75 / 249.70
400-499 / 48 / 453 / 71.70 / 323.50 / 41 / 462 / 59.57 / 274.70
500-599 / 56 / 549 / 67.83 / 373.20 / 37 / 543 / 58.24 / 317.60
600-699 / 48 / 637 / 61.59 / 393.78 / 24 / 648 / 51.55 / 334.52
700-799 / 10 / 741 / 61.75 / 454.71 / 7 / 755 / 46.33 / 348.26
800-999 / 6 / 907 / 57.86 / 529.04 / 0
Hereford / S1 / 204 / 608 / 64.71 / 386.47 / 130 / 552 / 57.29 / 304.96
LMS2 / 300-399 / 92 / 364 / 83.34 / 300.92 / 94 / 358 / 68.54 / 241.85
400-499 / 137 / 452 / 77.01 / 350.20 / 164 / 452 / 68.44 / 311.03
500-599 / 145 / 543 / 75.60 / 412.32 / 190 / 550 / 58.41 / 319.63
600-699 / 106 / 635 / 71.24 / 456.38 / 54 / 640 / 56.50 / 361.89
700-799 / 40 / 744 / 63.99 / 477.43 / 13 / 726 / 56.34 / 408.54
800-999 / 11 / 835 / 61.28 / 509.42 / 2 / 908 / 47.81 / 433.85
Hereford / LMS2 / 531 / 595 / 72.08 / 417.78 / 517 / 606 / 59.34 / 346.13
Hereford / 1681 / 625 / 73.34 / 447.84 / 1176 / 613 / 61.74 / 365.38

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