Bred females higher, other classes mixed

click image to zoom Forage conditions remain extremely dry. Bred female prices last month posted across-the-board gains while other female markets saw prices mixed. Bred heifers found bids $52 per head higher during October while bred, middle-aged cows gained $33 per head. Aged, bred cows were up $50 per head.

Prices paid for cow-calf pairs were mixed. Cows with small calves and cows with large calves were $29 and $4 per pair lower, respectively, for the month. Small or aged cows with calves brought $119 more per pair than the previous month.

Average prices for young and middle-aged, open females declined $3 per hundredweight during October with aged cows showing a $5-per-hundredweight loss. Open heiferettes, however, gained $3.50 per hundredweight on average.

Slaughter cows were mixed at $3 lower to $1 higher. Utility and commercial cows averaged $71.69 per undredweight.

Canner and cutter cows sold for an average of $64.78 per hundredweight during October. Despite recent declines, slaughter cows remain $8 to $12 per hundredweight higher than last year.

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