Feeder cattle movement dropped quite a bit as a reaction to the declining prices with 36,900 head at the Southern Plains test auctions compared to 51,000 head last week and 46,000 head last year. Yearling prices were $3-9 lower with some locations even more than that and calf prices fluctuated more and were a couple dollars higher or lower depending on locations. Thinner, grazing type held up better as stocker operators are starting to put together calves for normal spring grazing.

Slaughter cow numbers starting the seasonal decline and price firmed up as packers start to build inventories prior to the big holiday shutdowns coming soon. Cow meat prices improved some. Also a discussion as to why there is a bigger spread between beef and dairy cow prices right now.