On Tuesdays, Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster Ron Hays visits with Ben Hale of Western Livestock Auctions as he talks about the latest in the markets and more. Established in 1995, Western has grown into a multi-generational family-owned and operated business and stands as a symbol of tradition, excellence, and a deep-rooted passion for the cattle industry. Western Livestock Auctions operates the Western Livestock Commission Firm, which sells cattle on Mondays and Tuesdays. They also operate the livestock auction markets in Woodward, Comanche, Waurika, and Knoxville, Iowa.
Cattle trade opened the week on solid footing at the Oklahoma National Stockyards, where receipts totaled around 6,500 head and prices were mostly steady. Hale said the run included a wide mix of cattle. “We had a good catch. Had a lot of yearlings, and a lot of big yearlings. And then we had some new crop calves, and then several light long-weaned yearlings as well.” He added that, “The market sure looks steady some places, maybe a little bit better,” with the main softer spot being “the seven-weight steer deal.”
Hale said Monday’s sharply higher live and feeder cattle futures were a major topic of discussion among buyers and sellers. “We kind of thought we might have that feeder deal might be higher,” he said, noting the cash market was still steady to stronger.
After recent gains, he said some pullback was expected, adding, “Don’t really know what made it run like that. Just glad it did.” Looking ahead, Hale said many producers remain cautious because of ongoing drought, but others are hopeful where rain has improved pasture conditions. “The ones that got the rain, and it would look like weve got more coming, they’re still pretty optimistic about turning some of these things out.”
As for the rest of the week, Hale expects solid offerings at other Western Livestock markets. He said there should be “a pretty good run” at Waurika with around 500 cows expected, while Comanche is set for “a pretty decent run.” He also pointed to strong consignments lined up for Woodward later in the week, including “several bigger deals there” along with another good cow run. Hale added that much of the market outlook now depends on whether futures can maintain recent momentum, saying, “Hopefully we can hold this rally.”
Hale can be contacted at 940-631-2333. Check out more about the marketing options that Western offers by clicking here.
