In Oklahoma City, OK, this week feeder steers and heifers were called steady to $1 higher. Steer calves sold steady. Heifer calves sold steady to $3 higher. Demand was reportedly good for all classes of cattle on offer.

All cattle and calves in the United States as of July 1, 2010, totaled 100.8 million head, 1 percent below the 102.0 million on July 1, 2009. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 40.8 million, were down 1 percent from July 1, 2009.

Cattle and calves on feed for slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 10.1 million head on July 1, 2010. The inventory was 3 percent above July 1, 2009. The inventory included 6.25 million steers and steer calves, up 4 percent from the previous year.

USDA has responded to calls from Congress, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and other leading agriculture organizations to extend the comment period to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s (GIPSA) proposed rule on livestock marketing.

Thursday fed cattle trade in the Texas Panhandle was limited on light demand. Compared to last week, a few early live sales have sold $2 lower at $93. In Kansas and the Northern Plains trading has been slow to moderate on light to moderate demand. In Kansas, compared to last week, live sales have sold $2-2.50 lower from $92.50-93 and dressed sales have sold $3 lower at $148.