Superior Livestock Auction Labor Day Video Auction

Cattle backed by documented genetics and management practices drew the strongest bidding at Superior Livestock Auction’s Labor Day Video Auction, where producers marketed 54,210 head Sept. 3, even as the broader offering eased from the last test.

Cattle producers sold a total of 362 lots consigned from 27 states, with 136 successful buyers. Cattle sold on contract to deliver immediately through April.

“Today’s market at Superior Livestock Auction proves that quality cattle, backed by genetics and a trusted program, are still commanding tremendous demand,” said Superior auctioneer Charly Cummings. “And there may not be enough yearlings to meet the needs of the market.”

Western and northern feeders were lightly tested, with sales $10-20 lower than the last test. Most of the calf trade was for future delivery and carried a lower undertone, with northern calves steady to $20 lower. Heifers backed by documented genetics were the exception: 475-pound Red Angus heifer calves out of Colorado brought $525/cwt, approximately $2,494 per head; and 845-lb. spayed feeder heifers out of Kansas sold at $351/cwt, or roughly $2,966 per head. Southern cattle saw the most pressure as northern buyers turned toward cattle closer to home, a seasonal shift that typically firms as fall delivery approaches.

The auction ran against a market that had spent the previous week under pressure from outside headlines, and buyers stayed cautious with cattle futures still volatile. Cattle futures had consolidated near recent lows for eight sessions before turning higher on auction day. Drought conditions continue to worsen across much of cattle country, pushing some cattle to market ahead of schedule. Superior representatives pointed to better upside potential into September and October.