Usable data were collected on 15,473 lots of feeder cattle sold at auction in eastern Oklahoma and Oklahoma City.  Data were collected at 14 locations during October.  1997.  The number of head in a sale had a significant positive effect on sale price.  Lots with two or more steers sold for $4.01-7.14/cwt over the price of steers sold as singles.  (See Table 1 below.)  The premium for multiple head sale lots held for heifers but held at about $4.00/cwt.  Multiple head lots that were not uniform sold for approximately $2.00/cwt less than uniform lots for steers and heifers.  A premium for uniform, multiple head lots is generally attributed to the convenience of filling orders for cattle of a specified description on the part of an order buyer.  Also, larger, uniform lots may indicate a single point of origin for the cattle leading to less stress and fewer health problems as may be associated with pen of cattle put together. 

    Small cow/calf operations can take advantage of these price differentials only by achieveing 60 to 90 day breeding seasons so that the calves are born in a short period of time and are of similar age and weight at sale time.  This stresses the need for cows in good body condition at calving and fertile bulls used only in short breeding seasons. 
 
 

Table 1.   Effect of Lot Size on Sale Price ($/cwt) of Eastern Oklahoma Feeder Calves 

                  Steers       Steers                 Heifers         Heifers 
Lot Size      Price         Difference           Price            Difference 
1               $72.39        Base                  64.11           Base 
2-5             76.40        4.01                   67.28           3.17 
6-10           78.08        5.69                   68.42           4.31 
>10            79.53         7.14                   68.81           4.70 

Source: 

Kent C. Barnes 
Area Extension Animal Scientist 
Factors Affecting Sale Price of Feeder Cattle 
in "Timely Topics" Northeast District Newsletter, April 9, 1998