Cattle Market Pulse

Cattlemen's Livestock Auction Market Report

Dalhart, Texas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 15, 2024

1,527 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Cattlemen's Livestock Auction report →

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $224.62/cwt ≈ $1,590/hd at 708 lb · 129 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $233.70/cwt -2.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,615/hd at 691 lb · 108 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $231.39/cwt +1.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,983/hd at 857 lb · 72 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,527 2,301 2,709
Feeder cattle 1,167 1,906 2,205
Slaughter cattle 360 392 504
Replacement cattle 3

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers traded steady to 2.00 higher. Steer and heifer calves traded mostly 4.00 to 10.00 higher, with the exception of 500 to 650 pound steers suitable for grass which traded up to 15.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls traded sharply higher. Trading activity was moderate to active on good buyer demand. Receipts were lighter this week due to the winter storm over the weekend that brought rain and snow.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–348 335 6 388.00–400.00 $391.70 $1,312 -3.27
393–396 395 7 389.00–394.00 $390.42 $1,542 +5.42
465–483 477 6 342.00–365.00 $349.47 $1,667 -10.52
514–544 534 23 319.00–336.00 $326.73 $1,745 +18.97
582–586 585 17 298.00–313.50 $310.78 $1,818 +4.49
600–615 613 24 289.00–300.00 $298.17 $1,828 +16.49
640 unweaned 640 2 254.00 $254.00 $1,626
651 651 10 278.00 $278.00 $1,810 +3.21
663 663 10 250.00–262.00 $259.60 $1,721 -15.19
748 748 2 239.00 $239.00 $1,788
771 unweaned 771 4 236.00 $236.00 $1,820
805 805 13 237.00 $237.00 $1,908
856 856 70 232.00 $232.00 $1,986 +2.15
895 895 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,880
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 2 351.00 $351.00 $1,450
460–498 468 15 333.00–348.00 $344.80 $1,614 +27.80
568 thin fleshed 568 13 317.50 $317.50 $1,803
603–644 627 22 276.00–281.00 $279.03 $1,750 +27.86
675–678 678 44 250.00–251.50 $251.43 $1,705 +10.72
861 861 4 222.00 $222.00 $1,911

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 3 333.00 $333.00 $1,132
474–483 477 9 246.00–281.00 $269.19 $1,284
538–543 540 5 244.00–273.00 $261.34 $1,411
575 thin fleshed 575 54 270.00 $270.00 $1,552
587 587 12 252.00 $252.00 $1,479 -2.00
638–643 642 10 240.00–243.00 $240.90 $1,547
675–693 692 69 224.00–231.00 $224.50 $1,554
707 707 3 207.00 $207.00 $1,463
701–715 708 126 224.00–226.00 $225.04 $1,593
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 8 330.00 $330.00 $1,006
350 350 2 332.00 $332.00 $1,162 +13.69
419–448 427 16 284.00–292.00 $289.98 $1,238 -25.24
456 456 11 286.00–293.00 $290.45 $1,324 +10.85
515–541 527 41 267.00–278.00 $273.84 $1,443 +4.06
575–585 583 48 264.00–273.00 $269.96 $1,574 -0.91
610 610 2 259.00 $259.00 $1,580 +15.31
629 629 4 238.00 $238.00 $1,497 -5.69
651–699 691 108 232.50–243.00 $233.70 $1,615 -2.79
740 unweaned 740 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,547
789 789 4 216.00 $216.00 $1,704 +6.25
881 881 11 191.00 $191.00 $1,683

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
743–975 862 85-90% 49 72.00–81.00 $75.49 $651 +6.78
860–875 870 85-90% 13 60.00–69.00 $62.21 $541 -6.50
911–995 950 85-90% 30 86.00–96.00 $90.05 $855
1005–1178 1037 85-90% 17 60.00–70.00 $66.84 $693
1063–1310 1140 85-90% 15 85.00–91.00 $88.67 $1,011
1064–1436 1201 85-90% 40 93.00–98.00 $95.43 $1,146
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1074–1414 1183 80-85% 27 94.00–98.00 $95.29 $1,127
1040–1494 1352 80-85% 34 104.00–108.00 $105.99 $1,433
1025–1602 1426 80-85% 12 109.00–117.50 $113.40 $1,617
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430–1830 1523 75-80% 5 103.00–108.00 $106.58 $1,623

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What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.