Cattle Market Pulse

Napoleon Livestock Auction Market Report

Napoleon, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 14, 2023

2,350 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Napoleon Livestock Auction report →

light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $316.84/cwt -6.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,396/hd at 441 lb · 190 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $301.56/cwt +12.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,580/hd at 524 lb · 179 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $281.05/cwt +24.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,335/hd at 475 lb · 148 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,350 2,438 3,133
Feeder cattle 2,350 2,438 3,133

Compared to last week; Feeder steers 400-450lbs and 500-550lbs 2.00 to 5.00 higher with instances up to 8.00 higher, 450-500lbs and 600-650lbs 15.00 to 17.00 higher, 550-600lbs 6.00 lower. Feeder heifers 400-450lbs 3.00 higher, 450-500lbs traded sharply higher, 500-650lbs 9.00 to 14.00 higher with instances up to 18.00 higher. Good buyer demand. Flesh condition light to moderate. Next report January 4th, 2024.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301–347 320 44 315.00–337.50 $325.71 $1,042 -5.29
353–368 362 19 320.00–337.50 $325.16 $1,177 +17.45
423–437 fancy 435 59 335.00–337.50 $337.09 $1,466
434–448 443 131 297.50–328.00 $307.72 $1,363 -15.25
453–480 464 104 297.50–322.50 $310.16 $1,439 +30.36
501–533 524 179 283.50–309.50 $301.56 $1,580 +13.53
551–594 566 143 267.00–287.00 $278.08 $1,574 +9.89
605–639 625 96 246.00–272.00 $260.13 $1,626 +9.94
654 654 21 249.00 $249.00 $1,628 -0.35
722 722 5 225.00 $225.00 $1,624 -4.48
803 803 90 224.00–233.00 $231.60 $1,860
913 913 7 173.00 $173.00 $1,579
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 11 302.50 $302.50 $1,156 +25.50
415–424 420 17 290.00 $290.00 $1,218 +7.02
463–497 488 19 285.00–289.00 $288.00 $1,405 +29.35
505–549 528 36 252.00–274.00 $264.73 $1,398 +4.34
566–591 577 11 255.00–257.50 $256.16 $1,478 +27.16
609–648 634 25 225.00–230.00 $226.22 $1,434
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1076 1076 17 189.00 $189.00 $2,034

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–332 331 20 270.00–280.00 $272.99 $904 +30.28
353–389 367 26 250.00–270.00 $260.88 $957
399 fancy 399 41 283.00 $283.00 $1,129
410–446 430 97 259.00–270.00 $263.48 $1,133 -21.91
445 fancy 445 42 292.00 $292.00 $1,299
457–483 475 148 267.50–286.00 $281.05 $1,335 +24.76
523–536 529 81 265.00–280.00 $273.36 $1,446 +10.59
561–586 566 47 238.00–252.00 $246.97 $1,398 +5.65
600–619 607 64 225.00–249.50 $234.32 $1,422 +11.10
701 701 5 187.50 $187.50 $1,314 -25.50
797–798 797 15 197.00 $197.00 $1,570
815 815 10 199.00 $199.00 $1,622 -6.50
878–896 884 37 183.00–196.50 $191.69 $1,695 -7.31
929 929 58 199.50 $199.50 $1,853 +6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–398 377 30 220.00–240.00 $232.70 $877 +2.70
443 443 5 220.00 $220.00 $975 -27.76
466–495 481 25 241.00–252.50 $247.15 $1,189 +12.15
514–545 522 49 239.00–250.00 $244.64 $1,277 +9.64
622–635 627 12 205.00–211.00 $207.53 $1,301 -0.47

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 7 305.00 $305.00 $1,202
503–545 530 17 260.00 $260.00 $1,378
643 643 12 215.00 $215.00 $1,382

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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.