Cattle Market Pulse

Napoleon Livestock Auction Market Report

Napoleon, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 5, 2024

4,033 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $350.03/cwt +8.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,848/hd at 528 lb · 540 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $308.32/cwt +3.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,945/hd at 631 lb · 339 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $293.84/cwt +9.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,974/hd at 672 lb · 313 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,033 2,030 2,438
Feeder cattle 4,033 2,030 2,438

Compared to two weeks ago; Not all weights well tested for comparison. Feeder steers 450-500lbs and 650-700lbs sharply higher, 500-600lbs 12.00 to 13.00 higher and 600-650lbs 3.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers 450-550lbs 12.00 to 13.00 lower, 550-600lbs sharply higher. Good buyer demand. Flesh condition light to moderate. Many full loads in today's offering.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–333 306 14 405.00–415.00 $406.55 $1,244 —
360–394 383 23 415.00–445.00 $429.15 $1,644 +20.91
400–447 434 114 394.00–422.50 $404.33 $1,755 +26.49
462 fancy 462 9 396.00 $396.00 $1,830 —
451–494 476 107 345.00–372.50 $360.00 $1,714 +2.85
504–548 528 540 330.00–362.00 $350.03 $1,848 +8.22
550–577 566 311 315.00–346.00 $332.54 $1,882 +6.40
600–649 631 339 292.00–320.00 $308.32 $1,945 +3.17
651 fancy 651 73 312.00 $312.00 $2,031 —
651–697 678 240 274.00–303.50 $288.31 $1,955 +4.32
703–744 718 102 267.50–284.00 $278.58 $2,000 —
760 760 14 284.00 $284.00 $2,158 —
814–819 817 33 253.50–259.00 $255.83 $2,090 —
856 856 6 236.00 $236.00 $2,020 —
850–878 877 23 251.00–252.50 $251.06 $2,202 -2.44
921–922 922 18 245.00–247.00 $246.44 $2,272 —
996 996 46 248.50 $248.50 $2,475 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484–497 489 13 335.00 $335.00 $1,638 +10.00
587 587 36 309.00 $309.00 $1,814 —
619 619 14 287.50 $287.50 $1,780 —
660–694 681 27 265.00–269.00 $266.47 $1,815 —
884 884 5 222.50 $222.50 $1,967 —

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314–331 323 11 350.00 $350.00 $1,130 -20.00
350–398 369 135 332.50–350.00 $340.32 $1,256 -17.70
401–448 430 121 315.00–342.50 $327.37 $1,408 -11.54
451–497 481 175 308.00–337.50 $323.71 $1,557 -12.43
504–547 522 248 291.00–317.00 $306.63 $1,601 +3.06
550 fancy 550 34 319.00 $319.00 $1,754 —
558–593 576 233 285.50–310.00 $293.48 $1,690 +5.25
606–647 626 164 262.50–288.00 $277.49 $1,737 —
660–664 662 45 252.00–272.50 $264.77 $1,753 -10.23
710 710 18 262.50 $262.50 $1,864 —
919 919 8 233.00 $233.00 $2,141 -5.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412 412 6 300.00 $300.00 $1,236 —
504–534 524 47 277.00–285.00 $280.10 $1,468 —
595 595 14 267.50 $267.50 $1,592 —
629 629 6 242.50 $242.50 $1,525 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1039 1039 6 219.00 $219.00 $2,275 —

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 11 340.00 $340.00 $1,292 —
548 548 23 317.50 $317.50 $1,740 —
638 638 11 268.00 $268.00 $1,710 —

↑ Back to top

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.