Cattle Market Pulse

North Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 20, 2025

6,992 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest North Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $318.42/cwt -1.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,162/hd at 679 lb · 908 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $351.51/cwt +4.60 vs last sale · ≈ $2,021/hd at 575 lb · 532 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $303.75/cwt -0.38 vs last sale · ≈ $2,181/hd at 718 lb · 513 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,992 14,946 9,449
Feeder cattle 6,992 14,946 9,449

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers unevenly steady. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers this week as the cash fed cattle market got higher throughout the week, topping at 212.00. CME Live and Feeder Cattle contracts made good gains throughout the week, yet Feb Live Cattle remain nearly 8.00 under the northern cash market. Very cold temps across the state, made it difficult for some producers to get their cattle shipped to town which resulted in lighter auction receipts. Warmer weather next week as temps move back above freezing will make for much easier conditions for cattle and their caretakers.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353–391 383 73 427.50–447.50 $437.58 $1,676 +9.58
408–418 415 25 429.00–447.00 $433.95 $1,801 -0.56
454–499 475 157 370.00–422.00 $398.71 $1,894 +4.08
517–549 529 251 355.00–383.00 $372.83 $1,972 +4.07
551–599 575 532 328.00–369.50 $351.51 $2,021 +4.60
608–649 630 463 312.50–340.00 $326.32 $2,056 -6.19
653–698 679 908 297.00–330.00 $318.42 $2,162 -1.10
700–741 718 513 290.00–317.00 $303.75 $2,181 -0.38
762–786 773 350 266.00–295.00 $285.94 $2,210 +3.86
800–839 810 201 274.50–287.00 $279.36 $2,263 +2.36
858–889 882 203 255.00–269.50 $269.01 $2,373 +2.00
915 915 39 251.00 $251.00 $2,297 -11.62
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
633 633 12 290.00 $290.00 $1,836 +13.81
651–683 663 11 272.50–278.00 $274.56 $1,820 -21.61

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
333–346 341 18 355.00–425.00 $389.21 $1,327 -46.75
367–394 373 26 380.00–400.00 $395.13 $1,474 +10.45
408 fancy 408 18 399.00 $399.00 $1,628
408–444 432 69 349.00–371.00 $361.92 $1,563 -12.89
454–494 479 316 333.00–365.00 $350.12 $1,677 +0.37
502–546 526 197 320.00–345.00 $328.75 $1,729 -0.73
552–592 562 413 305.00–334.00 $321.48 $1,807 +1.84
600–649 620 489 284.00–322.50 $308.13 $1,910 +3.69
655–681 667 241 280.00–300.00 $288.81 $1,926 -6.17
702 702 30 304.00 $304.00 $2,134 +37.60
704–744 733 374 270.00–278.50 $277.38 $2,033 +10.98
758–795 779 69 251.00–275.00 $259.96 $2,025 -3.59
889 889 5 242.50 $242.50 $2,156
900 900 6 249.00 $249.00 $2,241 -1.00
953 953 10 240.00 $240.00 $2,287
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311 311 7 380.00 $380.00 $1,182
412–448 430 12 330.00–350.00 $340.42 $1,464 -10.51
483–499 489 13 317.50–322.50 $319.46 $1,562 -3.04
537 537 6 315.00 $315.00 $1,692 +7.04
569–573 571 14 270.00–300.00 $285.05 $1,628 -17.94

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 12 336.00 $336.00 $1,673
686 686 17 275.00 $275.00 $1,886
729 729 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,968
779 779 14 248.00 $248.00 $1,932
801 801 5 233.00 $233.00 $1,866
858 858 8 232.50 $232.50 $1,995

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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.