Cattle Market Pulse

North Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 16, 2026

6,557 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 heifers $396.72/cwt +17.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,655/hd at 669 lb · 763 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $366.57/cwt +4.82 vs last sale · ≈ $3,024/hd at 825 lb · 635 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $453.70/cwt +8.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,845/hd at 627 lb · 594 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,557 4,046 6,041
Feeder cattle 6,557 4,046 6,041

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers 5.00 to 15.00 higher. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers. The market was very active this week as cattle feeders felt better about the prospects of the fat market as the boxed beef market has risen to new highs for this time of year. Yearling operators and replacement heifer buyers were very active as spring has arrived and turnout time will be coming soon.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353 353 9 640.00 $640.00 $2,259 +19.96
418–443 428 56 505.00–640.00 $605.88 $2,593 +41.44
461–496 479 26 490.00–545.00 $525.39 $2,517 -16.87
500–546 518 264 485.00–540.00 $518.91 $2,688 +7.41
551–597 571 83 465.00–499.00 $478.71 $2,733 +6.33
607–647 627 594 426.00–473.25 $453.70 $2,845 +8.39
650–697 667 543 405.00–455.50 $432.12 $2,882 +14.55
700–747 734 469 387.00–413.50 $399.97 $2,936 +6.95
750–791 766 558 363.00–400.00 $386.76 $2,963 +19.90
800–846 825 635 330.00–381.75 $366.57 $3,024 +4.82
879–895 887 130 355.00–356.50 $355.74 $3,155 +23.25
934–943 939 308 320.50–339.50 $335.79 $3,153
965–986 975 197 308.00–330.00 $317.84 $3,099
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 9 580.00 $580.00 $2,569
540–543 541 43 467.50–485.00 $473.95 $2,564
569–595 585 24 440.00–456.00 $450.91 $2,638 +10.91
659 659 9 430.00 $430.00 $2,834
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1066 1066 5 303.50 $303.50 $3,235

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408–426 417 12 495.00–520.00 $507.23 $2,115 +6.96
451–497 488 65 480.00–510.00 $488.39 $2,383 +21.18
505–547 530 70 430.00–472.50 $456.64 $2,420 +12.67
550–597 576 220 397.50–458.00 $438.74 $2,527 +6.26
609–644 626 168 406.00–431.00 $416.35 $2,606 +11.94
652–682 665 305 380.00–402.50 $391.75 $2,605 +17.59
651–698 672 458 375.00–427.50 $400.03 $2,688 +25.87
700–735 723 237 350.00–400.00 $380.65 $2,752 +10.28
701–738 728 104 368.00–383.00 $371.75 $2,706 +25.56
752–794 760 32 343.00–352.00 $348.45 $2,648 -38.75
770–793 780 119 328.50–402.00 $378.98 $2,956 -8.22
828–835 831 137 321.00–329.00 $328.18 $2,727 +19.18
913 913 6 301.00 $301.00 $2,748
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 7 380.00 $380.00 $1,683 -60.00
476–486 483 17 455.00–457.50 $455.72 $2,201
533 533 5 415.00 $415.00 $2,212 +25.00
580 580 48 382.50 $382.50 $2,218
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1036 1036 7 283.00 $283.00 $2,932 -19.00

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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.