Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

St. Onge, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 1, 2023

1,948 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $292.10/cwt -0.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,525/hd at 522 lb · 222 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $260.83/cwt -0.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,628/hd at 624 lb · 209 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $258.36/cwt -23.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,504/hd at 582 lb · 208 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,948 5,224 5,920
Feeder cattle 1,948 5,224 5,920

Compared to two weeks ago: Steer Calves 500 - 550, mostly steady; 550 - 600lbs, sharply lower on a much smaller showing than the last sale; 600 - 650lbs, mostly steady. Heifer Calves 500 - 650lbs, sharply lower on a smaller showing from two weeks ago. Moderate to good demand for this offering of calves, with weaned, fully vaccinated, and black hided selling at a premium. Flesh varied, and the market activity was moderate, with many of the regular buyers missing from the seats. The next sale, Friday, December 8 is a feeder calf special.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–445 431 37 310.00–338.00 $320.34 $1,381 -30.09
467–477 471 27 291.00–312.00 $298.88 $1,408 -13.87
502–548 522 222 279.00–309.00 $292.10 $1,525 -0.75
563–594 582 208 244.00–269.50 $258.36 $1,504 -23.91
606–639 624 209 256.00–263.00 $260.83 $1,628 -0.93
654–660 656 35 242.50–248.75 $247.74 $1,625 -13.02
720–747 733 33 216.00–231.00 $227.41 $1,667 -20.70
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 5 295.00 $295.00 $1,130 +70.00
432–440 438 17 235.50–272.50 $246.24 $1,079 -78.17
496 496 15 256.00 $256.00 $1,270 -32.12
550–579 565 53 216.00–239.00 $228.08 $1,289 -28.70
640 640 37 230.00 $230.00 $1,472
695 695 6 218.00 $218.00 $1,515 -8.50
781 781 5 169.00 $169.00 $1,320
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 8 210.00 $210.00 $966
531 531 9 187.50 $187.50 $996

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403–444 420 39 258.00–270.00 $262.80 $1,104 -8.56
478–483 482 32 235.00–251.50 $248.94 $1,200 -20.35
505–537 528 94 238.75–241.50 $239.57 $1,265 -29.14
560–593 579 52 226.00–233.50 $227.62 $1,318 -30.49
621–645 637 66 216.00–228.00 $224.78 $1,432 -21.51
691 691 11 213.00 $213.00 $1,472
722–743 739 27 206.00–214.00 $212.55 $1,571
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 14 225.00 $225.00 $862 +20.00
491 491 25 197.50–217.00 $201.40 $989 -27.16
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
611 611 18 1,700.00 $1,700.00
695 695 9 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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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.