Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, April 19, 2024

1,366 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $297.00/cwt +4.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,721/hd at 579 lb · 192 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $272.70/cwt -7.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,800/hd at 660 lb · 179 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $300.90/cwt +16.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,977/hd at 657 lb · 159 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,366 838 1,480
Feeder cattle 1,366 838 1,480

Compared to two weeks ago: Most comparable Feeder Steer weights were trending sharply higher. Heifers 600 - 650 lbs were mostly steady; 650 - 700 lbs 10.00 higher. Demand was very good, especially for several packages of quality replacement heifers with buyers in the seats and on the internet. Most of the offering was home raised and fully vaccinated, with light to medium flesh, and ready for grass. Recent rains in the area have brought some optimism for buyers looking forward to moving cattle to summer pastures and haying season.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
479–495 486 11 327.50–346.00 $336.06 $1,633 +13.06
550–596 573 75 315.00–335.00 $323.98 $1,856 +37.89
644–649 645 20 289.00–291.00 $289.50 $1,867 -12.41
657–669 657 159 286.00–301.50 $300.90 $1,977 +16.82
849 849 14 216.00 $216.00 $1,834

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 16 308.00 $308.00 $1,525 -3.88
504–509 507 20 306.00–324.00 $316.84 $1,606 +28.79
554–599 579 162 289.00–320.00 $302.93 $1,754 +9.93
582 582 30 265.00 $265.00 $1,542 -28.00
613–649 626 85 270.00–300.00 $289.12 $1,810 +0.75
653–677 660 179 269.00–279.00 $272.70 $1,800 -7.29
712–737 725 107 257.00–283.00 $268.82 $1,949 +10.18
781–798 786 17 228.50–248.00 $242.18 $1,904

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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.