Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, September 6, 2024

3,430 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $222.58/cwt +2.74 vs last sale · ≈ $2,034/hd at 914 lb · 838 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $224.14/cwt -2.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,981/hd at 884 lb · 542 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $226.26/cwt -8.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,869/hd at 826 lb · 478 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,430 1,105 1,371
Feeder cattle 3,430 1,105 1,371

Compared to last week: Steers 850-900lbs, 7.00 lower. All other Steer weights were too lightly tested from last weeks numbers to compare. Heifers 800-900lbs, 3.00 to 6.00 lower; 900-1000lbs, 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Demand was good for this nice offering of mostly open or spayed heifers, selling on an active market. Buyers had the opportunity to fill several loads from a single owner. Temperatures in the area have cooled some, but there has been little to no moisture, and temps are forecasted to climb again next week. The hot summer and wildfires have taken their toll on pastures and many producers are looking for fall feeding options.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 8 312.50 $312.50 $1,222
417 417 6 295.00 $295.00 $1,230
520 520 12 262.50 $262.50 $1,365
612–620 616 10 241.50–250.00 $245.72 $1,514 -7.78
698 698 24 250.00 $250.00 $1,745
705 705 5 227.50 $227.50 $1,604 -24.74
714–722 716 30 241.00–245.50 $244.14 $1,748 -8.10
776–778 777 19 242.00–247.00 $245.69 $1,909 +2.50
833–840 834 84 226.50–244.00 $236.75 $1,974
850–856 853 40 239.00–250.00 $244.86 $2,089 +4.30
900–945 930 202 226.25–237.25 $229.22 $2,132 -0.28
972–987 979 118 223.25–225.00 $224.10 $2,194 -10.40
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
647 647 6 239.50 $239.50 $1,550
831 831 10 229.00 $229.00 $1,903
910 910 37 224.00 $224.00 $2,038 -13.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
552 552 13 235.00 $235.00 $1,297
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1015 1011 12 213.00–220.50 $216.77 $2,192 -8.43

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
682–690 685 34 228.00–243.00 $232.27 $1,591
712–749 734 91 217.00–237.50 $231.18 $1,697 -9.38
756–781 775 76 228.00–233.00 $229.09 $1,775 -10.86
801–849 826 478 220.25–230.25 $226.26 $1,869 -8.42
863–897 884 542 220.50–226.00 $224.14 $1,981 -2.77
900–946 914 838 215.25–229.50 $222.58 $2,034 +2.74
950–990 963 140 213.50–218.00 $216.25 $2,082 -3.28
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411 411 9 237.50 $237.50 $976
518 518 29 226.00 $226.00 $1,171
563 563 18 232.50 $232.50 $1,309
845–847 846 14 219.50–221.00 $220.25 $1,863
855–888 866 76 219.00–221.75 $219.96 $1,905
967 967 24 226.00 $226.00 $2,185
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 62 208.00 $208.00 $2,101 -5.50

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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.