Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, November 15, 2024

2,800 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 $335.95/cwt +14.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,760/hd at 524 lb · 394 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $328.72/cwt +23.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,555/hd at 473 lb · 305 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $287.49/cwt -1.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,644/hd at 572 lb · 267 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,800 3,000 5,224
Feeder cattle 2,800 3,000 5,224

Compared to last week: Steer Calves 350-550lbs were sharply higher; 550-600lbs, 9.00 higher; 600-650lbs, 5.00 higher; 650-700lbs, 8.00 higher. Heifer Calves, 400-450lbs, 8.00 higher; 450-500lbs, sharply higher; 500-600lbs, mostly steady. A nice offering of quality steers and heifers sold on good demand. Most of the calves were carrying light to moderate flesh. Larger lots and fully vaccinated brought premiums. The market was very active, despite fewer buyers in the seats. Weather continues to be a bit of a roller coaster of temperatures, with producers still hoping for moisture soon.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
339–343 341 16 422.50–430.00 $426.27 $1,454 +26.27
391–398 394 40 380.00–405.00 $395.21 $1,557 +19.89
418–431 424 16 377.50–385.00 $381.37 $1,617 +18.23
450–485 468 139 351.00–376.00 $366.76 $1,716 +33.28
504–544 524 394 321.00–352.00 $335.95 $1,760 +14.88
557–593 566 226 301.00–328.00 $321.92 $1,822 +12.21
600–645 620 202 281.00–300.50 $292.18 $1,812 +3.39
651–674 664 57 278.00–295.00 $283.36 $1,882 +7.32
722 722 9 276.00 $276.00 $1,993 +0.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 386 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,081
442 442 8 370.00 $370.00 $1,635 +30.00
477–488 479 37 287.50–336.00 $298.18 $1,428 +3.18
505–519 516 123 328.50–330.00 $328.85 $1,697 +35.85
604 604 5 272.00 $272.00 $1,643

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 14 341.00 $341.00 $1,132 -1.39
356–394 382 46 335.00–350.00 $342.81 $1,310 +11.09
401–447 419 77 312.50–347.50 $330.89 $1,386 +10.08
450–495 473 305 324.00–334.00 $328.72 $1,555 +23.71
525–547 532 61 286.00–302.00 $297.15 $1,581 +6.88
550–590 572 267 281.00–293.00 $287.49 $1,644 -1.07
611–646 632 46 271.00–285.00 $276.73 $1,749 +2.75
671–692 679 19 259.00–292.00 $279.60 $1,898 +27.60
758–765 759 52 248.00–249.00 $248.84 $1,889
921 921 39 233.00 $233.00 $2,146
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352 352 6 285.00 $285.00 $1,003
421–437 434 37 275.00–280.00 $279.08 $1,211
463–483 466 35 306.00–310.00 $309.29 $1,441 +26.49

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526 526 5 282.00 $282.00 $1,483

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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.