Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, November 22, 2024

2,704 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 $345.63/cwt +9.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,815/hd at 525 lb · 394 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $317.37/cwt -4.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,822/hd at 574 lb · 285 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $319.66/cwt -9.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,534/hd at 480 lb · 245 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,704 2,800 5,224
Feeder cattle 2,704 2,800 5,224

Compared to last week: Steers 450-550lbs were 7.00-10.00 higher; 550-600lbs, mostly steady; 600-650lbs, 7.00 higher; 650-700lbs, mostly steady. Heifers 350-450lbs were sharply higher, on a light test; 450-500lbs, 9.00 lower; 500-550lbs, 4.00 higher. Very good demand, especially for the larger packages or load lots from reputation breeders, and those weaned up, carrying spring and fall vaccinations. Quality was average to good, with a few of the larger lots very attractive. Market was very active, with feeders and buyers looking to fill pens and trucks prior to the holidays. Temperatures have become more seasonable, but still little to no moisture in the area. No sale next week for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The next Feeder Calf sale will be Dec. 6.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 334 5 420.00 $420.00 $1,403 -6.27
350–393 362 76 420.00–475.00 $456.20 $1,651 +60.99
400–436 418 54 385.00–407.50 $397.44 $1,661 +16.07
442–445 443 45 347.50–360.00 $356.93 $1,581 -24.44
450–498 464 126 346.00–386.00 $368.34 $1,709 +1.58
514–539 525 394 330.00–363.50 $345.63 $1,815 +9.68
552–590 574 285 310.00–324.00 $317.37 $1,822 -4.55
606–633 623 200 291.50–308.50 $298.02 $1,857 +5.84
656–698 684 114 278.00–293.00 $282.23 $1,930 -1.13
727 727 4 277.00 $277.00 $2,014 +1.00
756 756 19 263.00 $263.00 $1,988
898 898 20 246.00 $246.00 $2,209
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 10 372.50 $372.50 $1,296
427–430 428 12 355.00–362.00 $359.07 $1,537 -10.93
469–478 474 45 331.00–346.00 $336.57 $1,595 +38.39
508–523 511 25 311.00–325.00 $320.34 $1,637 -8.51
583–596 591 13 297.00–310.50 $305.38 $1,805
615 615 7 270.00 $270.00 $1,660 -2.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 13 315.00 $315.00 $1,339

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 20 365.00 $365.00 $1,204 +24.00
375–394 390 44 345.00–370.00 $359.87 $1,403 +17.06
405–437 417 49 329.00–362.00 $349.34 $1,457 +18.45
461–491 480 245 315.00–323.00 $319.66 $1,534 -9.06
506–545 520 208 287.00–310.00 $297.65 $1,548 +0.50
550–585 560 54 271.00–289.00 $282.74 $1,583 -4.75
600–649 621 38 262.50–280.00 $272.29 $1,691 -4.44
667–678 670 16 266.50–269.00 $267.13 $1,790 -12.47
836 836 20 242.50 $242.50 $2,027
994 994 6 223.00 $223.00 $2,217
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–444 430 58 312.50–320.00 $319.17 $1,372 +40.09
455 455 10 300.00 $300.00 $1,365 -9.29
537 537 5 286.00 $286.00 $1,536

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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.