Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, January 3, 2025

2,300 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $329.15/cwt +3.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,692/hd at 514 lb · 258 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $350.08/cwt -10.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,855/hd at 530 lb · 237 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $326.97/cwt -9.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,553/hd at 475 lb · 131 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,300 2,746 2,707
Feeder cattle 2,300 2,746 2,707

Last sale was December 13, so a market trend can not be made. Today's calves sold on very good demand, with a few load lots and some nice smaller packages. Market was active, with several buyers in the stands and on the internet. Most of today's offering were home raised, spring calves, fully weaned, and with two rounds of shots. Weather in the area has been seasonal with some light moisture. The next Feeder Calf sale will be January 17.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322–323 323 14 422.50–445.00 $433.73 $1,401 -11.27
357 357 8 411.00 $411.00 $1,467 +3.50
396 396 25 385.00 $385.00 $1,525 -59.00
424–437 433 67 351.00–387.00 $375.98 $1,628 -48.77
445 445 11 340.00 $340.00 $1,513 -84.75
467–482 479 102 377.00–384.00 $380.35 $1,822 -2.52
503–549 530 237 336.00–359.00 $350.08 $1,855 -10.54
564–592 574 128 331.00–341.00 $335.41 $1,925 +3.24
620–643 634 43 313.00–318.00 $316.18 $2,005 -11.34
739 739 77 302.75 $302.75 $2,237
746 746 8 260.00 $260.00 $1,940
751 751 76 300.75 $300.75 $2,259
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 9 346.00 $346.00 $1,675 +21.00
555–597 579 50 323.00–324.00 $323.42 $1,873
689 689 9 270.00 $270.00 $1,860

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 7 340.00 $340.00 $1,027
375–383 381 24 346.00–358.00 $348.95 $1,329 -43.60
403–449 431 130 328.00–355.00 $338.12 $1,457 -27.19
455–495 475 131 311.00–334.00 $326.97 $1,553 -9.91
513 513 5 307.00 $307.00 $1,575 -20.35
500–540 514 253 320.00–351.00 $329.59 $1,694 +2.24
557–571 565 50 298.00–318.00 $306.28 $1,730 +13.95
628–641 640 50 274.00–297.00 $294.74 $1,886
711 711 11 241.00 $241.00 $1,714
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 447 5 320.00 $320.00 $1,430
548 548 12 311.00 $311.00 $1,704

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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.