Cattle Market Pulse

St. Onge Livestock Auction Market Report

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

Sale of Friday, January 17, 2025

3,251 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $299.00/cwt +4.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,863/hd at 623 lb · 345 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $312.97/cwt +6.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,800/hd at 575 lb · 292 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $293.76/cwt -4.97 vs last sale · ≈ $2,115/hd at 720 lb · 219 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,251 2,300 1,029
Feeder cattle 3,251 2,300 1,029

Compared to two week's ago: Best test on steers was 500-600lbs, 6.00 higher. Other weights were also trending higher. Heifers 450-500lbs, 6.00 higher, 500-550lbs, 10.00 lower; 550-600lbs, 5.00 higher; 600-650lbs, 10.00 higher on a light test from last weeks numbers. Demand was moderate for today's sale, with replacement quality heifers selling on good demand. Moderate to active market with fewer order buyers in the stands; however, there were more producers, vying for the bangs vaccinated heifers. Quality was very mixed, with most packages and loads carrying some tag. Majority was home raised, weaned and fully vaccinated. Recent warm weather has created muddy pens, but freezing temperatures are setting in for a much colder weekend. Next Feeder Calf sale is January 31.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 13 496.00 $496.00 $1,800 +85.00
405–430 419 31 392.50–397.50 $395.43 $1,657 +19.45
451–492 473 41 357.00–364.00 $362.57 $1,715 -17.78
505–549 533 161 342.00–373.00 $356.01 $1,898 +5.93
556 556 26 300.00 $300.00 $1,668 -35.41
553–585 570 169 326.00–356.00 $342.26 $1,951 +6.85
601–635 613 193 328.00–359.00 $339.92 $2,084 +23.74
663–676 665 84 310.00–315.00 $314.09 $2,089
674 674 29 275.50 $275.50 $1,857
705–727 720 219 281.00–296.00 $293.76 $2,115 -8.99
890 890 41 254.00 $254.00 $2,261
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
577 577 23 307.00 $307.00 $1,771 -16.42
614–647 629 97 318.50–325.00 $322.03 $2,026
657 657 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,905 +20.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 18 387.50 $387.50 $1,182 +47.50
365–383 382 81 367.50–385.00 $382.77 $1,462 +33.82
440–444 442 33 347.00–350.00 $348.45 $1,540 +10.33
456–487 474 78 315.00–340.00 $331.56 $1,572 +4.59
504–547 529 181 314.00–334.50 $322.94 $1,708 -6.65
555–597 575 292 298.00–325.00 $312.97 $1,800 +6.69
601–649 623 345 277.00–310.50 $299.00 $1,863 +4.26
657–685 673 77 269.00–284.00 $278.08 $1,871
721–734 730 50 248.00–252.50 $249.28 $1,820 +8.28
848 848 25 245.00 $245.00 $2,078
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
628 628 7 275.50 $275.50 $1,730

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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.