Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 17, 2020

3,770 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Stockmen's Livestock Exchange report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $161.63/cwt +4.21 vs last sale · ≈ $950/hd at 588 lb · 287 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $134.24/cwt -0.82 vs last sale · ≈ $912/hd at 679 lb · 266 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $153.37/cwt -2.84 vs last sale · ≈ $977/hd at 637 lb · 261 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,770 3,738 3,716
Feeder cattle 3,770 3,738 3,716

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 500-550 & 600-650 lbs 2.00 lower; 550-600 lbs 5.00 higher; 650-750 lbs steady to 1.00 higher. Feeder heifers 450-600 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher; 650-700 lbs 4.00 lower. Demand was moderate to good on all classes today with many weaned steers and heifers . Quality was mostly attractive with feeders in light to moderate flesh. Next sale is scheduled for January 7, 2021.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411 411 5 182.50 $182.50 $750 -10.24
462–472 469 23 164.50–185.00 $174.52 $818 -8.37
500–546 528 161 167.25–182.00 $172.92 $913 -2.19
552–599 588 287 158.50–168.25 $161.63 $950 +4.21
600–648 637 261 147.00–157.00 $153.37 $977 -2.84
653–699 675 249 145.00–154.00 $150.50 $1,016 -0.26
703–742 730 201 145.00–150.75 $148.04 $1,081 -0.06
763 763 36 146.50 $146.50 $1,118 +5.07
801–806 804 29 128.50–138.50 $133.69 $1,075 —
850–897 884 15 123.00–131.50 $129.32 $1,143 -2.18
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 11 159.50 $159.50 $813 +2.21
688 688 9 140.00 $140.00 $963 +5.78
731 731 8 139.00 $139.00 $1,016 +5.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006 1006 11 128.00 $128.00 $1,288 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 6 150.00 $150.00 $555 -7.03
455–496 463 67 147.00–154.50 $151.76 $703 +3.04
523–542 534 142 141.00–153.50 $150.51 $804 +4.42
564–595 581 125 137.25–149.00 $142.58 $828 +2.97
603 603 8 135.25 $135.25 $816 -2.15
616 616 25 141.00 $141.00 $869 +3.60
668–688 677 213 128.00–134.50 $130.82 $886 -4.24
687 687 53 148.00 $148.00 $1,017 +12.94
724–732 730 73 129.00–130.00 $129.70 $947 —
828–846 838 25 119.50–127.50 $123.47 $1,035 —
902 902 16 126.00 $126.00 $1,137 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1061 1061 11 119.50 $119.50 $1,268 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
571 571 5 126.50 $126.50 $722 -1.00

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Reading this report

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.