Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 2, 2021

3,530 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 $179.43/cwt +9.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,034/hd at 576 lb · 286 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $203.46/cwt +9.03 vs last sale · ≈ $960/hd at 472 lb · 276 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $193.95/cwt +9.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,009/hd at 520 lb · 246 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,530 4,210 4,211
Feeder cattle 3,530 4,210 4,211

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago, Feeder steers traded 8.00-10.00 higher. Feeder heifers traded 6.00-10.00 higher. Demand was very good on today's offering of feeder steers and heifers. Feeders where in light to moderate flesh with many drafts of weaned steers and heifers in the offering. Next sale is scheduled for December 9, 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
321–322 322 26 216.00–230.00 $218.69 $704 -12.31
374–375 375 65 222.00–226.00 $224.83 $843 +12.33
410–449 428 129 203.00–220.00 $211.48 $905 +9.10
452–487 472 276 191.00–209.75 $203.46 $960 +9.03
501–542 520 246 182.00–203.50 $193.95 $1,009 +9.47
558–596 576 286 169.50–187.00 $179.43 $1,034 +9.41
607–633 611 124 167.75–179.50 $173.38 $1,059 +8.04
650–695 668 179 168.00–183.00 $173.41 $1,158 +10.79
703–719 709 130 162.00–173.00 $169.73 $1,203 +9.94
757–780 766 47 154.00–169.00 $162.35 $1,244 +16.35
822 822 13 161.00 $161.00 $1,323 —
857–887 880 93 156.00–159.10 $158.35 $1,393 —
1002 1002 65 158.50 $158.50 $1,588 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–445 420 31 182.00–196.00 $189.98 $798 —
488 488 12 184.00 $184.00 $898 +13.00
537–549 542 12 175.00–177.00 $175.84 $953 +15.34
586 586 9 159.00 $159.00 $932 —
638–641 640 19 154.00 $154.00 $986 +4.00
656–688 673 13 154.00–156.50 $155.38 $1,046 +15.38

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373–392 387 68 164.00–182.50 $176.91 $685 +5.49
403–421 416 40 164.50–171.00 $169.63 $706 +9.06
459–479 472 153 157.00–170.00 $166.66 $787 +10.10
508–547 526 189 155.50–168.00 $161.71 $851 +8.97
552–599 571 208 144.00–159.00 $153.39 $876 +8.76
603–649 631 119 143.00–153.50 $148.86 $939 +6.69
650–664 659 21 141.00–146.50 $143.38 $945 +10.71
724–748 734 42 136.00–142.25 $140.00 $1,028 —
802 802 66 145.50 $145.50 $1,167 —

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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.