Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 27, 2022

3,835 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $196.53/cwt -3.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,206/hd at 614 lb · 673 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $185.72/cwt +6.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,058/hd at 570 lb · 428 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $186.84/cwt -8.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,267/hd at 678 lb · 408 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,835 3,573 4,355
Feeder cattle 3,835 3,573 4,355

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves 2.00 to 6.00 lower, except 500-550 lbs steady to 2.00 higher. Heifer calves under 550 lbs 4.00 to 7.00 lower, except 500-550 lbs 2.00 lower, over 550 lbs 5.00 to 6.00 higher. Good demand for this large offering of spring born calves, right off the cow, with the vast majority carrying two rounds of preconditioning shots. Several long strings in the offering, including full load lots, along with many smaller packages and ring fulls. The quality was very attractive, albeit the flesh condition was just a tick heavier than recent weeks. Flesh condition mostly moderate, there were some light fleshed cattle but overall the calves were carrying a little more condition. There were also more continental influenced and colored cattle which resulted in larger price spreads, as the black hided cattle commanded the highest prices. Next feeder cattle sale will be Nov. 3, 2022

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
309 309 7 267.50 $267.50 $827 +11.50
360 360 23 262.50 $262.50 $945 +17.24
417–448 434 109 210.00–235.50 $228.29 $991 -9.29
457–493 472 55 214.00–232.50 $222.36 $1,050 -2.31
502–542 524 330 193.50–225.00 $215.75 $1,131 +1.86
552–598 576 274 188.75–207.50 $200.28 $1,154 -6.18
578 578 21 178.00 $178.00 $1,029 -28.46
604 604 23 181.75 $181.75 $1,098 -18.63
600–643 614 650 185.25–204.00 $197.05 $1,210 -3.33
671–696 678 408 174.50–198.50 $186.84 $1,267 +7.01
700–738 unweaned 726 52 179.00–185.50 $180.93 $1,314 -8.32
771 771 11 180.00 $180.00 $1,388 —
756–786 unweaned 774 12 169.50–173.00 $170.93 $1,323 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352 352 5 243.00 $243.00 $855 —
461–488 481 31 193.00–201.00 $194.98 $938 -7.02
517 517 5 186.50 $186.50 $964 -7.15

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 8 227.50 $227.50 $655 —
350 350 21 218.00 $218.00 $763 +9.00
415–425 423 100 185.00–207.00 $201.84 $854 -4.02
452–499 473 65 181.00–192.00 $185.99 $880 -7.48
506–546 527 82 184.00–191.50 $187.97 $991 -1.32
550–584 567 304 180.00–188.75 $185.20 $1,050 +6.33
566–586 577 124 187.00 $187.00 $1,079 +8.13
603–642 618 217 173.25–183.50 $176.62 $1,092 +1.62
650–674 659 68 165.00–175.50 $173.52 $1,143 +3.52
726 unweaned 726 12 168.50 $168.50 $1,223 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
504 504 10 172.00 $172.00 $867 —

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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.