Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 2, 2023

1,402 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 $215.25/cwt +4.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,317/hd at 612 lb · 176 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $197.00/cwt +3.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,327/hd at 674 lb · 166 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $234.83/cwt +21.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,204/hd at 513 lb · 148 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,402 3,276 1,132
Feeder cattle 1,402 3,276 1,132

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 15.00 to 20.00 higher, over 600 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Very good demand for this lighter offering of feeder cattle. The market was most active on those cattle suitable to run on grass this summer as yearlings. The advances made in the cattle futures contracts helped to add support to the market this week. Feb 9th is the next sale.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366 366 5 265.00 $265.00 $970 +34.00
473 473 9 205.00 $205.00 $970 -26.86
469–481 475 13 215.00–241.00 $228.84 $1,087 -3.02
505 505 7 206.00 $206.00 $1,040 -7.14
500–547 513 141 227.75–240.75 $236.26 $1,212 +23.12
551–569 562 97 221.00–234.00 $226.28 $1,272 +14.87
603–636 612 176 194.00–219.50 $215.25 $1,317 +4.67
655–698 673 157 189.00–205.50 $198.61 $1,337 +5.56
685 685 9 169.00 $169.00 $1,158 -24.05
736–741 739 37 185.75–190.00 $187.47 $1,385 -2.68
752–798 776 141 176.50–186.00 $182.80 $1,419 +6.62
803 803 36 181.00 $181.00 $1,453
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
513 513 5 201.00 $201.00 $1,031 +1.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
419–449 438 26 198.00–206.00 $203.14 $890 +7.62
452–493 478 42 202.50–206.00 $203.81 $974 +5.27
513–549 529 69 190.00–207.00 $198.78 $1,052 +6.78
553–584 564 102 183.00–198.00 $193.42 $1,091 +8.36
610–632 625 47 183.00–187.00 $184.16 $1,151 +8.32
653–679 667 58 167.00–182.25 $173.70 $1,159 +4.97
675 675 5 171.50 $171.50 $1,158 +2.77
714 714 17 162.50 $162.50 $1,160 -7.17

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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.