Cattle Market Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report
Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock
Sale of Thursday, January 4, 20241,868 head sold ·Official USDA report
This is an archived report. See the latest Stockmen's Livestock Exchange report →
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 1,868 | 2,660 | 3,316 |
| Feeder cattle | 1,868 | 2,660 | 3,316 |
Market comments — USDA reporter
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 341 | 341 | 16 | 380.00 | $380.00 | $1,296 | -7.00 |
| 368 | 368 | 6 | 379.00 | $379.00 | $1,395 | — |
| 400–430 | 412 | 37 | 340.00–358.00 | $351.46 | $1,448 | +8.11 |
| 440 | 440 | 4 | 331.00 | $331.00 | $1,456 | -12.35 |
| 454–492 | 484 | 58 | 310.00–334.50 | $319.66 | $1,547 | +12.45 |
| 512–547 | 531 | 72 | 287.00–313.00 | $302.89 | $1,608 | -0.88 |
| 555–592 | 573 | 154 | 275.50–304.00 | $289.29 | $1,658 | +5.49 |
| 606 | 606 | 46 | 292.00 | $292.00 | $1,770 | — |
| 614–648 | 643 | 165 | 266.50–285.50 | $274.15 | $1,763 | +13.47 |
| 658 | 658 | 8 | 280.25 | $280.25 | $1,844 | — |
| 655–695 | 675 | 76 | 250.75–272.50 | $260.67 | $1,760 | +3.90 |
| 683 | 683 | 18 | 237.00 | $237.00 | $1,619 | -19.77 |
| 722 | 722 | 5 | 221.00 | $221.00 | $1,596 | -19.89 |
| 701–747 | 736 | 98 | 231.50–250.00 | $245.22 | $1,805 | +4.33 |
| 790 | 790 | 6 | 220.00 | $220.00 | $1,738 | — |
| 814–842 | 828 | 208 | 222.25–225.50 | $223.92 | $1,854 | — |
| 906 | 906 | 23 | 206.00 | $206.00 | $1,866 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 458 | 458 | 6 | 295.00 | $295.00 | $1,351 | -12.68 |
| 601 | 601 | 7 | 230.00 | $230.00 | $1,382 | -13.56 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260 | 260 | 10 | 950.00 | $950.00 | — |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 368–393 | 381 | 6 | 286.00–300.00 | $293.23 | $1,117 | — |
| 456–493 | 472 | 73 | 275.00–294.00 | $286.06 | $1,350 | +3.79 |
| 501–546 | 528 | 38 | 250.00–278.50 | $265.15 | $1,400 | +7.92 |
| 552–553 | 553 | 37 | 274.75–275.00 | $274.84 | $1,520 | — |
| 565–599 | 585 | 86 | 249.00–266.50 | $255.66 | $1,496 | +8.79 |
| 594 | 594 | 7 | 230.00 | $230.00 | $1,366 | -16.87 |
| 601–628 | 616 | 124 | 237.00–247.00 | $243.44 | $1,500 | +22.44 |
| 674–699 | 683 | 52 | 224.50–230.00 | $227.79 | $1,556 | +5.80 |
| 706–741 | 713 | 54 | 207.00–229.25 | $221.78 | $1,581 | — |
| 765 | 765 | 26 | 210.50 | $210.50 | $1,610 | — |
| 987 | 987 | 5 | 189.00 | $189.00 | $1,865 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 340 | 340 | 10 | 285.00 | $285.00 | $969 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1144 | 1144 | 7 | 185.00 | $185.00 | $2,116 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 855 | 855 | 4 | 190.00 | $190.00 | $1,624 | — |
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.
Compared to the last sale 3 weeks ago: Feeder steers 5.00 to 10.00 higher, except 700 lbs steers steady. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher, over 600 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Good to very good demand for this nice offering of mostly weaned cattle. Flesh condition ran a little heavier this week, as there were more weaned consignments, light to moderate plus. Several consignments of calves coming right off the cows, but there was no discount as their flesh condition was lighter than most of the weaned offerings. The market was active overall. This winter season has been mild, with little snow cover, without the typical very cold temps, weaned cattle have put on flesh and weight easily. Cattle feeders are starting to feel a little better now that the futures contracts seemed to bottom and have come back up some. Cash fed cattle at 175.00, leaving a positive basis over the futures helped to support the feeder market as well.