Cattle Market Pulse

Stockmen's Livestock Exchange Market Report

Dickinson, North Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 8, 2024

2,200 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $256.58/cwt +4.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,968/hd at 767 lb · 442 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $265.21/cwt -3.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,902/hd at 717 lb · 262 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $296.62/cwt +2.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,863/hd at 628 lb · 242 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,200 3,791 2,150
Feeder cattle 2,200 3,791 2,150

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers steady to 5.00 lower. Good demand for this nice offering of home raised, long time weaned steers and heifers. Many long strings again this week offered in full loads and multiple load lots. Flesh condition ranged from light to moderate. The market was very active as the cattle futures contracts continue to rise, however there was a little pressure on the market due to the wet, muddy conditions in feedyards. A very large feeder cattle sale expected for next week, expecting 4,000 feeder cattle.

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
406–433 423 19 374.00–381.00 $375.87 $1,590 +20.87
452–499 475 101 340.00–348.00 $343.32 $1,631 -0.78
504–549 537 129 305.00–334.00 $318.58 $1,711 -14.08
555–599 579 136 307.00–333.00 $318.41 $1,844 +5.74
608–644 628 242 285.75–310.50 $296.62 $1,863 +2.80
669–695 689 184 266.60–278.50 $271.70 $1,872 -5.48
700–742 717 262 259.75–269.25 $265.21 $1,902 -3.72
757–796 767 442 245.00–258.75 $256.58 $1,968 +4.95
826 826 32 245.25 $245.25 $2,026 +23.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 8 351.00 $351.00 $1,351 —
543 543 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,629 —
634–648 643 18 274.00–275.00 $274.62 $1,766 —
655 655 7 267.00 $267.00 $1,749 +6.50
904 thin fleshed 904 8 220.00 $220.00 $1,989 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 3 350.00 $350.00 $1,270 +19.08
427–434 433 18 306.00–318.00 $310.98 $1,347 -29.02
448 thin fleshed 448 9 326.00 $326.00 $1,460 —
468–498 474 36 291.00–308.00 $297.90 $1,412 +17.90
505 thin fleshed 505 41 305.50 $305.50 $1,543 —
510–513 512 32 300.00–300.50 $300.31 $1,538 —
551–594 572 114 268.00–293.00 $285.83 $1,635 +4.47
603–648 630 114 253.50–266.00 $261.47 $1,647 -4.28
685–690 688 22 244.50–248.75 $246.63 $1,697 -10.66
716–730 724 30 238.50–243.00 $241.07 $1,745 -0.07
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 thin fleshed 375 14 319.00 $319.00 $1,196 —
416–434 423 22 306.00–315.00 $311.23 $1,317 +10.23
462–498 479 15 272.00–289.00 $280.75 $1,345 -1.25
520–522 522 12 271.00–276.00 $272.25 $1,421 +27.96
728 thin fleshed 728 14 225.00 $225.00 $1,638 —
877 thin fleshed 877 17 214.00 $214.00 $1,877 —

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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.