Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock Market Report

Dodge City, Kansas · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 18, 2024

2,583 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Winter Livestock report →

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $248.26/cwt +1.26 vs last sale · ≈ $2,299/hd at 926 lb · 234 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $309.98/cwt +18.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,627/hd at 525 lb · 199 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $274.74/cwt +15.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,681/hd at 612 lb · 169 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,583 4,543 932
Feeder cattle 2,011 3,150 750
Slaughter cattle 285 641 160
Replacement cattle 287 752 22

Market comments — USDA reporter

*** No Sale Christmas Day or New Year's Day*** Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers over 600 lbs sold steady. Heifers under 600 lbs sold steady to 15.00 higher on reputation heifers that were replacement quality. Slaughter cows sold steady. Good demand for moderate supply.

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
328 328 10 420.00 $420.00 $1,378 -2.20
361 fancy 361 5 430.00 $430.00 $1,552 —
386–397 396 30 401.00–415.00 $402.82 $1,595 -6.42
415–434 427 25 380.00–405.00 $396.26 $1,692 +29.28
471–486 476 30 352.50–370.00 $364.73 $1,736 -1.53
513–520 514 29 325.00–342.50 $326.83 $1,680 -4.66
551–576 558 51 320.00–331.00 $327.12 $1,825 +5.94
639 639 35 320.00 $320.00 $2,045 +10.51
668–699 687 129 265.00–289.00 $284.12 $1,952 +5.28
712–734 719 25 256.00–272.00 $266.77 $1,918 -1.73
756–799 777 64 241.00–262.00 $253.87 $1,973 -3.94
818–848 841 53 239.00–251.50 $248.06 $2,086 -4.52
863–887 878 69 222.00–244.00 $239.19 $2,100 -9.26
922–942 926 234 238.25–252.50 $248.26 $2,299 +1.26
968 968 3 232.00 $232.00 $2,246 +6.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356 356 4 350.00 $350.00 $1,246 -24.01
438 438 6 362.50 $362.50 $1,588 —
540–546 543 16 287.50–312.50 $301.63 $1,638 -10.13
576–597 578 36 270.00–297.00 $293.90 $1,699 -3.56
608–646 627 8 255.00–272.00 $263.24 $1,651 -22.69
702 702 7 245.00 $245.00 $1,720 —
900–930 924 16 226.00–229.00 $226.55 $2,093 -11.45
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 6 215.00 $215.00 $2,268 —
1110 1110 3 213.00 $213.00 $2,364 —
1175 1175 2 205.00 $205.00 $2,409 —
1321 1321 3 197.00 $197.00 $2,602 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
292 292 14 345.00 $345.00 $1,007 -57.50
297 fancy 297 7 429.00 $429.00 $1,274 —
323 323 6 400.00 $400.00 $1,292 +47.00
365 fancy 365 6 402.50 $402.50 $1,469 —
389–393 390 15 322.50–345.00 $330.05 $1,287 -1.67
448 448 13 310.00 $310.00 $1,389 -31.33
479–489 487 47 300.00–322.00 $309.31 $1,506 +6.35
519–524 fancy 522 148 315.75–316.00 $315.88 $1,649 +6.84
500–542 533 51 280.00–305.00 $292.84 $1,561 +7.89
556 fancy 556 22 295.00 $295.00 $1,640 -2.50
555–579 561 34 247.00–268.00 $263.16 $1,476 -5.90
604–616 612 169 271.00–280.00 $274.74 $1,681 +15.60
659–661 659 65 245.00–269.00 $263.45 $1,736 +15.42
725–736 728 64 245.00–262.25 $257.52 $1,875 +24.56
753–790 767 16 224.00–236.00 $229.08 $1,757 -13.84
859–897 877 13 219.00–224.00 $221.64 $1,944 —
938 938 4 212.50 $212.50 $1,993 -16.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 3 287.50 $287.50 $1,426 +17.50
519 519 7 272.50 $272.50 $1,414 +7.99
576–592 586 8 239.00–246.00 $243.42 $1,426 -6.58
631–646 644 18 244.00–259.00 $246.45 $1,587 —
657 657 7 231.00 $231.00 $1,518 —
745 745 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,758 —
814 814 8 214.00 $214.00 $1,742 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423–432 428 9 365.00–385.00 $373.79 $1,600 -26.21
452 452 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,401 —
673 673 14 253.00 $253.00 $1,703 —
780–796 789 11 215.00–237.00 $224.89 $1,774 —
893 893 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,965 —
937 937 2 196.00 $196.00 $1,837 —
956 956 3 209.00 $209.00 $1,998 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1415 1109 80-85% 21 92.00–106.00 $100.49 $1,114 —
765–1532 1253 80-85% 135 107.00–128.00 $119.30 $1,495 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1042–1490 1099 85-90% 10 70.00–85.00 $79.97 $879 —
860–1770 1264 85-90% 59 90.00–112.50 $100.09 $1,265 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1434–1735 1484 75-80% 27 119.00–126.00 $120.66 $1,791 —
1560–1665 1613 75-80% 2 110.00–114.00 $111.93 $1,805 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1950–2125 2038 65-75% 2 123.00 $123.00 $2,507 —
2210 2210 65-75% 1 106.00 $106.00 $2,343 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–2212 1741 12 134.00–144.00 $138.61 $2,413 —
1850–2300 1993 5 146.50–151.00 $147.57 $2,941 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
640–673 668 (<2 yrs)Open 6 155.00–237.50 $168.18 $1,123
700–1276 1032 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 39 130.00–227.50 $183.10 $1,890
1005–1347 1172 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 16 121.00–157.00 $137.94 $1,617
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
665 665 (<2 yrs)Open 6 209.00 $209.00 $1,390

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970–1075 1023 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,000.00–2,175.00 $2,091.99
910–1470 1070 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,750.00–2,575.00 $2,098.75
1158 1158 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,875.00 $1,875.00
1126–1370 1215 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 25 1,475.00–2,000.00 $1,896.34
1030–1478 1310 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 24 1,550.00–2,600.00 $2,253.94
1325 1325 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,710.00 $1,710.00
1291–1530 1343 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 29 1,900.00–2,450.00 $2,319.82
1035–1413 1375 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,525.00–2,035.00 $1,996.62
1193–1399 1375 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 35 2,450.00–2,600.00 $2,585.13
1120–1420 1388 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 52 2,050.00–2,710.00 $2,683.93
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–1790 1246 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 124.00–155.00 $133.71 $1,666

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
926 926 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 2,100.00 $2,100.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1055 920 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 202.50–204.00 $203.14 $1,869

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1000–1100 1083 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 6 2,250.00–2,850.00 $2,750.00 —
1200–1400 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 2,750.00 $2,750.00 —

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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.