Name: Stockmen's Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2026-03-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Best comparison on feeder steers was those 500-550 lbs and 600-650 lbs 10.00 to 15.00 higher, other weights too narrowly compared. Feeder heifers mostly steady. Very good demand for steers and heifers this week. A nice selection of light fleshed cattle for grass, a very large offering of outstanding quality bangs vaccinated heifers, along with some heavier cattle suitable for finishing. As the cattle futures complex regained some ground that was lost last week, there was a little more enthusiasm in the market this week. Lots of demand for the replacement heifer offering as there were string, after string of the right kind of heifers. Demand remains red hot for grass cattle as spring is getting closer and turnout time isn't that far away. Cattle feeders are a little more apprehensive, than the backgrounding operators, as many of their cattle that will be coming to market have a breakeven price higher than where the futures are at currently. Next feeder cattle auction will be Mar. 12, 2026.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $456.09/cwt on 330 head, up $11.21 from the prior sale. That ranks 13 of 16 comparable sales and sits +8.57 against this barn's trailing median of $447.52.

Average price

$456.09

▲ 11.21 vs prior sale

330 head · 549 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,506

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$67

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2

$49.29/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+13.89

vs ND average

+35.13 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	548	457.29	2,507	322
Medium and Large 1-2	598	408.00	2,440	8thin

One grade step is worth $49.29/cwt here — about $67 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

16 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $466.52, low $402.51, median $447.52 across 16 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale330 hd

456.09

—

ND average3 barns · 1,030 hd

442.20

+13.89

National average181 barns · 13,944 hd

420.96

+35.13

This barn, trailing median16 sales

447.52

+8.57

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Every lot, as filed

30 lots · USDA AMS · Stockmen's Livestock Exchange - Dickinson, ND

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	500–550	513	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,578	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	622	411.24/cwt	400.00–423.00	2,558	129
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	609	386.39/cwt	385.00–388.00	2,353	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	598	408.00/cwt	408.00–408.00	2,440	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	733	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	2,551	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	580	438.60/cwt	417.00–453.00	2,544	147
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	614	465.13/cwt	436.00–476.50	2,856	108
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	557	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,395	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	2,752	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	519.99/cwt	490.00–548.00	2,735	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	769	388.82/cwt	384.50–390.00	2,990	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	477	583.94/cwt	555.00–587.50	2,785	57
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	700–750	730	408.58/cwt	359.50–444.00	2,983	422
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	855	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,993	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	417	586.01/cwt	550.00–602.50	2,444	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	692	417.09/cwt	415.00–420.00	2,886	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	580	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,784	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	728	391.15/cwt	389.00–404.00	2,848	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	767	353.35/cwt	342.50–356.00	2,710	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	734	362.16/cwt	360.00–367.00	2,658	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	610	423.67/cwt	404.00–433.00	2,584	133
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	750–800	771	390.44/cwt	352.50–405.00	3,010	127
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	800–850	831	365.99/cwt	350.00–397.50	3,041	136
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	670	403.93/cwt	396.00–409.00	2,706	171
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	522	471.57/cwt	452.00–477.00	2,462	167
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	288	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	1,699	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	380	521.74/cwt	520.00–535.00	1,983	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	428	566.51/cwt	563.00–574.00	2,425	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	472	515.49/cwt	490.00–540.00	2,433	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	688	389.60/cwt	372.50–393.00	2,680	31

How this sale compares

North Dakota weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every North Dakota auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

North Dakota feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →