Sale reports / Texas / Dalhart Livestock Auction / 2025-12-18

Dalhart Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Dalhart, Texas · Thu, Dec 18
● Final81 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1953
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,769 head
▼ 102 vs last sale 1,871▼ 506 vs year ago 2,275 · −22.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
403 head
▼ 34 vs last sale 437▼ 77 vs year ago 480 · −16.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
55 head
▲ 54 vs last sale 1▲ 54 vs year ago 1 · +5,400.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

This was the final sale of 2025. There will be a two week break during the holidays and sales will resume January 8th

Compared to last week: Steer prices were mostly mixed, partly due to plainer quality. Steer calves weighing 400-450 brought 16.00 higher with 600 weight cattle bringing 17.00-19.00 higher. Most other classes sharply lower. Heifers fared well on stronger demand this week with most classes making gains. Heifers weighing 400-425 gained 17.00 and 500-525 gained 22.00. Average to high yielding slaughter cows gained 14.00-16.00 on good demand. There was also a good representation of slaughter bulls and replacement cattle that sold well. Trade was active on good demand. May everyone have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $426.66/cwt on 68 head. That ranks 12 of 31 comparable sales and sits −26.25 against this barn's trailing median of $452.91.
Average price
$426.66
68 head · 537 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,292
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$586
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$120.66/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+29.04
vs TX average
−17.44 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1534438.162,33957
Medium and Large 1-2556385.652,1448thin
Medium and Large 2552317.501,7533thin
One grade step is worth $120.66/cwt here — about $586 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale68 hd
426.66
—
TX average5 barns · 230 hd
397.62
+29.04
National average163 barns · 16,063 hd
444.10
−17.44
This barn, trailing median31 sales
452.91
−26.25
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

31 sales
524468412356median 452.9103/0504/2306/1808/2710/29
Steers 500–600 lb: high $509.66, low $369.71, median $452.91 across 31 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—High1,640178.152,92112
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,506169.282,5497thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,237147.731,827139
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,124133.121,49742
HeifersSelect and ChoiceHigh1,001220.002,2029thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,610$3,4003thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,130$3,4001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,448$3,25823
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,423$2,7406
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)1,132$3,3003thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,250$3,0002thin
Cow-Calf Pairs2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,576$3,49514
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,437$3,3503thin

Every lot

81 lots · USDA AMS · Cattlemen's Livestock Auction - Dalhart, TX
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 12751,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7501
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1305632.50/cwt632.50–632.501,9293
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2425495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,1042
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1428541.36/cwt527.50–547.502,31717
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Fancy463502.50/cwt502.50–502.502,3272
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1495460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,2774
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2518413.79/cwt412.50–415.002,1434
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1528443.67/cwt430.00–454.002,34351
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2552317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,7533
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy573390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,2352
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1588392.00/cwt392.00–392.002,3054
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2594357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,1244
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1627395.44/cwt387.50–405.002,47956
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2658351.71/cwt350.00–352.002,31436
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1674378.27/cwt375.00–385.002,55012
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Full688361.23/cwt360.00–362.502,48516
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2714327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,3384
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1723365.27/cwt345.00–368.502,641164
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1754355.83/cwt355.00–356.002,68330
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed772322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,49019
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2794310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,4614
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2813320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,6024
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Fleshy823325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6752
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1826339.25/cwt336.00–345.002,802221
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy945225.00/cwt225.00–225.002,1263
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,018300.00/cwt300.00–300.003,0542
Steers1150–1200Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,166250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,91512
Feeder Cattle · Heifers24 lots · lightest first
Heifers100–150Medium and Large 1Unweaned140450.00/head450.00–450.004501
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 12351,275.00/head1,275.00–1,275.001,2751
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 12801,700.00/head1,700.00–1,700.001,7001
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1321515.00/cwt515.00–515.001,65311
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1378495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,8712
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed400440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,76018
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2415420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,74310
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1418471.20/cwt470.00–477.501,97012
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1471455.75/cwt450.00–460.002,14714
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2488405.40/cwt400.00–412.501,97877
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1512416.17/cwt415.00–417.502,13144
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530391.75/cwt375.50–395.002,07617
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2533345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,8393
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1574360.50/cwt355.00–361.002,06935
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2598235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,4052
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1625350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,18820
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2670287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,9232
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1673325.89/cwt320.00–329.002,1936
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1709336.14/cwt325.00–337.502,38319
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2750280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,1002
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1762323.29/cwt315.00–325.002,46318
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1827309.06/cwt300.00–311.002,55611
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2843287.50/cwt287.50–287.502,4242
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1963315.00/cwt315.00–315.003,0332
Feeder Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned300470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,4106
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1470432.50/cwt432.50–432.502,0332
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2548350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,91810
Beef/Dairy Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2681230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,5664
Beef/Dairy Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2733280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,0522
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers4 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2562405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,2766
Beef/Dairy Steers600–650Medium and Large 2625290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,8132
Beef/Dairy Steers700–750Medium and Large 2743255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,8953
Beef/Dairy Steers850–900Medium and Large 2Fleshy873220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,9212
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers—Select and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,001220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,2029
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,495166.89/cwt162.00–171.002,4952
Bulls——1,633181.94/cwt180.00–186.002,9715
Bulls——1,704178.86/cwt176.00–185.003,0485
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight914126.74/cwt124.00–132.501,1586
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight953168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,6012
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight980153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,4992
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,145146.30/cwt142.00–151.001,6754
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,189128.69/cwt120.00–130.001,53028
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,216136.39/cwt130.00–141.001,65985
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,267167.96/cwt164.00–172.002,12839
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,275159.41/cwt155.00–168.002,03215
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,506169.28/cwt165.00–172.002,5497
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,1323,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3003
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2503,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0002
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1303,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4232,739.87/head2,550.00–3,125.002,7406
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4483,257.51/head3,250.00–3,350.003,25823
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,6103,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4003
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4373,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3503
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5763,494.99/head3,300.00–3,700.003,49514

This sale against other markets

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