Cattle Market Pulse

Ft. Pierre Livestock Auction (Friday) Market Report

Ft. Pierre, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 29, 2024

4,318 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Ft. Pierre Livestock Auction (Friday) report →

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $264.97/cwt +15.22 vs last sale · ≈ $2,287/hd at 863 lb · 1,100 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $272.41/cwt +4.57 vs last sale · ≈ $2,124/hd at 780 lb · 504 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $263.18/cwt +8.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,902/hd at 723 lb · 344 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,318 4,448 7,834
Feeder cattle 4,318 4,448 7,834

Compared to last sale two weeks ago: Steers from 700 lbs to 749 lbs were 10.00 to 12.00 higher, steers from 750 lbs to 849 lbs were 3.00 to 6.00 higher; heifers from 600 lbs to 699 lbs were 8.00 to 12.00 higher, heifers from 700 lbs to 799 lbs were steady to 3.00 higher, no other comparisons available. Good to very good demand for all classes of cattle. Lots of buyers in the seats competing with internet buyers made for an active market. Buyers continue to bid aggressively for cattle. Several strings offered buyers the opportunity to put multiple loads of one owner cattle together, up to nine loads per consignment. Several consignments of reputation replacement heifers were well received . Warm dry conditions in the area continue to dry pens out and cattle preform well. Next feeder sale is scheduled for Friday, April 12, 2024.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–381 376 21 380.00–385.00 $382.41 $1,438 -15.21
479 479 15 364.00 $364.00 $1,744 -8.56
518–549 540 141 341.00–353.00 $345.90 $1,868 -18.00
559–583 564 29 321.00–342.00 $337.51 $1,904 -0.75
607–631 619 56 303.00–314.50 $308.14 $1,907 -10.35
651 651 17 304.50 $304.50 $1,982 -1.50
705–743 724 219 279.00–300.50 $290.70 $2,105 +13.36
746 746 10 275.00 $275.00 $2,052 -2.34
753–796 779 482 264.00–284.50 $273.98 $2,134 +6.14
794–798 795 22 234.50–244.00 $237.97 $1,892 -29.87
802–823 817 255 266.00–268.00 $267.42 $2,185 +3.63
833 833 11 242.00 $242.00 $2,016 -21.79
850–895 863 1,100 249.00–268.00 $264.97 $2,287 +15.22
906 906 56 254.25 $254.25 $2,304

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 7 345.00 $345.00 $945
355–389 376 16 345.00–350.00 $346.77 $1,304
449 449 11 325.00 $325.00 $1,459 -8.25
453–494 484 135 319.00–331.00 $325.33 $1,575
535–539 536 49 306.00–316.00 $314.56 $1,686 +13.97
566–587 575 72 281.00–300.00 $291.66 $1,677 -8.58
600–637 620 137 285.00–300.50 $291.07 $1,805 +6.79
657–699 677 143 261.00–284.00 $273.53 $1,852 +24.53
700–732 714 142 277.00–279.00 $277.91 $1,984 +10.12
703–749 728 195 246.50–261.00 $253.28 $1,844 -14.51
744 744 7 240.00 $240.00 $1,786 -10.91
777 777 300 249.50 $249.50 $1,939 -17.36
802–827 811 275 243.00–262.00 $253.70 $2,058 +19.20

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 349 5 370.00 $370.00 $1,291
558 558 48 322.50 $322.50 $1,800

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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.