Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 26, 2020

38,248 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $153.65/cwt -0.49 vs last sale · ≈ $887/hd at 577 lb · 4,717 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $159.99/cwt +1.70 vs last sale · ≈ $840/hd at 525 lb · 3,136 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $171.62/cwt +3.32 vs last sale · ≈ $819/hd at 477 lb · 2,829 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 38,248 44,294 53,499
Feeder cattle 36,659 42,561 51,819
Slaughter cattle 1,589 1,733 1,680

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Yearling feeder steers and heifers 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Good demand for calves this week, which improved from last week. The winter storm that brought snow and very cold weather was replaced by seasonal temps and sunshine, which melted the snow and made for much better conditions to receive incoming calves into feedyards. Yearling demand moderate to good as the poor fed cattle market and weak futures complex has caused much concern amongst cattle feeders as they currently face losses. There are plenty of buyers ready to buy yearlings but they are approaching the market with more caution. Large calf offerings as western and central South Dakota cow/calf producers continue their fall marketing. Corn harvest is basically complete in Southeast SD, many more acres to combine yet remain in the Northeast. Cash corn has worked it’s way higher, which has also put pressure on the calf market this fall. Big discounts seen on calves that are lacking their preconditioning shots as the up and down weather and sloppy yard conditions are a perfect receipe for an outbreak of respiratory infections. Cattle feeders can’t afford to take on additional risk and many are unwilling to take a calf that hasn’t had the full compliment of vaccinations. Large auction receipts expected again for next week as the weather will warm making it easier to load trucks out of ranch corrals. Slaughter cows 2.00 to 5.00 lower, except Lean cows mostly steady. Bulls 2.00 lower.

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
310–349 329 86 170.00–189.00 $183.83 $605 -7.76
350–398 373 335 160.00–196.00 $179.82 $671 -8.04
385 385 20 165.00 $165.00 $635 -22.86
400–449 429 1,163 164.00–189.00 $178.50 $766 +3.91
443 443 12 161.00 $161.00 $713 -13.59
450–499 477 2,804 154.00–181.50 $171.69 $819 +3.32
495 495 25 163.50 $163.50 $809 -4.87
500–548 525 3,136 141.00–171.50 $159.99 $840 +1.70
550–599 577 4,710 139.50–164.25 $153.67 $887 -0.54
595 595 7 138.00 $138.00 $821 +5.01
600–649 618 2,461 133.00–157.50 $151.53 $936 +0.61
650–696 666 1,235 132.50–157.75 $149.21 $994 +2.73
700–749 719 759 136.00–152.35 $146.99 $1,057 +11.90
741 741 5 136.00 $136.00 $1,008 -9.51
758–796 781 194 136.50–142.85 $140.24 $1,095 -3.91
819 thin fleshed 819 49 145.00 $145.00 $1,188 —
805–841 821 432 134.00–144.00 $139.04 $1,142 -3.24
854 thin fleshed 854 132 144.35 $144.35 $1,233 —
851–899 883 819 129.50–144.75 $136.77 $1,208 -0.40
924 924 39 127.00 $127.00 $1,173 -11.63
900–948 925 729 130.00–141.10 $136.44 $1,262 -2.19
950–989 970 1,013 129.50–138.75 $136.41 $1,323 +0.51
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
489–493 492 47 155.00–156.50 $156.25 $769 —
668 668 5 132.00 $132.00 $882 —
1008–1036 1021 248 123.00–136.75 $129.32 $1,320 -5.37
1059–1099 1075 551 120.50–128.50 $126.38 $1,359 -0.89
1100–1120 1113 287 120.50–128.75 $125.77 $1,400 +6.04
1116 thin fleshed 1116 112 136.10 $136.10 $1,519 —
1251–1259 1256 59 107.85–114.00 $111.40 $1,399 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 14 182.00 $182.00 $519 -18.35
329–343 333 18 174.00–180.00 $178.28 $594 +5.28
389–398 393 14 174.00–175.00 $174.43 $686 —
413–447 432 118 140.00–171.00 $162.85 $704 +12.08
456–483 471 53 136.00–157.00 $152.11 $716 +0.70
510–542 523 200 144.00–163.00 $154.27 $807 +9.13
567–585 582 52 136.50–141.75 $140.96 $820 -3.22
628–630 630 109 144.50–146.00 $144.58 $911 +10.10
678 678 6 128.00 $128.00 $868 -2.23
702–704 704 26 124.00–140.75 $138.82 $977 —
791 791 54 124.50 $124.50 $985 -10.25
805 805 14 125.00 $125.00 $1,006 -8.17
860–889 887 79 122.50–125.00 $124.77 $1,107 +0.02
913 913 8 122.50 $122.50 $1,118 -4.69
965–983 979 22 100.00–120.00 $115.52 $1,131 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1334–1379 1365 45 104.00–105.25 $104.44 $1,426 —
1429–1529 1464 171 102.50–105.00 $103.62 $1,517 +0.83
1508–1581 1534 146 101.00–104.00 $103.50 $1,588 +1.25
1609–1666 1627 112 100.00–102.00 $101.30 $1,648 +0.94
1697 1697 42 98.50 $98.50 $1,672 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 457 12 144.00 $144.00 $658 +12.00
534 534 11 138.00 $138.00 $737 —
744 744 18 125.00 $125.00 $930 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1053 1053 13 116.00 $116.00 $1,221 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 4 169.00 $169.00 $482 —
315 315 6 132.50 $132.50 $417 -32.16
302–344 318 104 140.00–169.50 $159.02 $506 -5.64
350–399 379 394 133.50–174.00 $153.30 $581 -3.16
400–449 429 1,041 140.50–165.00 $150.93 $647 +1.15
450–498 481 1,915 130.50–158.50 $146.01 $702 +1.02
495 495 20 132.00 $132.00 $653 -12.99
500–549 523 2,349 126.50–152.50 $140.93 $737 +4.93
535–545 540 206 165.00 $165.00 $891 +11.08
560–570 563 209 142.00–151.00 $148.65 $837 +13.67
551–598 573 1,641 128.50–146.50 $138.67 $795 -14.83
600–635 618 713 130.00–148.00 $136.65 $844 +1.37
660–686 666 124 123.00–135.00 $133.35 $888 -1.67
700–741 729 197 121.50–135.85 $133.10 $970 -3.11
730 730 9 125.00 $125.00 $912 -11.21
757–791 785 184 125.00–133.10 $130.28 $1,023 -5.67
816–847 834 644 123.00–133.00 $130.40 $1,088 +6.40
850–897 874 524 118.75–132.50 $127.29 $1,113 -1.98
911 thin fleshed 911 218 129.25 $129.25 $1,177 —
904–948 925 492 112.50–130.25 $127.07 $1,175 -1.22
950–993 961 860 112.50–130.25 $127.59 $1,226 +3.70
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1046 1029 204 122.50–127.00 $126.03 $1,297 +8.74
1051–1067 1054 73 108.50–125.25 $122.23 $1,288 +7.22
1110–1131 1121 72 106.25–112.25 $109.91 $1,232 —
1181 1181 104 106.50 $106.50 $1,258 -3.60
1260–1298 1269 38 97.50 $97.50 $1,237 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1198–1442 1380 377 99.00–105.00 $102.29 $1,412 +0.65
1510 1510 13 102.00 $102.00 $1,540 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
243 243 6 151.00 $151.00 $367 —
280 280 11 155.00 $155.00 $434 -15.77
373–390 381 9 131.00–144.00 $138.08 $526 -3.98
436–445 441 20 125.00–143.00 $132.21 $583 -5.66
452–479 459 40 130.00–135.00 $132.42 $608 -1.02
503–549 519 33 124.00–125.00 $124.22 $645 -7.22
592–596 593 24 129.00–130.50 $130.00 $771 -2.39
609 609 4 122.00 $122.00 $743 -5.05
682–693 687 48 121.00–130.50 $126.70 $870 -1.64
752–787 758 19 100.00–111.00 $109.20 $828 -20.80
814–845 827 91 100.00–123.00 $119.46 $988 -6.04
853 853 5 85.00 $85.00 $725 -31.00
894 894 43 119.50 $119.50 $1,068 +3.50
903 903 11 120.50 $120.50 $1,088 +1.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002 1002 19 117.00 $117.00 $1,172 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
797 797 9 115.00 $115.00 $917 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1013–1340 1188 85-90% 5 36.00–44.00 $42.34 $503 +0.60
1120–1383 1213 85-90% 39 49.00–53.50 $50.67 $615 +19.20
1235–1285 1254 85-90% 8 30.00–32.50 $30.96 $388 -28.23
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1823 1688 65-75% 40 65.00–74.00 $69.41 $1,172 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1338–1680 1547 75-80% 15 58.00–62.00 $60.00 $928 —
1348–1805 1615 75-80% 10 44.00–53.50 $51.16 $826 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1262–1460 1368 80-85% 9 54.00–58.00 $55.62 $761 —
1400–1690 1566 80-85% 9 44.00–51.00 $47.94 $751 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540–2255 1955 6 71.00–75.00 $73.94 $1,446 —
1685–2290 1975 4 76.00–79.00 $77.83 $1,537 —
2330 2330 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,934 —
YG3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2320 2320 1 76.00 $76.00 $1,763 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1229–1614 1369 28 84.00–88.00 $85.88 $1,176 —
1378–1598 1530 211 90.00–93.50 $91.15 $1,395 —

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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.