Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 16, 2020

50,090 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 $159.85/cwt -0.53 vs last sale · ≈ $919/hd at 575 lb · 4,488 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $167.96/cwt +2.53 vs last sale · ≈ $882/hd at 525 lb · 3,917 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $154.89/cwt -1.92 vs last sale · ≈ $964/hd at 622 lb · 3,270 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 50,090 54,965 45,263
Feeder cattle 46,250 52,996 43,153
Slaughter cattle 3,840 1,969 2,110

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 550 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher, instances to 7.00 higher on 400-450 lbs, over 550 lbs steady to 3.00 lower. Heifer calves steady to 1.00 higher. Yearling feeder steers steady to 2.00 lower, heifers steady to 5.00 lower. Moderate to good demand for calves, good demand remains for yearlings. A large offering of calves, with the largest sales in central and western South Dakota. Fewer calves coming to town East River as those producers are able to wean and grow their cattle longer and are hoping for an improved market. The western calves are light in flesh and sold in large strings making them highly desirable but the sheer volume of so many cattle moving in a short time period has put pressure on the market, as it does every year. The grass yearlings are gone and now just the feedyard backgrounded cattle remain, which are in a heavier to much heavier flesh condition. Corn price has gotten higher, Live Cattle futures have not risen as high as hoped, which is causing cattle feeders to rethink their approach to the feeder cattle market. Slaughter cows 3.00 to 4.00 lower, except the Breaker cows 10.00 lower, bulls 3.00 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
279–298 286 8 170.00–193.00 $178.98 $512 -12.21
310–348 331 97 182.50–208.00 $193.62 $641 +9.37
350–397 377 406 175.00–210.50 $191.96 $724 -0.02
415 thin fleshed 415 24 204.50 $204.50 $849 +1.00
419 419 7 166.00 $166.00 $696 -2.00
400–448 425 1,320 172.00–201.00 $189.48 $805 +21.48
450–499 475 2,599 163.00–189.00 $176.00 $836 +1.00
485 thin fleshed 485 95 184.00 $184.00 $892 -4.00
500–510 thin fleshed 505 218 178.00–182.00 $181.83 $918 +3.83
504–549 526 3,679 148.00–182.00 $167.19 $879 +1.89
530–540 536 20 158.00–158.50 $158.30 $848 +1.75
550–599 575 4,476 141.00–169.00 $159.89 $919 -0.51
592 592 12 144.50 $144.50 $855 -0.50
620 620 11 145.50 $145.50 $902 -11.42
600–649 622 3,201 142.50–166.00 $154.97 $964 -1.95
606–642 637 58 146.50–153.00 $152.15 $969 +8.15
651 651 11 144.00 $144.00 $937 -7.85
650–699 669 1,558 138.00–157.00 $148.43 $993 -3.42
689–696 690 130 135.25–143.60 $140.50 $969 +6.00
701–749 727 421 132.00–155.50 $144.16 $1,048 -2.55
733 unweaned 733 80 144.00 $144.00 $1,056 +8.50
753–795 771 466 135.00–150.25 $144.24 $1,112 -1.21
802–848 837 406 139.50–148.25 $142.41 $1,192 +5.41
856 856 53 134.00 $134.00 $1,147 -5.94
854–899 878 598 136.00–147.75 $144.10 $1,265 +4.16
900–949 928 1,648 131.25–146.00 $140.03 $1,299 -2.09
907–941 935 55 129.00 $129.00 $1,206 -13.12
953–999 975 909 128.50–143.25 $136.82 $1,334 -0.75
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1171–1260 1218 90 114.50–121.00 $117.63 $1,433 —
1220–1399 1351 140 106.00–116.00 $109.56 $1,480 —
1369 1369 7 113.00 $113.00 $1,547 —
1362–1481 1400 63 101.00–106.25 $104.20 $1,459 —
1394–1470 1443 60 102.00–103.50 $102.39 $1,477 —
1428–1494 1464 581 103.25–107.75 $105.88 $1,550 -1.00
1501–1599 1558 532 102.00–107.75 $104.80 $1,633 —
1604–1644 1632 206 103.00–105.50 $103.94 $1,696 -3.29
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–420 418 17 173.00–174.00 $173.29 $724 -1.71
638 638 20 143.00 $143.00 $912 —
708 708 7 142.50 $142.50 $1,009 —
1011 thin fleshed 1011 52 138.10 $138.10 $1,396 —
1001–1038 1017 799 126.85–139.00 $134.10 $1,364 +0.06
1054–1093 1063 358 125.75–133.35 $131.10 $1,394 +0.36
1101–1141 1113 226 117.10–125.75 $123.06 $1,370 +0.81
1215 1215 36 121.50 $121.50 $1,476 +11.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–298 293 23 165.00–201.00 $185.11 $542 +4.55
328–345 337 23 162.00–183.00 $175.86 $593 +10.46
357–396 375 112 169.00–184.50 $178.83 $671 +5.98
420–447 434 21 164.00–170.00 $166.08 $721 +4.47
450–499 481 122 153.00–168.00 $160.72 $773 +3.22
503–542 524 175 142.00–164.00 $154.66 $810 +4.55
551–599 591 119 121.00–159.00 $145.88 $862 -11.53
614–645 638 62 130.50–145.00 $141.37 $902 -0.72
652–664 660 31 137.00–145.50 $142.57 $941 +16.07
702–737 731 84 127.00–141.50 $138.47 $1,012 +2.24
759–795 785 41 132.00–140.00 $134.15 $1,053 +0.15
829 829 21 135.00 $135.00 $1,119 +24.50
859–881 866 30 121.75–134.00 $129.11 $1,118 -2.39
914 914 5 123.50 $123.50 $1,129 —
962–968 965 19 110.00–132.25 $120.57 $1,164 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 11 195.00 $195.00 $448 —
395 395 10 135.00 $135.00 $533 —
748 748 8 136.50 $136.50 $1,021 —
780 780 6 127.00 $127.00 $991 +4.00
863–889 883 45 121.00–131.50 $129.22 $1,141 +24.22
987 987 16 125.50 $125.50 $1,239 +8.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
617 617 5 144.00 $144.00 $888 —
828 828 7 136.00 $136.00 $1,126 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1013 1013 5 115.50 $115.50 $1,170 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–347 327 122 158.00–180.00 $165.97 $543 +7.77
350–398 377 592 150.00–177.00 $164.67 $621 +4.20
413 413 12 160.00 $160.00 $661 +3.21
421 421 6 148.00 $148.00 $623 -8.79
400–449 423 1,028 141.00–171.00 $156.75 $663 -0.04
450–499 475 2,690 137.00–164.00 $153.95 $731 +0.82
470–495 483 56 143.00–146.00 $145.05 $701 -27.00
510–525 519 389 154.00–157.50 $156.11 $810 +7.98
500–549 525 2,495 135.50–160.00 $148.67 $781 +0.54
523–535 526 23 129.00–136.50 $134.84 $709 -13.29
537 537 7 133.00 $133.00 $714 +0.14
550–599 571 2,206 128.00–153.00 $143.66 $820 -0.14
562–580 573 242 151.00–178.00 $170.78 $979 +26.98
593 593 6 133.00 $133.00 $789 +2.00
610 610 91 162.00 $162.00 $988 -2.50
612 612 13 139.00 $139.00 $851 -25.50
601–649 622 772 129.25–144.50 $137.11 $853 -0.43
671 671 14 120.50 $120.50 $809 -17.36
651–693 673 306 123.50–145.50 $132.96 $895 -4.90
686 686 72 140.00 $140.00 $960 +23.83
701–748 719 403 135.00–145.00 $139.78 $1,005 +4.03
772 unweaned 772 10 124.25 $124.25 $959 —
751–799 773 351 125.50–146.00 $139.33 $1,077 +1.33
800 800 50 136.50 $136.50 $1,092 +11.50
803–843 825 885 121.00–142.00 $134.83 $1,112 +0.20
853–899 876 1,167 122.50–138.50 $128.49 $1,126 -5.12
906 906 14 119.00 $119.00 $1,078 -11.43
914 914 56 140.00 $140.00 $1,280 +9.57
902–946 930 1,087 125.50–136.50 $134.08 $1,247 +3.65
930 930 35 130.00 $130.00 $1,209 -0.43
953–997 975 639 114.00–127.50 $121.71 $1,187 -9.41
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1138 1138 10 109.00 $109.00 $1,240 —
1230 1230 4 99.00 $99.00 $1,218 —
1200–1535 1356 920 102.00–106.50 $103.95 $1,410 -0.74
1314–1416 1363 112 99.00–103.50 $100.61 $1,371 -4.08
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–298 289 39 152.50–187.50 $162.25 $469 +3.41
305–345 323 50 151.00–165.00 $156.11 $504 -6.67
360–398 386 144 140.50–159.00 $151.79 $586 +8.54
405–445 419 56 125.00–152.00 $139.10 $583 -6.31
481–499 489 38 135.00–148.00 $142.29 $696 +2.12
524–538 536 41 131.00–140.75 $139.35 $747 +3.18
562–595 578 72 124.00–136.50 $129.18 $747 +3.18
609–629 626 23 125.50–126.00 $125.92 $788 -6.08
650–665 657 27 124.00–125.00 $124.45 $818 -4.59
725 725 32 126.00 $126.00 $914 -8.00
741 thin fleshed 741 7 135.00 $135.00 $1,000 —
751–792 764 113 115.00–132.75 $126.96 $970 -5.04
869–884 878 28 119.50–119.75 $119.61 $1,050 -9.94
905–937 916 28 107.75–110.50 $108.75 $996 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 10 149.00 $149.00 $563 —
479 479 22 141.00 $141.00 $675 -1.00
1000–1044 1019 348 115.25–133.00 $121.37 $1,237 -4.68
1050–1096 1067 227 114.35–123.50 $115.35 $1,231 -2.67
1148 1148 54 113.75 $113.75 $1,306 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
217 217 13 150.00 $150.00 $326 —
365 365 12 133.00 $133.00 $485 —
430–436 431 32 137.00–137.50 $137.09 $591 —
868–877 871 35 105.00–117.00 $112.51 $980 —
983 983 8 104.00 $104.00 $1,022 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002 1002 87 113.25 $113.25 $1,135 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
449 449 6 151.00 $151.00 $678 —
467 467 15 145.00 $145.00 $677 —
731 731 5 111.00 $111.00 $811 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1039 1039 9 110.00 $110.00 $1,143 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 9 193.00 $193.00 $650 +28.00
429 429 10 173.00 $173.00 $742 —
469 469 5 136.00 $136.00 $638 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 3 170.00 $170.00 $672 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1270 1055 85-90% 27 11.00–41.00 $27.57 $291 —
945–1580 1229 85-90% 63 40.00–47.00 $43.24 $531 -3.68
920–1455 1246 85-90% 14 47.00–51.50 $49.99 $623 +3.07
880–2045 1278 85-90% 49 30.00–43.00 $36.70 $469 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1635 1343 80-85% 83 42.00–55.00 $49.95 $671 —
1218–1493 1356 80-85% 10 55.00–58.00 $56.89 $771 +3.99
1208–1585 1358 80-85% 21 36.00–42.00 $40.17 $546 -12.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1660 1506 75-80% 27 48.00–59.00 $55.55 $837 -8.97
1439–1818 1590 75-80% 32 60.00–67.00 $64.10 $1,019 —
1180–1828 1615 75-80% 32 39.00–51.00 $44.69 $722 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590–1920 1695 65-75% 54 63.50–76.50 $69.14 $1,172 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–2348 1759 21 56.00–77.00 $67.72 $1,191 —
1745–2235 2019 13 69.00–77.50 $74.41 $1,502 —
2075–2215 2168 3 79.00–81.00 $80.36 $1,742 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1209–1399 1338 44 84.50–86.00 $85.59 $1,145 —
1346–1694 1499 104 85.00–92.50 $88.60 $1,328 -2.50

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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.