Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 30, 2020

25,171 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $151.04/cwt +6.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,014/hd at 671 lb · 1,813 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $156.81/cwt +2.06 vs last sale · ≈ $971/hd at 619 lb · 1,444 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $163.18/cwt +1.07 vs last sale · ≈ $943/hd at 578 lb · 1,334 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 25,171 19,487 23,550
Feeder cattle 23,056 19,357 19,977
Slaughter cattle 2,115 130 3,573

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves 2.00 to 5.00 higher, heifer calves steady to 4.00 higher. Yearling feeder steers 1.00 to 2.00 higher, yearling heifers steady to 4.00 higher. Moderate to good demand for calves, more calves are starting to be consigned in East River auctions and a high percentage of them are weaned already. Flesh on these calves is a little heavier, overall. Still quite a few calves coming to town right off the cow, much lighter fleshed, but fully preconditioned. The calves without fall shots are much harder to sell and bring a substantial discount. Calves are really bloomy and clean as the mild weather extends into December. Ground conditions are dry, helping to keep cattle clean which results in cattle that are very eye appealing. Very good demand for yearlings, there were many long strings of these offered across the state and there are plenty of buyers ready for them. The supply is dwindling which is helping to support that market. CME Live Cattle contracts lost ground this week in spite of reports of cash fat cattle at 110.0.0, which is causing concern amongst cattle feeders as breakeven costs have been high. Slaughter cows 2.00 to 4.00 higher, bulls 5.00 to 6.00 higher.

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
345 345 17 191.00 $191.00 $659 +7.33
370–391 378 48 184.00–200.00 $190.80 $721 +3.25
400–448 425 332 180.00–204.00 $192.44 $818 +8.88
482 482 5 161.00 $161.00 $776 +10.00
456–499 483 543 164.00–184.50 $176.69 $853 +25.69
512–545 518 45 152.50–166.00 $155.03 $803 -13.78
500–549 523 961 161.00–186.00 $173.44 $907 +4.63
524 524 26 165.00 $165.00 $865 -3.81
568 568 18 153.00 $153.00 $869 -9.39
551–598 578 1,316 145.00–171.25 $163.32 $944 +0.93
600–645 618 1,371 146.00–164.50 $157.42 $973 +2.20
625–648 641 73 142.00–146.50 $145.29 $931 +8.45
650–695 671 1,793 143.00–164.00 $151.18 $1,014 +6.63
671–681 678 20 136.00–144.00 $138.77 $941 -5.78
701–743 719 279 137.00–154.00 $144.81 $1,041 +3.70
730 730 26 136.50 $136.50 $996 -4.61
752–795 776 321 134.50–145.50 $138.99 $1,079 -4.79
800–844 818 185 136.75–147.75 $141.18 $1,155 -0.59
810–834 823 51 123.00–135.75 $129.78 $1,068 -11.99
855–895 872 545 135.00–145.25 $139.34 $1,215 -5.41
900–945 919 874 133.50–145.75 $140.19 $1,288 -2.85
976–991 981 314 136.00–139.50 $138.31 $1,357 +1.94
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1048 1025 761 132.50–138.85 $136.15 $1,396 +1.48
1056 1056 72 135.75 $135.75 $1,434 +15.25
1128–1145 1139 53 125.50–129.75 $128.53 $1,464 -0.89
1153–1181 1164 143 116.75–132.50 $125.89 $1,465 —
1246 1246 53 121.50 $121.50 $1,514 +20.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1282 1282 11 115.00 $115.00 $1,474 —
1324–1391 1377 39 108.00–114.00 $111.01 $1,529 —
1387–1419 1407 55 108.00–111.00 $110.17 $1,550 —
1360–1557 1421 31 105.00–108.00 $106.11 $1,508 —
1420–1492 1453 131 107.00–109.50 $107.94 $1,568 —
1490–1582 1530 481 105.00–109.25 $107.25 $1,641 —
1593 1593 17 104.00 $104.00 $1,657 —
1620 1620 41 107.50 $107.50 $1,742 —
1612–1692 1657 176 104.50–105.85 $104.95 $1,739 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312–347 332 19 180.00–186.00 $182.97 $607 +26.15
374–397 386 71 177.00–189.00 $183.21 $707 +26.24
430–435 431 46 176.00–186.50 $184.43 $795 +13.25
483 483 9 171.00 $171.00 $826 +13.77
548 548 11 150.50 $150.50 $825 +4.39
564–594 570 61 130.00–158.25 $152.46 $869 +4.99
638–648 640 21 143.50–147.00 $144.34 $924 +7.67
666–683 675 75 135.25–143.00 $137.70 $929 -11.80
708 708 7 139.50 $139.50 $988 +1.00
727 727 13 144.50 $144.50 $1,051 +6.00
762–793 772 141 137.00–140.50 $139.03 $1,073 —
800–844 832 61 130.50–138.25 $134.95 $1,123 —
850–864 862 44 129.50–131.00 $129.74 $1,118 —
923–946 937 116 122.50–132.00 $129.56 $1,214 -2.44
951–963 952 102 124.00–135.00 $134.24 $1,278 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1112 1112 32 109.50 $109.50 $1,218 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
614 614 9 138.00 $138.00 $847 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
784 784 9 126.25 $126.25 $990 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 10 160.50 $160.50 $559 -1.44
356–379 370 81 162.00–170.00 $165.57 $613 +2.76
401–440 419 250 152.50–168.00 $163.22 $684 +22.22
453–499 476 761 143.50–162.50 $154.08 $733 -1.44
501–541 524 709 140.50–157.00 $149.80 $785 +17.56
528 528 5 133.00 $133.00 $702 -33.08
542 542 67 177.00 $177.00 $959 +10.92
555–597 579 1,109 138.00–154.50 $145.54 $843 -2.87
588–594 591 23 128.00–136.50 $131.67 $778 -16.74
601–648 624 766 129.50–148.25 $141.81 $885 +6.04
626–628 627 12 126.00–134.00 $130.66 $819 -5.11
640 640 82 161.00 $161.00 $1,030 +25.23
650–665 658 180 151.00 $151.00 $994 +14.66
650–698 675 426 128.00–137.50 $134.47 $908 -1.87
700–737 718 212 128.00–139.00 $133.21 $956 -0.99
725–743 734 36 125.50–131.00 $128.50 $943 -5.70
755–778 768 23 121.00–129.50 $125.87 $967 -7.88
758–799 781 332 129.00–140.25 $135.21 $1,056 +1.46
802–846 829 1,252 122.00–138.75 $134.70 $1,117 -0.14
855–895 878 752 126.50–136.00 $131.78 $1,157 +11.28
900–945 927 1,040 128.00–137.25 $134.65 $1,248 +12.65
950–995 971 442 126.00–134.00 $130.62 $1,268 +8.78
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 7 144.00 $144.00 $410 -6.00
306–345 336 68 149.00–164.00 $160.00 $538 +18.95
394–397 396 14 146.00–156.00 $152.45 $604 +19.61
416–430 422 10 126.00–149.00 $139.62 $589 +2.98
495 495 38 142.00–144.50 $143.58 $711 +7.38
519–531 528 14 123.00–146.00 $129.46 $684 -4.35
558–585 570 21 122.00–132.00 $128.47 $732 -2.53
628 628 6 124.00 $124.00 $779 —
664–692 687 60 127.00–132.75 $131.58 $904 +7.58
705–744 733 105 117.50–134.50 $133.00 $975 +16.00
748 thin fleshed 748 30 136.25 $136.25 $1,019 —
773–796 780 25 130.50–131.75 $131.34 $1,024 —
800–842 828 123 123.00–132.00 $127.89 $1,059 +7.89
858–860 859 51 128.25–131.50 $129.53 $1,113 +5.03
940–947 945 26 113.00–122.00 $119.93 $1,133 —
951 951 18 124.00 $124.00 $1,179 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1092 1092 5 108.00 $108.00 $1,179 —
1306 1306 18 101.00 $101.00 $1,319 —
1220–1472 1364 243 104.00–108.50 $106.45 $1,452 —
1373 1373 10 104.00 $104.00 $1,428 —
1507 1507 12 110.00 $110.00 $1,658 —
1538 1538 9 101.50 $101.50 $1,561 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014 1014 9 115.50 $115.50 $1,171 -5.59
1020–1041 1034 79 120.50–126.50 $123.65 $1,279 +2.56
1054 1054 7 124.00 $124.00 $1,307 +9.00
1066 1066 8 114.50 $114.50 $1,221 -0.50
1167–1181 1178 66 108.25–115.00 $109.04 $1,284 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
834 834 12 110.50 $110.50 $922 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
593 593 6 130.00 $130.00 $771 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476 476 9 166.00 $166.00 $790 —
648 648 9 145.00 $145.00 $940 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1383 1291 80-85% 11 63.50–65.00 $64.29 $830 +4.43
975–1665 1342 80-85% 94 46.00–59.00 $54.30 $729 +1.84
1085–1640 1453 80-85% 16 43.00–48.50 $46.22 $672 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
969–1355 1035 85-90% 8 26.00–34.00 $32.69 $338 —
997–1355 1184 85-90% 43 43.00–50.00 $46.27 $548 +7.24
995–1385 1200 85-90% 44 36.00–46.00 $42.35 $508 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1183–1740 1488 75-80% 15 46.50–58.00 $50.86 $757 —
1289–1765 1488 75-80% 36 56.00–66.00 $62.08 $924 —
1460–1705 1583 75-80% 2 67.00–68.00 $67.46 $1,068 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1504–1970 1652 65-75% 51 69.00–76.00 $72.70 $1,201 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570–2225 1861 16 76.00–80.00 $77.85 $1,449 +5.54
1610–2168 1877 9 62.00–77.00 $71.47 $1,341 -0.84
1775–2068 1970 3 81.50–83.00 $81.95 $1,614 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1339 1339 8 85.00 $85.00 $1,138 —
1462–1730 1547 48 88.00–91.50 $89.20 $1,380 —

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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.