Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 8, 2021

25,551 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 $152.70/cwt +3.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,035/hd at 678 lb · 1,936 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $140.16/cwt +4.54 vs last sale · ≈ $946/hd at 675 lb · 1,837 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $148.83/cwt +3.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,080/hd at 726 lb · 1,708 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 25,551 21,207 22,598
Feeder cattle 23,950 19,054 20,750
Slaughter cattle 1,601 2,153 1,848

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 3.00 higher, heifers under 600 lbs 6.00 to 7.00 higher, over 600 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Moderate to good demand for feeder cattle this week, receipts much lighter than normal due to the severe cold weather that covered the entire midsection of the country. With daytime highs below zero and overnight lows going beyond -20, livestock movement was greatly reduced. Many consignments cancelled as producers battled the conditions to take care of their cattle at home, but those that braved the conditions found the market was very active. Cattle performance is a key focus now as costs of gain have quickly increased, cattle feeders are very critical of cattle in too heavy of flesh condition. Light fleshed cattle sell easily, and top the market, while the overfed types find fewer buyers and sell at the bottom of the market. The Live Cattle futures contracts made good gains on Friday, and cash fed cattle topping 116.00 in Iowa, and gave cattle feeders the hope that the fed market will get better still. Slaughter cows 1.00 to 3.00 higher, bulls 2.00 to 3.00 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
350–379 362 52 184.50–199.50 $194.50 $704 -5.16
402 unweaned 402 5 171.00 $171.00 $687 -1.00
402–441 417 126 180.00–197.00 $189.81 $792 -4.65
450–499 476 183 172.00–191.50 $182.60 $869 -0.79
503 thin fleshed 503 24 185.75 $185.75 $934 +2.75
506 unweaned 506 23 171.00 $171.00 $865 —
500–547 521 367 164.00–185.00 $177.19 $923 +1.22
564 thin fleshed 564 5 175.25 $175.25 $988 —
550–598 571 897 156.00–176.50 $169.79 $970 +9.13
591 591 35 159.50 $159.50 $943 +4.64
593 unweaned 593 9 153.00 $153.00 $907 —
600–646 620 1,140 148.00–167.00 $158.84 $985 +3.94
634–645 644 37 149.50–150.00 $149.57 $963 +10.71
675 675 160 157.50 $157.50 $1,063 +7.17
651–699 678 1,716 141.50–161.00 $152.78 $1,036 +2.45
682–683 unweaned 683 18 138.50–141.75 $140.31 $958 —
675–695 685 42 130.00–144.00 $136.56 $935 -13.77
715–718 716 263 150.00–159.00 $157.08 $1,125 +10.78
701–747 727 1,402 142.00–154.00 $147.67 $1,074 +10.49
706–745 736 43 135.00–138.25 $136.10 $1,002 -1.08
754 fancy 754 19 148.50 $148.50 $1,120 —
750–799 774 1,418 134.75–148.50 $140.89 $1,090 +2.73
759–797 791 89 128.25–129.50 $129.30 $1,023 -8.86
806–833 820 39 128.25–131.00 $129.57 $1,062 -5.63
816–835 823 404 139.00–146.58 $145.78 $1,200 +10.58
800–841 824 1,027 129.85–142.50 $136.01 $1,121 +0.81
859–885 867 55 130.25–132.00 $131.45 $1,140 +9.95
850–898 870 1,218 125.75–139.25 $134.40 $1,169 +3.40
900–943 920 540 124.00–133.50 $131.64 $1,211 +0.88
945 945 13 124.00 $124.00 $1,172 -6.76
954–983 962 288 122.50–135.75 $131.43 $1,264 +2.67
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1376 1376 10 113.75 $113.75 $1,565 —
1398–1495 1462 65 111.00–113.50 $112.85 $1,650 +4.10
1512–1577 1548 147 112.50–115.75 $113.79 $1,761 —
1614–1696 1637 394 112.00–114.75 $113.39 $1,856 +4.48
1719–1732 1722 42 111.00–113.75 $111.66 $1,923 +4.66
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–380 371 42 183.00–185.00 $183.83 $682 +10.16
412–437 428 27 171.00–184.00 $175.85 $753 +0.34
457–496 475 76 158.00–175.00 $169.96 $807 +0.96
476 476 7 166.00 $166.00 $790 -3.00
518–548 533 39 156.50–165.00 $160.79 $857 +4.11
565–586 578 70 145.00–158.50 $154.20 $891 -2.92
624–646 638 105 138.25–149.75 $145.61 $929 +4.37
659–679 672 12 128.00–141.00 $132.25 $889 -8.70
711–749 737 34 133.75–141.00 $138.02 $1,017 +3.08
755–788 771 22 131.25–139.50 $134.95 $1,040 +5.42
811 811 18 131.00 $131.00 $1,062 +5.82
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1048 1014 224 124.00–126.60 $125.33 $1,271 -1.79
1051–1094 1078 221 125.50–129.75 $128.22 $1,382 +1.79
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
757 757 9 123.50 $123.50 $935 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
483 483 5 147.00 $147.00 $710 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–343 323 21 171.00–172.00 $171.28 $553 +8.39
362–399 392 87 156.00–175.50 $165.70 $650 +1.63
405–440 421 156 150.00–175.50 $164.45 $692 +4.80
450–498 480 395 148.00–167.00 $161.51 $775 +7.60
501–545 524 906 142.50–165.50 $156.11 $818 +5.78
519–533 thin fleshed 525 45 155.00–158.00 $156.71 $823 —
534 unweaned 534 7 141.50 $141.50 $756 —
550–599 575 1,223 139.50–159.00 $150.27 $864 +6.15
577–599 594 52 128.75–140.00 $132.63 $788 -2.07
594 unweaned 594 19 120.00 $120.00 $713 -6.00
606–643 625 183 145.50–150.50 $147.89 $924 +8.10
601–648 626 1,204 133.50–152.00 $142.66 $893 +2.87
630 630 9 136.50 $136.50 $860 -3.29
664–686 671 395 145.50–158.00 $151.06 $1,014 +15.72
650–695 676 1,442 127.75–144.50 $137.18 $927 +1.84
704–748 726 194 140.50–161.00 $150.69 $1,094 +28.44
700–748 727 992 125.25–135.00 $131.13 $953 +8.88
731–743 738 21 122.00–125.25 $123.38 $911 -20.52
753–790 759 85 118.50–126.00 $124.50 $945 -2.02
750–774 765 426 132.50–165.00 $156.32 $1,196 +29.80
751–797 773 629 123.00–136.00 $129.64 $1,002 +3.12
774 774 17 132.00 $132.00 $1,022 +5.48
823–835 829 24 125.75–126.00 $125.89 $1,044 +1.43
842 842 24 122.75 $122.75 $1,034 -1.71
850–895 871 425 119.75–126.00 $123.47 $1,075 -1.29
904–940 922 62 117.00–123.60 $121.04 $1,116 -0.34
973 973 12 115.50 $115.50 $1,124 -3.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307–330 321 24 162.00–176.00 $167.02 $536 —
385–389 386 28 155.00–168.00 $166.13 $641 +4.35
420–443 428 26 148.00–162.50 $154.54 $661 +1.99
462–490 478 26 141.00–156.00 $150.71 $720 +10.00
501–542 524 19 135.00–143.50 $138.87 $728 +6.17
560–594 580 58 128.00–142.00 $134.77 $782 +3.39
605–645 635 164 123.00–134.00 $130.87 $831 +6.31
653–699 675 51 119.00–128.00 $125.29 $846 +8.13
746 746 18 126.25 $126.25 $942 +0.38
793 793 7 122.50 $122.50 $971 +3.50
996 996 11 107.50 $107.50 $1,071 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150 1150 6 116.00 $116.00 $1,334 +2.00
1259–1488 1392 309 112.00–115.00 $113.56 $1,581 —
1391–1418 1399 17 108.00–108.50 $108.15 $1,513 —
1627 1627 10 110.00 $110.00 $1,790 +4.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
559 559 51 145.00 $145.00 $811 —
636 636 9 133.50 $133.50 $849 —
1012 1012 9 116.50 $116.50 $1,179 +8.50
1054 1054 18 118.00 $118.00 $1,244 —
1081 1081 6 110.50 $110.50 $1,195 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
594 594 12 148.00 $148.00 $879 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 381 12 149.00 $149.00 $568 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1365 1274 80-85% 6 65.50–66.50 $66.01 $841 —
1180–1610 1329 80-85% 16 52.00–60.00 $58.17 $773 +5.79
1025–1677 1337 80-85% 74 56.00–65.50 $62.37 $834 +9.99
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1334–1820 1528 75-80% 22 58.00–64.50 $61.99 $947 —
1148–2020 1541 75-80% 68 62.50–73.00 $66.61 $1,026 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545–1874 1677 65-75% 75 64.00–76.00 $70.85 $1,188 +1.93
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1435 1194 85-90% 11 50.00–55.00 $51.97 $621 —
1044–1350 1215 85-90% 36 52.00–59.00 $57.37 $697 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–2430 1820 2 72.00–75.00 $74.00 $1,347 —
1425–2420 1975 15 86.00–94.00 $89.28 $1,763 —
2060–2090 2078 5 93.50–94.50 $93.90 $1,951 —

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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.