Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 8, 2021

32,856 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $139.79/cwt +0.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,075/hd at 769 lb · 2,329 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $147.66/cwt +0.46 vs last sale · ≈ $1,068/hd at 723 lb · 2,083 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $139.14/cwt +2.33 vs last sale · ≈ $933/hd at 671 lb · 1,975 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 32,856 32,240 22,983
Feeder cattle 31,010 29,295 21,578
Slaughter cattle 1,846 2,945 1,405

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600 lbs steady to 3.00 higher, except 450-500 lbs 3.00 to 4.00 lower, over 600 lbs steady to 3.00 lower. Feeder heifers steady to 2.00 higher, except 500-550 lbs 6.00 to 7.00 higher. Good demand for light weight cattle to background, very good demand for replacement quality heifers, only moderate demand for cattle bound for finishing yards. A large offering in the auctions again this week as producers work to get their yards emptied out before new crop calves start hitting the ground. April CME Live Cattle futures continued to disappoint as it stubbornly stays below 120.00, which is a key figure as many outgoing fed cattle were bought last year with a 120.00 breakeven. Cattle feeders watch the April contract very closely as that is normally the high of the year, when supplies of market ready cattle are the tightest. Feed cost are much higher now and concern of more losses is weighing on the feeder cattle market. Flesh condition is of utmost importance, especially in a challenging market, buyers are willing to give much more for a green one than for one that has been pushed too hard. The market is very active on cattle that will graze on grass as yearlings as turnout time is only two months away. The supply of these light cattle is very tight and when numbers of them show up in town the competition is fierce. A much greater supply of heavier, backgrounded steers and heifers exist. Slaughter cows steady to 1.00 lower, 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
281 281 12 211.00 $211.00 $593 —
327–342 334 13 195.00–200.00 $197.64 $660 —
391–398 393 10 186.00–200.00 $190.25 $748 -10.64
404–441 430 158 180.00–202.00 $189.51 $815 +3.11
456 unweaned 456 35 169.50 $169.50 $773 —
474 fancy 474 4 185.00 $185.00 $877 —
464–496 478 16 167.50–168.50 $168.05 $803 -17.77
454–495 484 211 168.00–192.00 $182.32 $882 -3.50
511 thin fleshed 511 6 180.00 $180.00 $920 —
500–549 525 525 164.50–190.50 $177.60 $932 +0.46
530 unweaned 530 48 159.50 $159.50 $845 —
540 540 5 152.50 $152.50 $824 -24.64
550–598 569 762 160.00–184.00 $173.82 $989 +3.30
603–649 633 793 146.00–169.00 $157.78 $999 +6.92
639 639 18 146.50 $146.50 $936 -4.36
651 651 10 139.00 $139.00 $905 -13.49
650–695 669 1,462 139.00–163.25 $153.00 $1,024 +0.51
693 693 6 144.00 $144.00 $998 +3.58
702 702 80 167.00 $167.00 $1,172 +19.46
700–748 724 1,988 133.00–157.00 $146.99 $1,064 -0.55
730–731 731 15 133.00 $133.00 $972 -14.54
750–796 769 2,105 131.50–147.00 $138.86 $1,068 -0.98
769 769 140 160.00 $160.00 $1,230 +20.16
768–782 770 84 127.50–129.75 $129.40 $996 -10.44
810–813 812 128 137.00–143.00 $139.99 $1,137 +4.68
800–847 820 1,666 123.00–142.25 $133.36 $1,094 -1.95
862 862 13 127.50 $127.50 $1,099 +1.35
869 869 68 130.50 $130.50 $1,134 -0.23
853–898 875 1,219 122.50–135.25 $130.99 $1,146 +0.26
900–948 916 1,480 121.00–133.50 $129.23 $1,184 -0.32
925 925 171 131.50 $131.50 $1,216 +1.95
950–999 972 653 117.00–128.75 $125.13 $1,216 -3.34
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1316–1349 1337 14 107.00 $107.00 $1,431 —
1411–1498 1481 472 108.00–112.00 $110.89 $1,642 -0.07
1499–1551 1537 141 109.00–111.00 $110.56 $1,699 -0.45
1611–1699 1647 156 109.25–110.10 $109.88 $1,810 -0.52
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294 294 19 182.00 $182.00 $535 —
311 311 9 184.00 $184.00 $572 —
371–375 373 56 183.00–183.50 $183.47 $684 -6.41
421–449 439 103 153.00–179.00 $169.22 $743 -6.76
453–496 484 67 155.00–180.00 $169.91 $822 -5.78
518–545 537 159 149.50–168.00 $163.43 $878 -19.57
564–597 584 156 137.50–169.75 $159.64 $932 +1.86
629 629 38 138.50–139.00 $138.78 $873 -7.71
660–695 683 49 133.00–146.50 $136.84 $935 -5.21
700–738 715 68 127.50–132.50 $131.08 $937 -5.74
774–798 776 31 130.00–130.50 $130.05 $1,009 -0.20
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
973 973 7 122.50 $122.50 $1,192 —
1005–1047 1026 307 117.25–125.60 $123.61 $1,268 -0.67
1075–1083 1076 68 114.00–120.60 $119.82 $1,289 -3.92
1119 1119 112 118.25 $118.25 $1,323 -3.00
1158 1158 79 118.00 $118.00 $1,366 —
1213 1213 5 112.25 $112.25 $1,362 —
1298 1298 14 113.00 $113.00 $1,467 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 447 6 151.00 $151.00 $675 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 7 173.00 $173.00 $588 +10.50
354–386 378 34 145.00–167.00 $159.80 $604 -3.42
400–449 422 339 149.00–175.00 $165.31 $698 +2.41
449 449 6 161.00 $161.00 $723 -1.90
455–499 480 514 148.00–166.00 $159.28 $765 -0.61
497 497 7 142.50 $142.50 $708 -17.39
502–546 522 1,041 141.00–169.00 $158.52 $827 +7.04
544 544 10 130.00 $130.00 $707 -9.25
553 thin fleshed 553 17 160.00 $160.00 $885 +4.25
550–599 574 993 136.50–157.50 $149.07 $856 +2.48
587 587 5 134.00 $134.00 $787 -12.59
599 599 18 137.00 $137.00 $821 -9.59
603 thin fleshed 603 80 148.00 $148.00 $892 —
600–649 623 1,585 132.00–149.25 $142.79 $890 +1.07
612–640 632 129 148.00–156.00 $154.36 $976 +24.54
661 661 6 132.50 $132.50 $876 -3.61
650–698 668 1,626 123.50–143.00 $137.05 $915 +0.94
655–696 684 305 144.00–162.00 $153.04 $1,047 +5.68
681–690 688 38 118.00–119.00 $118.21 $813 -8.88
707–712 709 38 122.00–122.50 $122.26 $867 -23.20
701–749 720 1,355 124.75–140.50 $132.55 $954 +1.76
712–741 725 258 136.00–163.00 $148.20 $1,074 +17.41
743 743 38 126.00 $126.00 $936 -0.25
760–794 769 36 120.00–121.00 $120.29 $925 -5.06
750–799 773 667 120.00–133.00 $126.49 $978 -16.66
756–792 774 25 118.00–122.00 $119.82 $927 -23.33
750–798 776 388 132.00–149.00 $142.03 $1,102 -1.12
806–842 822 33 115.00–116.75 $115.94 $953 -7.61
821–827 823 209 134.00 $134.00 $1,103 +10.45
801–847 829 741 119.75–134.75 $124.43 $1,032 +0.88
808–839 829 115 134.00–155.00 $140.38 $1,164 +16.83
865 865 6 122.00 $122.00 $1,055 -0.83
852–896 875 453 119.50–126.25 $123.30 $1,079 +0.47
875 875 28 131.50 $131.50 $1,151 +8.67
907 907 35 130.00 $130.00 $1,179 +10.21
930 930 15 105.25 $105.25 $979 -14.54
905–945 933 305 115.00–123.00 $119.63 $1,116 -0.16
950–981 957 23 115.00–115.50 $115.11 $1,102 -2.23
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303–334 322 20 166.00–178.00 $173.48 $559 —
355–395 374 35 149.00–175.00 $161.29 $603 -4.14
400–440 411 20 141.00–157.50 $151.72 $624 +3.76
419 thin fleshed 419 15 120.00 $120.00 $503 —
450–498 484 54 137.00–160.00 $154.52 $748 +6.49
504–537 517 92 134.00–154.00 $145.74 $753 +7.96
555–597 572 112 132.00–142.00 $138.23 $791 +1.21
620–646 636 10 127.00–127.50 $127.30 $810 -0.08
655–676 664 26 123.00–125.00 $124.14 $824 -0.43
710–742 724 78 115.00–123.50 $121.47 $879 +0.47
754 754 8 117.00 $117.00 $882 -4.57
836 836 10 118.25 $118.25 $989 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
692 692 46 935.00 $935.00 -265.00
739–749 746 42 985.00–1,150.00 $1,107.21 +64.21
750–799 769 217 1,020.00–1,125.00 $1,077.79 -64.93
812 812 55 1,085.00 $1,085.00 +37.05
860 860 34 1,130.00 $1,130.00 -96.29
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
639 639 6 134.00 $134.00 $856 —
713 713 6 129.50 $129.50 $923 —
1000–1047 1032 62 106.00–113.50 $108.44 $1,119 —
1072–1089 1085 94 106.25–113.75 $112.33 $1,219 —
1106–1137 1115 188 100.50–113.75 $113.39 $1,264 —
1169–1171 1170 11 104.50–106.50 $105.59 $1,235 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1292–1294 1293 40 106.25–107.00 $106.55 $1,378 +0.85
1316–1482 1389 182 107.00–111.00 $109.67 $1,523 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 16 99.00 $99.00 $323 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 5 156.00 $156.00 $690 —
593 593 10 133.00 $133.00 $789 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
787 787 9 116.00 $116.00 $913 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 5 201.00 $201.00 $697 —
429–438 435 14 174.00–179.00 $175.41 $763 -1.59

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1410 1135 85-90% 6 21.00–37.00 $23.46 $266 —
950–1400 1171 85-90% 16 35.00–43.00 $37.98 $445 —
810–1645 1258 85-90% 82 40.00–55.50 $51.01 $642 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1910 1431 80-85% 74 53.50–61.75 $57.40 $821 -0.63
1337–1803 1672 80-85% 13 53.00–55.00 $53.98 $903 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1207–1845 1556 75-80% 85 60.00–67.00 $63.00 $980 +5.11
1605–1845 1725 75-80% 2 57.00–59.00 $58.07 $1,002 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1303–2295 1608 6 55.00–75.00 $65.35 $1,051 -20.76
1620–2390 1885 13 81.50–88.00 $84.37 $1,590 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1407 1407 19 90.00 $90.00 $1,266 —
1295–1692 1504 125 91.00–97.00 $93.39 $1,405 —

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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.