Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 26, 2021

11,899 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 $146.04/cwt +4.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,119/hd at 766 lb · 811 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $127.48/cwt -5.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,180/hd at 926 lb · 785 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $127.70/cwt -3.87 vs last sale · ≈ $986/hd at 772 lb · 725 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 11,899 23,794 22,140
Feeder cattle 10,897 22,413 21,483
Slaughter cattle 1,002 1,381 657

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 3.00 to 7.00 lower, 600-700 lbs steady to 1.00 lower, over 700 lbs 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Demand only moderate this week as the corn market made rapid gains, moving well into the 7.00 range. Cattle feeders got hit with a double whammy, corn shot higher and fat cattle moved lower with many sales back below 120.00. With costs of gains much higher than last year there is a great amount of pressure on the feeder cattle market. Drought conditions remain over the state, except for an area around Brookings and Watertown, with the most extreme conditions in the north central and northwest part of the state. Many heifers that were held back for replacements have been brought to town as cattle producers try to get their numbers adjusted down to levels that the range will support this year. Packers continue to take all of the profit in the industry for themselves, leaving those who produce the cattle with a very slim profit margin or a loss. Boxed beef prices just shy of 300.00 for Choice beef, yet fat cattle only 118.00-120.00. This is very concerning for cattle producers especially as they are faced with higher feed costs. Auction runs were lighter this week, in part due to the weather that was conducive for corn planting but also due to the weakness in the feeder cattle market some producers chose to stay out of the market and let things settle a bit. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 lower, bulls not well compared as they were limited in number.

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
350–359 357 16 160.00–196.00 $189.39 $676 -1.97
428–436 433 9 174.00–193.00 $180.26 $781 -12.50
475–499 488 116 158.00–181.00 $174.81 $853 -2.74
504–542 527 81 155.00–171.00 $167.97 $885 -4.91
545 unweaned 545 14 161.00 $161.00 $877 —
550–598 574 246 154.00–168.00 $161.60 $928 -7.74
604–639 621 222 151.00–166.50 $159.60 $991 -1.19
625–638 632 7 138.00–149.00 $142.66 $902 -18.13
652 652 10 138.00 $138.00 $900 -8.00
654–699 680 294 137.00–161.75 $153.97 $1,047 -0.83
703–746 725 145 136.00–155.50 $145.34 $1,054 -3.56
736 736 26 129.00 $129.00 $949 -19.90
752–795 764 757 133.00–152.75 $147.40 $1,126 +6.82
796 796 54 127.00 $127.00 $1,011 -7.00
814 thin fleshed 814 10 140.00 $140.00 $1,140 —
803–849 823 221 122.50–141.00 $134.13 $1,104 -2.61
871 871 33 120.00 $120.00 $1,045 -14.12
855–892 875 579 122.50–136.25 $128.60 $1,125 -5.52
906–947 926 785 116.00–130.60 $127.48 $1,180 -5.18
959–989 972 456 118.25–127.00 $123.33 $1,199 +8.08
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014–1039 1031 227 116.75–125.00 $122.30 $1,261 -1.40
1052–1082 1061 156 115.00–120.25 $119.31 $1,266 +0.22
1107–1114 1108 210 115.25–119.90 $119.57 $1,325 +2.88
1328 1328 9 112.25 $112.25 $1,491 —
1368 1368 3 111.25 $111.25 $1,522 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1344 1344 18 117.50 $117.50 $1,579 —
1398–1478 1448 152 119.00–121.00 $119.71 $1,733 -0.45
1515–1571 1547 150 119.75–121.50 $120.69 $1,867 -3.31
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
461 461 4 171.00 $171.00 $788 ±0.00
542–544 543 11 125.00–164.00 $149.78 $813 -4.72
569–595 587 13 124.00–142.00 $133.74 $785 -32.51
609–649 623 17 123.00–147.50 $137.95 $859 -8.99
668–691 673 49 137.50–142.00 $138.38 $931 +7.74
700–745 735 126 120.00–137.00 $127.23 $935 -4.67
757–772 765 26 118.00–124.00 $122.34 $936 -7.57
809–849 841 21 113.00–118.00 $117.08 $985 -6.46
867 867 10 107.00 $107.00 $928 —
936–946 941 15 113.50–119.00 $116.05 $1,092 —
960 960 23 112.25 $112.25 $1,078 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 4 192.50 $192.50 $516 —
372–382 375 17 140.00–176.00 $165.21 $620 -8.98
422 422 5 167.00 $167.00 $705 +8.62
459–497 481 43 141.00–161.00 $155.55 $748 +19.43
488 unweaned 488 13 150.00 $150.00 $732 —
502–540 524 232 138.50–159.00 $145.85 $764 -3.58
550–586 568 89 132.50–155.00 $142.75 $811 +14.75
579 unweaned 579 8 131.00 $131.00 $758 —
589 589 4 137.00 $137.00 $807 -7.12
600–640 627 593 132.25–145.00 $139.42 $874 +0.93
647 647 9 123.50 $123.50 $799 -3.78
652–690 668 49 117.00–123.00 $120.90 $808 -15.02
653–698 677 334 126.00–140.25 $134.16 $908 -1.76
701–746 726 599 122.00–135.50 $129.77 $942 -7.34
734 734 48 133.00 $133.00 $976 -4.11
741 741 10 121.00 $121.00 $897 -16.11
754–786 767 183 135.00–137.00 $135.83 $1,042 +7.74
753–798 774 542 120.00–129.25 $124.96 $967 -3.13
818 818 28 115.75 $115.75 $947 -27.06
800–846 821 261 113.75–126.00 $121.94 $1,001 -20.87
853–882 868 637 117.00–121.75 $119.60 $1,038 +3.60
900–942 921 527 113.00–120.00 $116.16 $1,070 -1.98
950–999 963 106 105.50–115.50 $113.45 $1,093 -2.83
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
730–739 735 87 950.00–1,050.00 $1,002.11 -7.89
755–780 769 229 990.00–1,180.00 $1,121.46 —
800–829 814 132 1,125.00–1,190.00 $1,168.13 +54.22
861 861 54 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 4 172.00 $172.00 $636 —
414–447 443 72 140.00–152.00 $144.48 $640 -11.14
471–492 477 10 119.00–152.00 $129.20 $616 -18.72
528–545 533 54 126.00–143.00 $137.95 $735 -6.26
563–588 574 44 126.00–140.00 $133.89 $769 -13.11
630 630 4 111.00 $111.00 $699 -19.15
715–737 735 35 119.50–120.50 $119.88 $881 -1.59
764 764 5 113.00 $113.00 $863 -5.50
819 819 37 110.00 $110.00 $901 +2.38
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1199–1224 1218 16 115.00 $115.00 $1,401 —
1245–1401 1336 31 115.00 $115.00 $1,536 —
1323–1464 1373 155 116.25–122.00 $119.36 $1,639 -0.61
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1008–1033 1018 180 116.00–118.00 $117.32 $1,194 +4.37

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1835 1526 75-80% 25 63.00–73.00 $67.78 $1,034 —
1442–1710 1549 75-80% 7 73.00–80.00 $76.35 $1,183 —
1440–1875 1640 75-80% 7 59.00–65.50 $62.69 $1,028 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1505 1276 80-85% 25 63.00–69.00 $65.83 $840 -2.05
1210–1850 1463 80-85% 3 55.50–62.00 $58.85 $861 —
1454–1610 1485 80-85% 5 69.50–73.00 $72.24 $1,073 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1330 1248 85-90% 5 35.00–59.00 $49.68 $620 -15.25
1010–1505 1271 85-90% 21 51.00–65.00 $60.46 $768 —
1085–1530 1379 85-90% 7 19.00–36.00 $30.75 $424 -29.32
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1526–1824 1678 65-75% 29 75.00–82.50 $81.04 $1,360 +5.25

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Slaughter Bulls

YG3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–2490 1933 5 84.00–86.00 $84.84 $1,640 —
2275 2275 1 66.00 $66.00 $1,502 —
YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1615 1563 2 89.50–92.00 $90.71 $1,418 —
1785–2220 2003 2 92.50–96.50 $94.72 $1,897 —
2205 2205 1 103.00 $103.00 $2,271 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1443 1345 27 95.00–98.50 $96.57 $1,299 —
1418–1671 1552 56 95.50–98.00 $96.27 $1,494 —

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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.