Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, June 7, 2021

17,255 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $129.76/cwt -1.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,255/hd at 967 lb · 1,389 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $134.41/cwt +1.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,244/hd at 925 lb · 1,269 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $128.51/cwt +1.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,056/hd at 822 lb · 1,146 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 17,255 17,805 23,512
Feeder cattle 15,956 17,136 22,525
Slaughter cattle 1,299 669 987

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 900 lbs not well compared due to differences in flesh condition compared to this week’s steers, over 900 lbs steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder heifers steady to 2.00 higher. Good demand for all weights of steers and heifers, only East River auctions this week so the flesh is heavier than last week as West River cattle are running out on grass and in thinner flesh. Drought conditions remain across the state with little relief, some rain fell East River but not widespread moisture which is desperately needed. Cattle feeders are faced with high costs of gain as cash corn is at 7.00 and the fat market only at 120.00, however with the back months of the futures contracts on either side of 130.00 there is still a lot of interest in feeding cattle. Strings of feedyard backgrounded yearlings continue to be offered, as they always do this time of year but more on a every other week basis. Auction barns are hosting their summertime BBQ appreciation sales, which always draw lots of consignments and lots of buyers who want to make full pens or even full yards of even, uniform cattle. More West River yearlings consigned in auctions for this coming week as the drought is forcing cattle off the range. Slaughter cows 2.00 to 4.00 higher, bulls 2.00 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
375 375 5 182.50 $182.50 $684 —
433–438 436 16 186.00–191.50 $188.77 $823 -2.38
463–475 472 55 162.00–197.00 $182.86 $863 -4.16
509–535 519 40 178.00–181.00 $179.84 $933 -5.32
552–599 579 182 159.00–180.00 $170.85 $989 -5.43
611–644 627 115 155.00–163.50 $160.64 $1,007 -7.93
653 thin fleshed 653 18 170.00 $170.00 $1,110 —
650–697 677 287 149.50–169.00 $156.17 $1,057 -5.95
700–749 730 391 135.00–158.00 $150.58 $1,099 +18.08
754–798 774 385 133.00–147.00 $143.18 $1,108 -9.28
800–842 822 496 128.00–147.75 $141.00 $1,159 +13.76
837 837 12 126.50 $126.50 $1,059 -22.11
857–898 879 1,112 128.50–141.20 $137.31 $1,207 -2.44
891 891 17 124.00 $124.00 $1,105 -15.75
907 907 24 127.00 $127.00 $1,152 -5.99
916 thin fleshed 916 59 138.35 $138.35 $1,267 —
900–949 926 1,174 127.60–141.20 $134.43 $1,245 +1.44
941 941 12 128.00 $128.00 $1,204 -4.99
952–989 967 1,389 125.25–136.00 $129.76 $1,255 -2.01
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1033 1015 245 121.50–128.60 $125.49 $1,274 +1.12
1050–1098 1074 860 122.50–127.35 $124.94 $1,342 +1.08
1106–1134 1121 206 121.25–123.00 $122.10 $1,369 +7.10
1151–1177 1170 43 118.25–119.50 $118.56 $1,387 +0.56
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
441 441 7 179.50 $179.50 $792 -7.50
464 464 7 165.00 $165.00 $766 -1.00
508–549 537 73 154.00–173.00 $163.83 $880 —
560–596 576 24 150.50–165.00 $157.73 $909 +11.73
634–643 640 56 140.00–155.00 $146.43 $937 -5.07
673 673 14 151.00 $151.00 $1,016 +4.45
717 717 5 132.00 $132.00 $946 -5.80
757 thin fleshed 757 59 145.25 $145.25 $1,100 —
767–775 771 58 135.00–138.50 $136.86 $1,055 +5.94
809–846 834 87 104.00–135.50 $128.90 $1,075 —
874–894 887 161 131.60 $131.60 $1,167 —
906 906 20 131.00 $131.00 $1,187 —
979 979 22 114.00 $114.00 $1,116 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1297 1297 6 124.00 $124.00 $1,608 —
1386 1386 5 126.00 $126.00 $1,746 —
1396–1489 1432 205 116.75–121.50 $118.93 $1,703 -4.71
1504–1548 1536 97 120.00–122.00 $121.38 $1,864 -6.62
1551 1551 64 113.00 $113.00 $1,753 -9.50
1668–1680 1671 14 118.00–119.50 $119.07 $1,990 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 21 141.00 $141.00 $764 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1078 1078 13 121.25 $121.25 $1,307 +5.91

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408–446 431 23 148.00–157.00 $151.33 $652 -18.10
468–486 482 36 147.00–159.00 $154.56 $745 -9.72
530 thin fleshed 530 53 161.50 $161.50 $856 —
518–549 534 156 143.50–162.00 $153.73 $821 -5.78
550–592 577 184 141.00–156.75 $148.74 $858 -4.28
607–649 633 169 135.00–148.00 $144.51 $915 +5.41
658–698 679 497 129.00–150.25 $141.59 $961 +0.26
690 690 19 120.00–126.50 $124.79 $861 +7.29
707–748 731 343 126.50–138.75 $134.61 $984 -5.59
750–796 772 851 126.00–138.60 $132.67 $1,024 +1.33
801–847 822 1,146 121.75–134.10 $128.51 $1,056 +1.64
852–890 870 1,044 120.25–130.25 $125.84 $1,095 +0.80
905–940 918 839 118.50–123.75 $121.96 $1,120 +2.80
934 934 67 120.75 $120.75 $1,128 +1.59
951–998 969 633 115.00–121.10 $118.75 $1,151 +1.53
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1211 1211 11 118.00 $118.00 $1,429 +7.50
1311 1311 4 115.00 $115.00 $1,508 -7.02
1206–1457 1345 290 116.50–121.50 $120.55 $1,621 +1.67
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1039–1043 1043 220 114.50–115.00 $114.56 $1,195 -2.47
1099 1099 33 117.50 $117.50 $1,291 +4.59
1184 1184 18 114.50 $114.50 $1,356 -2.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 14 147.00 $147.00 $581 -14.00
441 441 6 156.00 $156.00 $688 —
453–479 472 19 141.00–143.00 $142.50 $673 -19.50
503 503 11 139.00 $139.00 $699 —
616–643 631 13 130.00–132.00 $131.10 $827 -0.90
659–683 667 16 132.00–132.50 $132.16 $882 —
724–745 729 24 122.50–124.00 $122.88 $896 -2.24
754–791 772 31 119.00–124.00 $120.73 $932 —
822 822 31 117.00 $117.00 $962 +2.89
905–939 912 49 101.00–121.25 $109.76 $1,001 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
817 817 37 119.00 $119.00 $972 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1750 1433 75-80% 53 69.00–77.00 $72.04 $1,032 +2.42
1263–1995 1582 75-80% 18 76.00–81.00 $77.53 $1,227 +2.53
1558–1640 1584 75-80% 6 65.00–68.00 $67.02 $1,062 -7.98
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1238–1550 1348 80-85% 10 70.00–71.00 $70.58 $951 +5.81
990–1780 1362 80-85% 62 64.00–69.50 $67.16 $915 —
1485–1690 1588 80-85% 2 55.00 $55.00 $873 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1266 1266 65-75% 14 90.50 $90.50 $1,146 —
1271–1748 1435 65-75% 42 80.00–88.00 $84.78 $1,217 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785–895 822 85-90% 3 42.00–44.00 $42.73 $351 —
790–1620 1137 85-90% 21 46.00–57.00 $52.55 $597 —
1335 1335 85-90% 1 65.50 $65.50 $874 —
955–1930 1374 85-90% 26 59.00–64.50 $62.36 $857 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1635 1635 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,749 —
1320–2415 1788 4 75.00–83.50 $79.64 $1,424 —
1383–2400 1872 10 92.00–100.50 $96.86 $1,813 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1389–1459 1421 68 107.00–114.00 $109.89 $1,562 —
1432–1670 1538 9 98.00–100.50 $99.21 $1,526 —

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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.