Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 16, 2021

13,811 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $156.78/cwt +1.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,442/hd at 920 lb · 1,622 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $162.07/cwt +0.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,344/hd at 829 lb · 986 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $150.07/cwt +4.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,307/hd at 871 lb · 774 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 13,811 14,513 14,186
Feeder cattle 12,091 13,163 12,955
Slaughter cattle 1,720 1,350 1,231

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 2.00 higher, feeder heifers steady to 2.00 higher except 800-950 lbs 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Very good demand for yearling steers and heifers this week, higher cash fed cattle market this week as Iowa topped at 129.50, as cattle feeders are feeling very optimistic for the coming months in the fat cattle market. Yearlings continue to come off grass much earlier than normal, flesh condition is very desirable on these cattle as the pastures are dry. Spring born calves are coming to market also already, as the drought is forcing these calves off the range a full 2-3 months earlier than usual. Demand is very good for these light calves, in spite of it being early “too early” for many cattle feeders. Slaughter cows and bulls steady to 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
217 217 16 260.00 $260.00 $564 —
254–295 267 85 220.00–258.00 $250.62 $669 —
319–348 342 146 220.00–237.50 $235.88 $807 —
361–399 377 99 199.00–235.00 $220.85 $833 —
416–445 429 50 190.00–205.00 $198.62 $852 —
454 fancy 454 107 213.50 $213.50 $969 —
456–496 471 74 180.00–198.00 $191.32 $901 +2.23
518–528 524 14 166.00–174.00 $169.39 $888 —
551–582 571 39 164.00–180.50 $174.12 $994 —
612–647 628 74 167.00–180.00 $174.77 $1,098 +6.99
650–692 674 103 164.50–177.00 $172.44 $1,162 +1.66
710 710 29 155.00 $155.00 $1,100 -12.78
704–745 725 247 156.00–175.75 $166.65 $1,208 -1.13
750–798 772 230 155.00–168.50 $164.86 $1,273 -3.05
803–848 829 986 155.00–167.50 $162.07 $1,344 +1.40
850–895 880 755 154.75–161.00 $159.33 $1,402 +1.05
911 911 9 153.50 $153.50 $1,398 -2.01
901–946 920 1,613 147.00–161.00 $156.80 $1,443 +1.29
953–995 968 702 138.50–157.75 $155.57 $1,506 +15.64
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1227 1227 6 130.00 $130.00 $1,595 +6.31
1304–1352 1315 50 123.00–126.50 $125.27 $1,647 —
1310–1385 1349 189 125.50–130.00 $126.59 $1,708 —
1415–1472 1442 42 123.75–125.50 $124.60 $1,797 -5.90
1426–1474 1450 229 126.00–131.00 $128.35 $1,861 +0.35
1396–1477 1455 60 126.00–134.00 $132.32 $1,925 +4.32
1517–1568 1530 212 128.50–132.50 $130.10 $1,991 +3.51
1773 1773 24 129.00 $129.00 $2,287 +13.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1011–1029 1025 167 139.00–143.85 $142.59 $1,462 -1.81
1051–1070 1059 258 141.25–142.85 $142.20 $1,506 +0.93
1105–1138 1111 136 130.00–136.75 $135.58 $1,506 -5.61
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226 226 10 247.50 $247.50 $559 —
331 331 3 212.50 $212.50 $703 —
441 441 9 182.00 $182.00 $803 —
628–636 632 10 162.00–163.00 $162.50 $1,027 +24.50
665–683 672 22 161.00–169.50 $166.36 $1,118 +9.83
707–718 711 17 142.00–163.00 $150.95 $1,073 -7.05
771 771 15 153.00 $153.00 $1,180 —
786 786 8 119.00 $119.00 $935 —
842–846 844 17 120.00–154.00 $134.04 $1,131 -5.46
865–874 870 30 115.00–155.50 $136.70 $1,189 -9.30
906–943 930 22 123.50–138.50 $133.18 $1,239 -9.48
986 986 21 129.00 $129.00 $1,272 +5.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258–284 274 96 212.00–225.00 $213.67 $585 —
306–339 323 75 182.00–230.00 $214.88 $694 —
354–385 361 88 189.00–212.50 $199.45 $720 —
406–439 435 155 179.00–197.75 $193.27 $841 —
452–459 455 17 165.00–166.00 $165.53 $753 —
518 thin fleshed 518 24 171.00 $171.00 $886 —
518–544 533 58 155.00–169.50 $162.56 $866 —
557–597 586 47 149.00–161.50 $157.52 $923 -3.95
606–645 638 180 149.00–166.00 $158.60 $1,012 -1.52
654–698 669 380 149.00–166.00 $157.23 $1,052 +0.45
705–749 716 303 145.00–159.00 $154.57 $1,107 -0.13
755–795 782 499 147.00–157.50 $154.20 $1,206 +2.47
794 794 17 152.00 $152.00 $1,207 +0.27
800–846 822 403 142.00–154.75 $151.72 $1,247 +17.72
850–899 871 749 135.00–155.00 $150.14 $1,308 +4.63
876 value added 876 25 148.00 $148.00 $1,296 —
902–948 929 735 136.00–151.25 $146.77 $1,363 +3.59
952–978 969 282 132.50–145.00 $141.79 $1,374 +0.59
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1049 1024 414 123.50–138.50 $132.80 $1,360 +1.67
1053 1053 56 132.70 $132.70 $1,397 +0.39
1159 1159 4 118.00 $118.00 $1,368 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1224 1211 34 131.00 $131.00 $1,586 —
1195–1298 1264 21 120.00–124.00 $121.26 $1,533 -4.49
1271–1419 1342 273 125.00–130.00 $126.25 $1,694 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 5 207.50 $207.50 $394 —
227 227 16 207.50 $207.50 $471 —
296 296 5 187.50 $187.50 $555 —
638 638 5 146.00 $146.00 $931 —
688 688 6 127.00 $127.00 $874 —
724–725 725 13 143.00–144.00 $143.38 $1,040 +0.25
770 770 8 151.50 $151.50 $1,167 +29.50
944–949 946 13 128.00–132.50 $130.08 $1,231 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1153–1503 1319 80-85% 60 63.00–69.00 $65.63 $866 -7.87
1215–1490 1342 80-85% 15 55.50–62.50 $60.89 $817 -1.73
775–1577 1388 80-85% 8 65.00–72.50 $71.76 $996 —
1520 1520 80-85% 1 49.00 $49.00 $745 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
943–1190 1046 85-90% 13 25.00–32.50 $28.12 $294 —
860–1580 1144 85-90% 29 45.00–54.00 $50.66 $580 —
980–1386 1213 85-90% 25 56.00–60.50 $57.99 $703 -1.45
1329–1403 1340 85-90% 13 63.00–63.50 $63.08 $845 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1213–1645 1416 75-80% 20 70.00–78.00 $73.50 $1,041 —
1445 1445 75-80% 1 55.00 $55.00 $795 —
1385–1608 1503 75-80% 4 64.50–68.00 $66.12 $994 -8.01
1250–1738 1504 75-80% 25 82.50–85.00 $84.39 $1,269 +10.26
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1845 1535 65-75% 36 86.00–92.00 $87.92 $1,350 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–2390 1718 34 58.00–91.00 $84.37 $1,449 —
1230–2105 1718 9 93.00–102.00 $96.47 $1,657 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1321–1516 1404 24 110.00–111.00 $110.40 $1,550 -2.14
1376–1590 1449 37 114.50–120.00 $116.31 $1,685 +3.77

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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.