Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 23, 2021

19,545 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 heifers $148.54/cwt +1.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,364/hd at 919 lb · 2,048 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $149.30/cwt -0.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,302/hd at 872 lb · 1,658 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $153.55/cwt -2.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,491/hd at 971 lb · 1,259 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 19,545 13,811 9,292
Feeder cattle 17,902 12,091 8,193
Slaughter cattle 1,643 1,720 1,099

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves steady to 4.00 higher, except 350-450 lbs 8.00 to 12.00 higher, heifer calves steady to 5.00 higher. Yearling feeder steers steady to 3.00 higher, yearling heifers steady to 4.00 higher. Very good demand for the good sized offering of spring born calves, there is much interest in buying these light calves in spite of it being 2-3 months earlier than when most cattle feeders are willing to take on a bawling calf. There are many more challenges to starting these calves but there are many cattle feeders ready to take them on. With the Apr Live Cattle contract at 140.00 there is much hope for the fat market in the future, this fact is really helping to support the feeder market. The supply of yearlings off grass is already starting to dwindle as so many have been forced off grass and sold already. Slaughter cows steady, bulls 5.00 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
238–247 240 22 232.50–240.00 $238.25 $572 -21.75
275–295 282 18 210.00–223.00 $218.46 $616 -32.16
306–348 323 285 209.00–246.00 $234.33 $757 -1.55
356–395 381 336 217.50–229.00 $228.71 $871 +7.86
410–446 437 203 187.50–225.50 $212.21 $927 +13.59
451–475 456 49 170.00–195.50 $187.82 $856 -3.50
500–518 502 102 185.50–199.00 $192.81 $968 +23.42
560–564 562 38 175.00–186.00 $181.84 $1,022 +7.72
606–645 619 144 166.85–185.75 $173.63 $1,075 -1.14
653–698 677 320 162.00–187.50 $173.16 $1,172 +0.72
701–749 713 243 160.75–176.00 $167.69 $1,196 +12.69
752–795 781 530 151.00–175.75 $168.57 $1,317 +3.71
803–846 822 545 154.00–169.50 $161.74 $1,330 -0.33
827 thin fleshed 827 86 165.10 $165.10 $1,365 —
852–899 875 955 146.50–167.75 $161.80 $1,416 +2.47
882 882 61 144.10 $144.10 $1,271 -15.23
914 914 5 148.00 $148.00 $1,353 -5.50
901–948 924 1,154 148.25–165.00 $159.55 $1,474 +2.75
945 945 22 139.50 $139.50 $1,318 -17.30
951–996 971 1,259 137.00–158.50 $153.55 $1,491 -2.02
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1042 1009 832 137.00–154.75 $149.95 $1,513 +7.36
1051–1095 1070 454 140.00–148.90 $145.23 $1,554 +3.03
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118–1297 1256 57 125.00–129.00 $126.13 $1,584 —
1301 1301 42 125.25 $125.25 $1,630 -0.02
1353–1389 1376 19 126.50–127.00 $126.81 $1,745 —
1349–1493 1428 184 124.00–127.00 $125.97 $1,799 +1.37
1482 1482 10 121.50 $121.50 $1,801 -10.82
1503–1563 1532 313 124.50–129.25 $126.52 $1,938 -3.58
1534 1534 12 121.75 $121.75 $1,868 -8.35
1708 1708 3 124.00 $124.00 $2,118 —
1724 1724 34 123.50 $123.50 $2,129 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
336 336 11 201.00 $201.00 $675 -11.50
495 495 13 174.00 $174.00 $861 —
548 548 9 165.00 $165.00 $904 —
596 596 22 158.00 $158.00 $942 —
648 648 19 174.50 $174.50 $1,131 +12.00
671 671 7 164.00 $164.00 $1,100 -2.36
710–734 726 9 150.00–164.00 $159.44 $1,158 +8.49
762–771 766 27 139.00–161.00 $153.66 $1,177 +0.66
885–899 897 63 134.00–151.00 $149.27 $1,339 +12.57
925 925 38 130.00 $130.00 $1,202 -3.18
979 979 41 133.50 $133.50 $1,307 +4.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1112 1110 66 104.00–125.50 $120.93 $1,342 —
1280 1280 5 119.00 $119.00 $1,523 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 10 162.00 $162.00 $794 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
219–233 228 18 187.00–249.00 $206.82 $472 —
268–299 283 126 186.00–228.00 $220.87 $625 +7.20
323–349 337 239 188.00–217.00 $211.28 $712 -3.60
364 364 10 176.00 $176.00 $641 -23.45
355–391 366 247 180.00–210.00 $201.90 $739 +2.45
405–442 418 188 175.00–206.00 $198.41 $829 +5.14
460–495 467 105 166.00–177.00 $176.10 $822 +10.57
500–544 528 69 154.00–178.00 $169.09 $893 +6.53
588 588 6 166.00 $166.00 $976 +8.48
603–627 622 57 144.00–168.00 $159.43 $992 +0.83
651–693 668 170 155.50–166.50 $164.55 $1,099 +7.32
716 716 10 149.50 $149.50 $1,070 -5.07
705–748 734 226 153.00–159.00 $156.57 $1,149 +2.00
778–784 782 52 151.50–153.50 $152.07 $1,189 -2.13
761–797 783 386 145.50–158.00 $152.72 $1,196 -1.48
800–845 822 769 140.00–164.50 $151.28 $1,244 -0.44
857 857 30 132.00 $132.00 $1,131 -18.14
855–868 858 88 148.50–150.00 $149.69 $1,284 -0.45
851–895 873 1,540 143.00–153.75 $149.61 $1,306 -0.53
910 thin fleshed 910 99 156.75 $156.75 $1,426 —
900–948 919 1,949 141.00–152.00 $148.12 $1,361 +1.35
950–993 966 672 130.50–150.00 $145.06 $1,401 +3.27
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1047 1022 544 133.00–144.25 $138.50 $1,415 +5.70
1052–1067 1057 233 134.75–138.00 $134.92 $1,426 +2.22
1100–1131 1109 43 129.25–130.00 $129.46 $1,436 —
1165 1165 48 133.75 $133.75 $1,558 +15.75
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018–1260 1144 27 118.00–121.00 $119.71 $1,369 —
1183 1183 13 128.00 $128.00 $1,514 —
1203–1493 1279 23 124.00–125.50 $124.90 $1,597 +3.64
1256–1373 1309 394 124.50–129.00 $126.76 $1,659 +0.51
1442 1442 8 124.00 $124.00 $1,788 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 7 173.00 $173.00 $561 —
358 358 4 160.00 $160.00 $573 —
427 427 11 147.00 $147.00 $628 —
500–524 505 19 134.00–145.00 $142.60 $720 —
562–584 571 19 147.50–159.00 $154.05 $880 —
626 626 5 154.00 $154.00 $964 +8.00
673–679 676 26 136.00–154.00 $146.67 $991 +19.67
704–744 729 27 123.50–144.50 $133.30 $972 -10.08
769–792 781 17 142.50–149.00 $145.37 $1,135 -6.13
831–832 832 41 137.50–145.00 $140.61 $1,170 —
854–873 860 92 127.60–145.00 $134.37 $1,156 —
918 918 4 134.50 $134.50 $1,235 +4.42
965 965 4 138.00 $138.00 $1,332 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1026 1026 49 128.75 $128.75 $1,321 —
1061–1090 1077 9 121.50–125.50 $123.25 $1,327 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
651 651 8 117.50 $117.50 $765 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
319 319 5 215.00 $215.00 $686 —
388–396 390 47 197.00–223.00 $202.62 $790 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1400 1013 85-90% 16 20.00–49.00 $30.53 $309 +2.41
925–1502 1206 85-90% 43 34.00–55.50 $51.74 $624 -6.25
1238 1238 85-90% 2 61.00 $61.00 $755 +3.01
1020–1746 1370 85-90% 54 56.00–61.00 $58.10 $796 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1640 1229 80-85% 14 70.00–75.00 $71.88 $883 —
1078–1528 1303 80-85% 66 61.00–69.00 $65.82 $858 +0.19
1100–1565 1348 80-85% 31 55.50–62.50 $58.60 $790 -2.29
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1530 1484 75-80% 8 79.00–81.00 $80.66 $1,197 —
1230–1795 1498 75-80% 26 72.00–76.00 $74.16 $1,111 —
1313–1885 1514 75-80% 31 57.00–69.50 $65.82 $997 -18.57
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1688 1520 65-75% 10 82.00–89.00 $85.23 $1,295 -2.69

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–2140 1600 38 60.00–91.50 $82.32 $1,317 —
1115–2345 1901 6 90.00–95.00 $91.34 $1,736 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1324–1443 1342 26 101.00–106.00 $101.83 $1,367 —
1402–1598 1513 28 115.00–118.50 $116.97 $1,770 —

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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.