Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 21, 2022

27,924 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $160.34/cwt +1.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,074/hd at 670 lb · 2,049 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $163.84/cwt +1.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,265/hd at 772 lb · 2,046 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $149.99/cwt +6.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,149/hd at 766 lb · 2,004 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 27,924 21,831 31,536
Feeder cattle 26,657 20,540 29,985
Slaughter cattle 1,267 1,291 1,551

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady to 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 6.00 to 10.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady to 5.00 higher. Very good demand for light weight steers and heifers to background, especially so as the CME Feeder Cattle contracts for the fall season are at a nearly 30.00 premium to the current month. Good demand yet for cattle bound for finishing yards, but flesh is a major factor currently as the projected costs of gain are much higher than last year. Cash fed cattle market is still very disappointing to cattle feeders who were expecting a market at 150.00 plus. Good demand for replacement quality heifers but there is some hesitation as the drought has not been alleviated. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 lower, bulls 3.00 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
362–396 390 35 226.00–230.00 $226.64 $884 +1.64
426–438 432 92 213.00–238.00 $221.02 $955 +5.12
462 thin fleshed 462 73 236.00 $236.00 $1,090 —
457–499 480 113 192.00–226.00 $214.21 $1,028 +7.27
502–546 527 464 187.00–217.00 $204.56 $1,078 +5.09
553–589 576 401 184.00–207.00 $196.01 $1,129 +4.48
610 610 70 199.50 $199.50 $1,217 +9.41
600–649 627 997 175.50–202.00 $188.69 $1,183 -1.40
601–647 631 61 170.00–174.50 $171.89 $1,085 -18.20
643 643 37 170.00 $170.00 $1,093 -3.25
669 669 14 167.00 $167.00 $1,117 -14.83
651–698 677 1,527 167.25–187.50 $179.28 $1,214 -2.55
659–687 682 98 180.00–187.00 $181.10 $1,235 -0.73
703–715 thin fleshed 709 158 181.50–184.50 $182.99 $1,297 —
720 720 79 155.25 $155.25 $1,118 -13.09
700–747 725 1,232 158.00–177.00 $170.02 $1,233 +1.68
736 736 5 160.00 $160.00 $1,178 -0.50
736 736 65 180.25 $180.25 $1,327 +19.75
750–797 772 2,046 153.00–170.75 $163.84 $1,265 +1.75
801–849 821 1,776 146.00–161.85 $157.30 $1,291 -0.33
812–845 837 89 143.50–149.75 $148.34 $1,242 +10.58
850–895 867 1,340 144.00–159.25 $153.07 $1,327 +2.75
854–890 887 49 145.50–146.75 $146.65 $1,301 -3.67
902–949 927 1,232 141.75–152.75 $146.27 $1,356 -1.20
921–940 938 71 138.50–140.00 $139.88 $1,312 -7.59
954–996 973 827 139.50–147.35 $144.71 $1,408 +1.02
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1048 1025 456 139.50–144.00 $141.26 $1,448 +2.14
1050–1097 1070 145 139.75–142.75 $141.54 $1,514 +2.91
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1356–1384 1372 9 137.00–145.00 $140.52 $1,928 —
1391 1391 38 137.25 $137.25 $1,909 —
1391 1391 24 136.00 $136.00 $1,892 —
1374–1486 1469 104 139.00–140.50 $139.85 $2,054 +0.85
1476 1476 10 133.50 $133.50 $1,970 -5.50
1511–1588 1545 156 135.25–140.75 $139.27 $2,152 -2.23
1607–1673 1633 109 138.75–139.75 $139.15 $2,272 -3.35
1643 1643 9 147.00 $147.00 $2,415 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429–432 431 10 197.00–213.00 $204.97 $883 +1.97
489–495 490 25 192.00–194.00 $193.68 $949 -4.56
502–509 505 21 182.00–191.00 $187.54 $947 +16.67
550–583 560 66 159.50–196.00 $182.69 $1,023 +1.48
609–644 619 26 147.00–182.00 $169.09 $1,047 -3.29
651–694 681 107 145.00–175.00 $165.85 $1,129 +5.13
713–742 738 23 159.00–161.00 $160.75 $1,186 +2.90
776–799 788 26 141.00–154.50 $149.48 $1,178 +2.20
837–839 838 20 143.00–145.00 $143.70 $1,204 +2.69
850–891 883 79 132.00–142.00 $138.72 $1,225 +5.54
934 934 6 136.00 $136.00 $1,270 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1040 1030 6 120.00–130.00 $124.95 $1,287 -9.05
1152 1152 9 118.50 $118.50 $1,365 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 9 189.00 $189.00 $688 +9.00
404–442 415 81 165.00–206.00 $183.52 $762 +5.52
451–499 476 303 160.00–200.50 $185.30 $882 +8.77
503–547 526 847 154.50–194.00 $178.27 $938 +5.92
562 562 5 156.00 $156.00 $877 -9.75
551–599 573 786 160.25–186.50 $174.72 $1,001 +8.97
600–647 628 987 150.00–182.00 $164.92 $1,036 +3.29
642 642 7 140.00 $140.00 $899 -26.00
664 664 80 163.50 $163.50 $1,086 +2.65
650–699 669 1,624 146.00–169.50 $158.95 $1,063 -1.90
658–684 676 336 165.00–169.00 $166.54 $1,126 +5.69
682 682 9 151.00 $151.00 $1,030 -9.85
707 707 77 160.50 $160.50 $1,135 +8.84
701–748 721 1,137 138.00–161.50 $152.00 $1,096 +0.34
750–798 766 1,641 134.00–158.50 $148.31 $1,136 +9.31
757–770 766 363 154.50–164.50 $157.58 $1,207 +18.58
807 807 70 153.50 $153.50 $1,239 +13.54
800–849 827 647 132.00–145.00 $139.44 $1,153 -0.52
850–899 879 643 131.00–139.75 $138.08 $1,214 +0.95
901–936 933 223 133.75–136.75 $136.12 $1,270 -0.46
967–976 974 131 131.00–134.50 $132.43 $1,290 -3.32
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 538 9 154.00 $154.00 $829 -2.61
547 547 3 160.00 $160.00 $875 +3.39
553–592 572 66 142.00–167.00 $157.13 $899 -0.67
613–642 633 40 133.50–159.00 $138.71 $878 -14.12
654–695 677 87 136.50–156.00 $144.49 $978 -10.09
701–746 715 78 131.00–145.00 $137.78 $985 -4.17
762 762 14 136.00 $136.00 $1,036 +1.12
800 800 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,064 +4.65
853 853 3 123.00 $123.00 $1,049 —
924–937 936 64 111.00–138.00 $135.92 $1,272 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1232 1232 11 123.00 $123.00 $1,515 —
1330 1330 25 137.00 $137.00 $1,822 -3.42
1258–1489 1370 277 137.00–141.25 $139.01 $1,904 —
1405 1405 4 149.00 $149.00 $2,093 +9.20
1322–1509 1447 21 140.00–141.00 $140.30 $2,030 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1051 1051 8 122.00 $122.00 $1,282 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
742 742 6 140.00 $140.00 $1,039 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1870 1400 80-85% 55 71.00–78.50 $75.96 $1,063 —
1400 1400 80-85% 1 31.00 $31.00 $434 —
1205–1739 1480 80-85% 21 75.00–83.50 $78.81 $1,166 —
1100–1768 1543 80-85% 10 52.50–73.00 $68.60 $1,058 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
873–1300 1117 85-90% 7 35.00–44.00 $40.71 $455 —
985–1494 1301 85-90% 31 42.00–66.00 $57.28 $745 -13.00
1005–1570 1391 85-90% 33 63.00–73.00 $68.37 $951 —
1355–1793 1560 85-90% 7 71.00–74.00 $72.74 $1,135 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1202–1930 1573 75-80% 39 75.00–85.00 $80.77 $1,271 -1.30
1495–1880 1632 75-80% 21 71.00–78.50 $75.33 $1,229 —
1435–1740 1668 75-80% 10 81.00–87.00 $85.82 $1,431 -0.73
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1795 1634 65-75% 11 86.00–88.00 $86.74 $1,417 -3.10

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–2005 1642 10 73.00–96.00 $90.38 $1,484 —
1595–2435 2021 10 100.00–106.00 $102.61 $2,074 —
1920–2360 2140 4 108.00–114.00 $111.10 $2,378 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1418–1565 1474 31 119.00–124.50 $121.72 $1,794 —

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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.