Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 28, 2022

19,274 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $153.01/cwt +0.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 873 lb · 1,561 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $143.94/cwt -6.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,120/hd at 778 lb · 1,412 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $150.43/cwt -2.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,093/hd at 727 lb · 1,153 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 19,274 27,924 16,098
Feeder cattle 17,973 26,657 15,032
Slaughter cattle 1,301 1,267 1,066

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 650 lbs 2.00 to 5.00 higher, over 650 lbs steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 800 lbs 2.00 to 5.00 lower, over 800 lbs steady to 1.00 higher. Demand remains very good for light steers and heifers to background, either in a feedyard or on grass, moderate to good demand for the heavier cattle bound for finishing yards. As feed cost have risen so sharply, and the CME Live Cattle contracts retreated, cattle feeders are facing much difficulty to buy feeder cattle that will have a breakeven price in line with where the futures contracts are at for that time period. The lofty levels of the fall months of the Feeder Cattle futures is making for a very active and highly competitive market for cattle to background and make yearlings of. The supply of these cattle are dwindling greatly, which is also driving the market. Drought still remains across a good portion of the state, creating more worry for these producers as they just don’t know how much stock they will be able to run. Cash fed cattle in Iowa traded up to 143.00 this week, still well below where most cattle feeders expected the spring market to be at. Slaughter cows steady to 1.00 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
408–440 427 29 213.00–222.50 $216.76 $926 -4.26
451–498 483 108 200.00–231.50 $216.57 $1,046 +2.36
501–546 523 120 194.00–219.00 $208.64 $1,091 +4.08
539 539 16 184.50 $184.50 $994 -20.06
552–594 578 187 188.50–205.00 $197.63 $1,142 +1.62
600–642 614 504 177.00–205.00 $194.40 $1,194 -5.10
650–694 676 414 167.00–187.00 $180.11 $1,218 +0.83
706–747 729 766 163.50–178.75 $172.66 $1,259 +2.64
736 736 5 166.00 $166.00 $1,222 +6.00
750–796 767 854 152.00–170.50 $164.85 $1,264 +1.01
791 791 8 145.00 $145.00 $1,147 -18.84
802–836 816 696 151.75–162.75 $157.30 $1,284 ±0.00
830–844 834 47 148.50 $148.50 $1,238 +0.16
858–882 868 19 133.50–146.75 $141.08 $1,225 -11.99
850–897 873 1,542 147.00–158.75 $153.16 $1,337 +0.09
900–937 919 925 142.75–153.50 $149.18 $1,371 +2.91
933–936 934 69 137.00–137.75 $137.62 $1,285 -2.26
951–999 974 979 137.00–149.25 $145.31 $1,415 +0.60
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1029 1012 860 135.00–146.00 $143.04 $1,448 +1.78
1058–1099 1067 184 134.75–143.60 $138.30 $1,476 -3.24
1103–1143 1126 194 138.75–143.60 $142.82 $1,608 —
1290 1290 30 129.50 $129.50 $1,671 —
1334 1334 5 124.00 $124.00 $1,654 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 4 200.00 $200.00 $570 —
345–349 347 26 180.00–215.00 $193.37 $671 —
377 377 6 219.00 $219.00 $826 —
414–434 421 20 189.00–219.00 $199.85 $841 -5.12
462–473 465 24 154.00–206.00 $169.42 $788 -24.26
523 523 3 201.00 $201.00 $1,051 +13.46
598 598 7 163.00 $163.00 $975 —
600–647 627 58 166.50–184.50 $175.11 $1,098 +6.02
654–690 677 59 162.00–174.00 $164.54 $1,114 -1.31
714–736 721 15 131.00–155.00 $146.84 $1,059 -13.91
750–786 764 29 148.00–162.50 $154.65 $1,182 +5.17
839 839 8 146.50 $146.50 $1,229 +2.80
863–899 881 44 131.50–144.00 $137.62 $1,212 -1.10
938 938 15 137.25 $137.25 $1,287 +1.25
984–992 989 16 135.00–135.25 $135.16 $1,337 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1266 1266 4 138.00 $138.00 $1,747 —
1431–1480 1464 87 138.00–142.00 $141.34 $2,069 +1.49
1468 1468 17 145.75 $145.75 $2,140 +5.90
1520–1573 1540 57 140.00–143.75 $140.27 $2,160 +1.00
1530–1580 1559 32 142.00–144.00 $143.15 $2,232 —
1616–1660 1624 29 140.50–142.00 $141.48 $2,298 +2.33
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1011–1022 1018 18 134.50–137.25 $135.56 $1,380 +10.61
1080 1080 4 122.00 $122.00 $1,318 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
448 448 9 157.00 $157.00 $703 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–446 415 59 177.00–196.00 $186.80 $775 +3.28
466–495 475 32 175.00–192.00 $185.72 $882 +0.42
503–545 528 196 169.00–183.50 $176.64 $933 -1.63
551–598 575 341 154.00–175.50 $167.29 $962 -7.43
600–648 624 595 148.00–167.00 $159.67 $996 -5.25
651–698 675 1,094 147.00–164.25 $156.62 $1,057 -9.92
679 679 7 146.50 $146.50 $995 -20.04
700 700 14 156.00 $156.00 $1,092 -4.50
700–748 727 1,139 141.50–160.50 $150.36 $1,093 -1.64
751 fancy 751 22 154.00 $154.00 $1,157 —
750–770 754 74 155.50–158.50 $156.04 $1,177 +7.73
755–799 780 1,316 134.50–152.00 $143.09 $1,116 -5.22
824 824 8 130.50 $130.50 $1,075 -8.94
801–849 830 546 135.50–141.75 $139.29 $1,156 -0.15
811–849 834 190 145.00–156.50 $152.69 $1,273 +13.25
854 854 63 152.75 $152.75 $1,304 +14.67
855–895 870 552 131.50–142.50 $138.88 $1,208 +0.80
889 889 6 127.50 $127.50 $1,133 -10.58
900–938 916 395 128.00–139.10 $135.72 $1,243 -0.40
953–991 971 184 126.00–136.75 $132.10 $1,283 -0.33
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1257–1417 1333 196 137.00–143.00 $139.61 $1,861 +2.61
1437 1437 13 136.00 $136.00 $1,954 -4.30
1450 1450 6 135.00 $135.00 $1,958 —
1235–1570 1491 240 136.50–143.50 $140.02 $2,088 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–339 338 24 150.00–185.00 $155.78 $527 —
352–395 374 12 166.00–212.00 $187.68 $702 —
415–441 435 17 173.00–177.00 $176.10 $766 —
457–498 475 48 165.00–178.00 $168.68 $801 —
505–520 514 35 150.00–171.00 $154.48 $794 +0.48
560–580 570 26 145.00–150.00 $147.31 $840 -9.82
610–642 631 55 130.50–158.50 $142.32 $898 +3.61
660–685 673 56 132.00–150.50 $140.80 $948 -3.69
761–771 768 27 133.00–140.00 $134.80 $1,035 -1.20
999 999 6 124.25 $124.25 $1,241 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
726 726 13 134.00 $134.00 $973 —
857 857 15 126.00 $126.00 $1,080 —
1009–1014 1013 31 129.50–133.50 $132.60 $1,343 —
1062–1079 1067 131 129.25–133.00 $131.96 $1,408 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
776 776 15 1,125.00 $1,125.00 —
842 842 64 1,195.00 $1,195.00 —
910 910 64 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
997 997 13 1,310.00 $1,310.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
418–448 422 31 135.00–146.00 $144.49 $610 —
471 471 11 140.00 $140.00 $659 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1054 1054 9 119.50 $119.50 $1,260 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1175 1064 85-90% 7 22.50–45.00 $33.88 $360 —
1198 1198 85-90% 2 75.50 $75.50 $904 —
905–1415 1199 85-90% 29 50.00–65.00 $61.20 $734 —
875–1731 1318 85-90% 45 66.00–72.50 $69.09 $911 +11.81
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1870 1541 75-80% 30 78.00–84.50 $80.50 $1,241 —
1535–1800 1625 75-80% 8 68.00–77.00 $74.83 $1,216 -0.50
1437–2088 1639 75-80% 13 85.00–91.00 $87.66 $1,437 +12.33
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1530 1449 80-85% 7 81.50–83.00 $82.41 $1,194 —
970–1664 1475 80-85% 31 74.00–79.00 $75.64 $1,116 -3.17
1465–1660 1594 80-85% 4 63.00–72.50 $67.66 $1,079 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–2000 1434 8 75.00–98.00 $92.03 $1,320 —
1605–2265 1904 8 102.00–107.50 $104.86 $1,997 —
1450–2335 1999 4 110.00–118.50 $114.63 $2,291 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1404–1550 1495 40 117.00–125.00 $121.55 $1,817 -0.17
1704 1704 7 111.00 $111.00 $1,891 —

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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.