Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 8, 2023

17,595 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 $195.71/cwt +5.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,818/hd at 929 lb · 1,854 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $192.14/cwt +15.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,871/hd at 974 lb · 1,648 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $203.43/cwt +2.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,782/hd at 876 lb · 1,349 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 17,595 14,270 18,667
Feeder cattle 16,983 13,518 17,657
Slaughter cattle 612 752 1,010

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers steady to 5.00 higher. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers this week. Cattle futures contracts helped to add support to the feeder market, as 3.00 gains were seen across Live and Feeder Cattle contracts. Spring rain finally came to the region, which will kickstart the grazing season, which was greatly needed in much of the state. Demand for light weight yearlings to run on grass is red hot as turnout time has arrived and the fall months of the Feeder Cattle contracts are working their way back to mid 230's price level. Farmer feeders were busy planting corn this week, much progressed was made until Thursday and Friday when the rain moved in. Rain was needed for the crops as well, but northern SD is running behind on field work as the temps were colder up there longer and ground conditions were wetter. This is the time of year where auction receipts become very sporadic, auctions will host customer appreciation BBQ sales like Herreid Livestock did this week and featured long strings of yearlings. Cattle feeders still need to buy their summer feeding cattle and are really feeling bullish currently and ready to buy what they need. Slaughter cows 5.00 to 10.00 higher, bulls 5.00 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
334 334 4 295.00 $295.00 $985 —
409–441 431 96 277.50–301.00 $293.96 $1,267 +7.58
453–456 thin fleshed 454 19 285.00–291.00 $287.85 $1,307 —
473 473 8 260.00 $260.00 $1,230 -23.02
462–494 483 58 268.00–286.00 $273.32 $1,320 -9.70
501–539 519 189 262.50–284.50 $277.39 $1,440 -0.50
557–598 585 246 210.00–275.25 $255.96 $1,497 -5.18
598 598 36 230.50–238.00 $236.96 $1,417 -24.18
601–649 619 258 207.00–272.00 $250.81 $1,553 -14.72
652–698 679 414 200.00–263.50 $246.43 $1,673 -7.46
704 704 8 215.00 $215.00 $1,514 -54.00
703–744 731 660 209.00–243.00 $236.47 $1,729 +6.11
754–795 779 709 202.00–232.75 $221.63 $1,726 +2.61
818 818 10 198.00 $198.00 $1,620 -8.92
801–849 827 1,284 193.50–224.50 $211.11 $1,746 +4.19
850–893 876 1,342 187.50–216.50 $203.52 $1,783 +13.02
879–893 885 7 182.00–189.50 $185.24 $1,639 -5.26
901–946 929 1,848 182.00–205.00 $195.74 $1,818 +5.88
937 937 6 185.00 $185.00 $1,733 -4.86
950–998 974 1,648 180.75–196.50 $192.14 $1,871 +13.86
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1046 1015 894 181.00–193.75 $187.88 $1,907 +12.85
1057–1061 1059 92 178.50–183.50 $180.56 $1,912 +2.93
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
344 344 7 300.00 $300.00 $1,032 —
354–358 355 12 265.00–270.00 $266.26 $945 -60.74
451–487 467 25 245.00–250.00 $247.95 $1,158 -6.49
509–544 540 37 211.00–233.00 $230.76 $1,246 +5.09
579 579 28 231.00 $231.00 $1,337 +8.26
625–642 630 18 187.50–201.00 $197.18 $1,242 -32.32
678–683 681 20 200.00–217.00 $210.23 $1,432 -12.33
701–748 723 27 187.00–225.50 $202.74 $1,466 -3.91
759–799 783 50 186.00–210.00 $200.39 $1,569 +0.21
800–848 821 9 184.00–193.50 $189.14 $1,553 —
886–890 887 39 189.50–191.00 $190.58 $1,690 +0.58
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1423 1423 6 183.00 $183.00 $2,604 +36.00
1423–1480 1446 120 177.00–179.00 $177.99 $2,574 +30.99
1505–1552 1534 26 178.00–179.50 $178.57 $2,739 +4.57
1576 1576 8 181.50 $181.50 $2,860 —
1588 1588 7 183.00 $183.00 $2,906 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 6 240.00 $240.00 $919 —
534 534 6 232.50 $232.50 $1,242 —
711 711 7 176.00 $176.00 $1,251 —
868 868 7 180.00 $180.00 $1,562 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
691 691 5 211.00 $211.00 $1,458 —
1051 1051 4 177.00 $177.00 $1,860 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650 650 5 187.00 $187.00 $1,216 -8.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–449 431 103 254.00–272.50 $264.33 $1,139 -5.14
452–491 471 97 245.00–267.50 $254.91 $1,201 +10.79
502–543 518 329 230.00–258.50 $250.58 $1,298 +4.56
550–598 578 266 212.00–247.00 $234.51 $1,355 -6.83
601–645 622 243 206.00–239.00 $222.15 $1,382 -12.15
651–699 669 404 195.00–220.50 $211.71 $1,416 -1.68
713–724 716 102 213.25–216.25 $215.33 $1,542 +1.26
705–748 730 589 194.50–209.75 $201.70 $1,472 +4.80
739 739 15 187.50 $187.50 $1,386 -9.40
755 755 11 166.00 $166.00 $1,253 -39.70
755–797 774 832 182.00–210.00 $198.64 $1,537 -7.06
765–786 784 79 209.00–217.00 $215.95 $1,693 +19.96
802–845 820 649 174.00–195.00 $186.52 $1,529 -14.66
852–895 874 530 173.25–189.50 $182.23 $1,593 +4.46
874 874 30 207.00 $207.00 $1,809 +29.23
886–888 886 31 163.00–173.00 $164.94 $1,461 -12.83
902–946 921 413 165.00–185.00 $178.32 $1,642 +1.15
955–985 969 147 171.85–179.00 $175.49 $1,700 +4.99
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
710 710 33 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —
772–795 783 151 1,550.00–1,600.00 $1,584.04 —
800–812 805 60 1,700.00–1,810.00 $1,746.23 —
850 850 15 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363–388 377 35 176.00–262.50 $216.66 $817 +1.66
431–446 440 13 243.00–248.00 $246.12 $1,083 +19.55
464–494 479 71 227.00–247.00 $232.80 $1,115 —
516–522 518 12 211.00–226.00 $222.22 $1,151 +5.16
567 567 5 192.50 $192.50 $1,091 -14.14
643 643 6 236.00 $236.00 $1,517 +30.03
671–688 681 33 184.00–195.00 $190.59 $1,298 +16.21
709 709 12 188.00 $188.00 $1,333 +5.63
781–791 785 23 181.00–184.00 $182.82 $1,435 +1.54
810–846 831 14 164.00–168.00 $166.33 $1,382 +6.24
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1359 1359 7 174.00 $174.00 $2,365 —
1270–1524 1365 74 176.75–179.00 $178.19 $2,432 -5.06
1555 1555 5 180.00 $180.00 $2,799 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
491 491 5 188.00 $188.00 $923 —
553 553 20 171.00 $171.00 $946 —
710–732 723 26 154.00–157.00 $155.25 $1,122 —
763 763 6 168.00 $168.00 $1,282 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1053–1097 1085 15 166.00–169.00 $166.78 $1,810 +6.78
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
656 656 8 127.50 $127.50 $836 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
688 688 6 191.00 $191.00 $1,314 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1058 1058 4 153.00 $153.00 $1,619 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1590 1143 85-90% 6 25.00–69.00 $57.73 $660 —
885–1603 1149 85-90% 23 51.00–89.00 $76.83 $883 —
1100–1240 1170 85-90% 4 98.00–102.00 $99.88 $1,169 —
1013–1831 1355 85-90% 46 88.00–98.00 $94.08 $1,275 +13.13
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1128–1425 1215 80-85% 12 106.00–107.00 $106.41 $1,293 —
1135–1755 1396 80-85% 9 84.00–98.00 $94.31 $1,317 -4.19
1230–1923 1493 80-85% 45 98.00–105.00 $102.32 $1,528 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1860 1572 75-80% 52 105.00–110.00 $108.20 $1,701 —
1463–1950 1606 75-80% 5 110.00–119.00 $114.01 $1,831 —
1505–1865 1653 75-80% 4 93.00–103.00 $97.79 $1,616 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1448–2065 1679 6 117.00–122.00 $118.84 $1,995 —
1320–2445 1866 8 94.00–115.00 $107.24 $2,001 —
2048 2048 2 129.00 $129.00 $2,642 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 6 92.00 $92.00 $961 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1321 1321 4 137.00 $137.00 $1,810 —
1427 1427 5 128.00 $128.00 $1,827 -16.00
1389–1617 1592 37 144.00 $144.00 $2,292 —

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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.