Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 22, 2023

9,173 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 $211.63/cwt +8.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,953/hd at 923 lb · 672 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $184.20/cwt -1.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,700/hd at 923 lb · 590 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $191.35/cwt -3.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,583/hd at 828 lb · 486 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,173 13,358 12,103
Feeder cattle 7,857 12,532 11,115
Slaughter cattle 1,316 826 988

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers uneven, steady to firm except 700-750 lbs and 900-950 lbs 10.00 to 15.00 higher. Feeder heifers 3.00 to 8.00 higher, instances to 12.00 higher. The feeder cattle market continues to move higher as the cash fed cattle market greatly outpaces the Live Cattle futures. Cash fed cattle at 183.00 this week added further fuel to the fire, creating even greater bullish attitudes amongst cattle producers and feeders. The grazing season has begun and the demand for grass cattle is red hot. More rain in the forecast for the weekend and next week looking to help alleviate the drought. There is great demand for these backgrounded yearlings to feed this summer and the market is extremely active as cattle feeders are willing to compete heavily to get the cattle bought that they need in order to have fed cattle to sell in the fall/early winter months. Slaughter cows 4.00 to 8.00 higher, bulls 2.00 to 4.00 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
391 391 9 307.00 $307.00 $1,200 -25.50
405–417 413 12 255.00–295.00 $281.92 $1,164 -8.08
464–495 476 36 273.00–287.50 $279.52 $1,331 -2.81
512–543 530 75 260.00–284.00 $271.71 $1,440 -21.13
562–589 574 96 256.00–273.00 $265.44 $1,524 -4.99
608–644 618 120 246.00–268.50 $258.62 $1,598 -3.96
653 653 10 235.50 $235.50 $1,538 -17.33
656–694 677 170 257.00–267.00 $261.77 $1,772 +8.94
700–743 733 239 250.50–264.00 $256.23 $1,878 +16.45
752 thin fleshed 752 79 251.75 $251.75 $1,893 —
759 fancy 759 18 237.00 $237.00 $1,799 —
752–780 772 278 226.00–247.00 $234.19 $1,808 -0.45
754–789 787 68 214.50–216.00 $214.58 $1,689 -20.06
822–839 831 215 219.75–227.00 $224.58 $1,866 +0.28
856–890 873 366 201.00–227.50 $216.86 $1,893 -3.55
855–897 890 19 195.00–201.00 $195.91 $1,744 -24.50
905–948 923 672 195.00–218.00 $211.63 $1,953 +8.80
950–980 958 126 192.50–215.00 $206.22 $1,976 -0.62
960 960 15 187.50 $187.50 $1,800 -19.34
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1009–1037 1035 164 184.50–196.00 $195.18 $2,020 +6.33
1054–1098 1076 367 185.00–193.50 $189.36 $2,038 +2.86
1148–1149 1148 59 175.00–185.75 $185.02 $2,124 —
1167–1176 1171 106 184.50–185.85 $185.15 $2,168 +8.51
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1283 1283 7 183.00 $183.00 $2,348 —
1353 1353 10 175.00 $175.00 $2,368 -1.00
1369 1369 13 181.00 $181.00 $2,478 +5.00
1343–1384 1374 33 180.00–186.00 $183.72 $2,524 +7.72
1372–1465 1436 295 183.00–188.00 $183.40 $2,634 +4.00
1439–1469 1445 24 180.00–181.00 $180.21 $2,604 +0.81
1520 1520 6 180.00 $180.00 $2,736 -2.39
1530 1530 12 183.00 $183.00 $2,800 +1.50
1507–1565 1537 167 180.00–183.00 $182.38 $2,803 +0.88
1602 1602 9 190.00 $190.00 $3,044 —
1606 1606 5 180.00 $180.00 $2,891 —
1751–1882 1817 12 180.00 $180.00 $3,271 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376 376 7 277.50 $277.50 $1,043 —
411 411 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,089 +3.02
533–549 542 7 215.00–253.00 $231.01 $1,252 -20.41
553–587 577 29 225.00–251.00 $245.43 $1,416 +10.43
608–640 617 34 226.00–246.00 $231.38 $1,428 -0.88
656–692 665 65 202.00–245.00 $232.02 $1,543 +8.89
709–747 719 36 194.00–230.00 $214.69 $1,544 +26.69
761–786 773 22 209.00–222.00 $216.55 $1,674 +10.25
817–840 832 18 195.00–208.50 $198.59 $1,652 —
855–884 873 27 185.00–197.50 $190.58 $1,664 —
910 910 9 188.00 $188.00 $1,711 —
968 968 3 178.00 $178.00 $1,723 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
251 251 6 200.00 $200.00 $502 —
335 335 11 185.00 $185.00 $620 —
396 396 6 184.00 $184.00 $729 —
450 450 12 182.50 $182.50 $821 —
525 525 7 182.00 $182.00 $956 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1077 1077 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,820 -8.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 4 237.50 $237.50 $724 -15.54
373 373 10 255.00 $255.00 $951 —
438 438 12 254.00 $254.00 $1,113 +1.43
455–495 477 36 243.00–263.00 $257.44 $1,228 -1.40
510–549 538 80 225.00–249.00 $238.34 $1,282 -9.35
549 fancy 549 6 241.00 $241.00 $1,323 —
569 fancy 569 18 252.00 $252.00 $1,434 —
555–595 585 69 220.50–243.00 $231.80 $1,356 -6.71
605–648 628 256 223.00–243.00 $234.57 $1,473 +26.57
650–698 675 298 214.00–234.25 $228.01 $1,539 -14.99
701–749 718 313 207.00–228.00 $219.01 $1,572 +2.29
750–794 775 215 201.00–215.00 $210.40 $1,631 -3.83
801–844 822 383 189.50–204.00 $194.00 $1,595 +2.22
848 848 103 181.50 $181.50 $1,539 -10.28
851–891 868 384 184.25–192.75 $187.74 $1,630 -6.04
873–899 892 86 176.00–182.50 $181.41 $1,618 -12.37
917 917 72 172.10 $172.10 $1,578 -17.89
905–949 924 518 177.00–199.00 $185.88 $1,718 -4.11
963–973 966 154 175.00–183.60 $182.34 $1,761 +5.77
973 973 25 203.50 $203.50 $1,980 +26.93
978 978 40 165.75 $165.75 $1,621 -10.82
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1164 1164 7 180.00 $180.00 $2,095 —
1362 1362 15 175.00 $175.00 $2,384 -2.87
1198–1446 1376 247 180.00–183.00 $181.50 $2,497 +3.63
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
461–481 469 17 225.00–238.00 $232.22 $1,089 —
511–520 514 9 221.00–236.00 $230.94 $1,187 +3.84
588–593 592 37 232.00–233.50 $233.14 $1,380 +8.14
600–647 620 48 200.00–230.00 $211.94 $1,314 +4.44
653 653 4 189.00 $189.00 $1,234 —
712–746 734 51 181.00–215.00 $191.52 $1,406 +3.64
785–798 795 17 186.00–190.00 $186.93 $1,486 +14.93
819–842 826 37 181.00–194.00 $185.08 $1,529 +7.86
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314 314 9 190.00 $190.00 $597 —
461 461 4 187.50 $187.50 $864 —
594 594 11 200.00 $200.00 $1,188 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
741 741 8 203.00 $203.00 $1,504 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1042 1042 6 152.00 $152.00 $1,584 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 9 250.00 $250.00 $1,402 +16.00
767 767 6 189.00 $189.00 $1,450 —
845 845 5 176.00 $176.00 $1,487 —
908–942 919 9 165.00–174.00 $170.93 $1,571 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1307–1810 1520 75-80% 60 107.00–117.50 $112.16 $1,705 —
1470–2100 1670 75-80% 10 85.00–106.50 $98.97 $1,653 —
1565–1850 1737 75-80% 13 116.00–123.00 $119.24 $2,071 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1298 1148 85-90% 6 20.00–67.50 $36.83 $423 —
1075–1310 1194 85-90% 10 101.00–104.00 $102.45 $1,223 +57.41
835–1650 1231 85-90% 38 71.00–102.00 $85.32 $1,050 —
1003–1820 1327 85-90% 20 93.00–102.00 $98.79 $1,311 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1993 1447 80-85% 32 101.00–109.00 $104.23 $1,508 +5.65
1275–1780 1449 80-85% 18 81.00–101.00 $92.68 $1,343 -5.90
1420–1563 1522 80-85% 5 104.00–113.00 $110.14 $1,676 +22.06

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375–2070 1737 11 80.00–110.00 $102.32 $1,777 —
1840–1960 1880 3 130.00–134.00 $132.61 $2,493 —
1580–2940 2112 13 117.00–129.00 $122.09 $2,579 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1462–1634 1501 33 149.25–154.50 $150.25 $2,255 —

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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.