Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, July 31, 2023

10,167 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 $244.59/cwt +3.66 vs last sale · ≈ $2,268/hd at 927 lb · 1,252 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $237.07/cwt +2.97 vs last sale · ≈ $2,322/hd at 979 lb · 1,088 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $248.04/cwt -0.79 vs last sale · ≈ $2,168/hd at 874 lb · 1,019 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,167 12,129 8,023
Feeder cattle 9,100 11,417 7,321
Slaughter cattle 1,067 712 702

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 5.00 higher, heifers 8.00 to 10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers as the cash fed cattle market worked higher and the futures contracts followed along. Packers have been unable to get ahead of this market, in spite of this being the time of year where fed cattle supplies are the most plentiful, which is only fueling the optimism felt amongst cattle feeders. More feedyard backgrounded yearlings offered, some grass yearlings as well but most are able to stay turned out as the grass conditions are good enough. The market is incredibly active as cattle feeders are want to buy these yearlings while they can, and are willing to chase the market to get them if the cattle are in green enough flesh condition. Slaughter cows 5.00 to 8.00 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
476 476 7 300.00 $300.00 $1,428 -20.00
546 546 5 302.00 $302.00 $1,649 —
565–582 569 27 276.00–310.00 $293.63 $1,671 -10.35
575 unweaned 575 15 287.00 $287.00 $1,650 —
611–635 622 30 273.00–286.00 $276.59 $1,720 -5.52
655–695 671 67 267.50–290.00 $277.58 $1,863 -0.32
704–739 711 91 264.00–276.00 $273.19 $1,942 +43.19
758–799 772 272 251.00–270.00 $265.61 $2,051 +5.10
809–848 825 531 246.50–262.75 $252.21 $2,081 -5.62
850–892 874 991 233.50–262.75 $248.35 $2,171 -0.48
876 876 28 237.00 $237.00 $2,076 -11.83
916 916 72 235.50 $235.50 $2,157 +8.00
901–948 928 1,180 236.25–252.25 $245.14 $2,275 +3.45
952–996 979 1,066 233.50–247.75 $237.34 $2,324 +3.24
992–993 993 22 223.00–225.00 $224.09 $2,225 -10.01
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1020 1015 304 230.00–232.75 $232.11 $2,356 +12.11
1019 1019 12 209.50 $209.50 $2,135 -10.50
1062–1098 1080 599 224.50–237.10 $233.82 $2,525 +30.82
1135 1135 201 234.75 $234.75 $2,664 +23.00
1183 1183 14 205.00 $205.00 $2,425 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 6 191.00 $191.00 $2,206 +12.38
1184 1184 4 181.00 $181.00 $2,143 +2.38
1307–1431 1391 56 187.00–190.25 $187.98 $2,615 —
1301–1464 1408 215 182.50–187.00 $185.53 $2,612 +4.92
1513–1555 1552 152 185.00–187.00 $186.87 $2,900 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 8 320.00 $320.00 $1,162 —
468 468 5 281.00 $281.00 $1,315 +10.57
539 539 9 267.00 $267.00 $1,439 -13.00
556 556 8 278.00 $278.00 $1,546 +14.21
683 683 6 247.50 $247.50 $1,690 -0.91
723–744 734 55 255.00–262.00 $258.74 $1,899 +16.38
762–770 766 10 242.00–250.00 $246.02 $1,885 +0.55
809 809 10 238.00 $238.00 $1,925 +11.07
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
618 618 8 245.00 $245.00 $1,514 —
732 732 11 145.00 $145.00 $1,061 —
802–840 831 40 152.50–206.00 $194.39 $1,615 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1007 1007 57 208.00 $208.00 $2,095 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003 1003 7 219.50 $219.50 $2,202 -4.50
1052 1052 5 207.00 $207.00 $2,178 —
1128 1128 5 197.00 $197.00 $2,222 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
281 281 7 280.00 $280.00 $787 —
456 unweaned 456 6 282.50 $282.50 $1,288 —
454–483 464 14 272.50–287.50 $281.93 $1,308 —
545 545 4 272.50 $272.50 $1,485 -7.03
548 548 5 244.00 $244.00 $1,337 -35.53
563 unweaned 563 11 276.00 $276.00 $1,554 —
564–582 568 18 252.00–280.00 $273.62 $1,554 +15.68
611–637 628 29 262.00–270.00 $266.34 $1,673 +9.23
655–695 674 104 243.50–263.00 $248.74 $1,677 -1.02
714–749 732 54 234.00–240.75 $236.74 $1,733 -10.11
760–795 775 532 223.50–248.75 $243.60 $1,888 +12.07
822–834 828 100 228.00 $228.00 $1,888 -1.00
817–849 837 524 232.50–240.00 $239.83 $2,007 +10.83
865–888 874 162 217.35–219.00 $218.13 $1,906 +0.05
857–896 877 596 213.25–241.00 $232.25 $2,037 +14.17
903–929 911 237 207.00–220.00 $216.37 $1,971 +5.37
918–941 931 113 214.75–216.25 $215.39 $2,005 +2.62
963–997 983 42 216.00–216.25 $216.15 $2,125 +16.15
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1009 1005 29 223.50–225.50 $224.81 $2,259 +4.81
1021 1021 12 184.00 $184.00 $1,879 -36.00
1061–1079 1068 18 206.50–212.50 $210.14 $2,244 +12.14
1114 1114 58 192.00 $192.00 $2,139 —
1120 1120 4 191.00 $191.00 $2,139 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150 1150 7 184.00 $184.00 $2,116 —
1234 1234 5 184.00 $184.00 $2,271 +5.17
1244–1405 1331 48 181.00–186.50 $184.61 $2,457 +6.45
1254–1367 1342 55 186.00–186.75 $186.15 $2,498 +16.15
1475 1475 4 192.00 $192.00 $2,832 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 6 267.50 $267.50 $915 —
484 484 4 262.00 $262.00 $1,268 +2.13
531 thin fleshed 531 7 269.00 $269.00 $1,428 —
537–540 537 26 225.00–285.00 $275.73 $1,481 —
572 572 9 231.00 $231.00 $1,321 -9.50
621 621 7 225.00 $225.00 $1,397 -16.88
765 765 26 230.00 $230.00 $1,760 +20.00
906 906 4 179.00 $179.00 $1,622 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1102 1102 5 164.00 $164.00 $1,807 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1189–1980 1488 75-80% 107 118.50–132.00 $123.86 $1,843 —
1515 1515 75-80% 1 87.50 $87.50 $1,326 -15.61
1445–1788 1623 75-80% 15 135.00–139.00 $135.71 $2,203 +5.09
1600–1835 1665 75-80% 10 102.50–116.00 $114.51 $1,907 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1203–1440 1276 80-85% 10 115.00–118.00 $116.81 $1,490 —
1020–1780 1307 80-85% 91 104.00–119.00 $111.85 $1,462 +20.26
1180–1550 1421 80-85% 13 90.00–108.00 $103.79 $1,475 -1.89
1250–1779 1515 80-85% 2 85.00–91.00 $87.48 $1,325 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640–1475 998 85-90% 24 35.00–79.50 $62.78 $627 —
882–1410 1111 85-90% 44 94.00–107.50 $101.36 $1,126 —
850–1455 1147 85-90% 28 81.00–97.00 $89.72 $1,029 —
1295 1295 85-90% 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,334 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1855 1672 65-75% 18 140.00–151.00 $144.25 $2,412 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1960 1668 4 105.00–111.00 $109.66 $1,829 —
1520–2790 1910 18 121.00–134.00 $127.47 $2,435 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1293 1293 6 139.00 $139.00 $1,797 —
1294 1294 4 155.00 $155.00 $2,006 —
1368 1368 6 172.00 $172.00 $2,353 —

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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.