Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 11, 2023

17,848 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 $216.33/cwt +9.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,925/hd at 890 lb · 1,172 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $258.40/cwt +11.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,717/hd at 664 lb · 952 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $276.60/cwt -8.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,579/hd at 571 lb · 922 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 17,848 34,398 4,323
Feeder cattle 16,674 33,180 3,446
Slaughter cattle 1,174 1,218 877

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 5.00 to 10.00 higher, heifers under 800 lbs 6.00 to 10.00 higher, over 800 lbs steady to 2.00 higher. Improved demand for feeder cattle this week. The futures contracts made some gains this week and cattle feeders were willing to chase the feeder market a little, but cash fed cattle slipped into the high 160s to converge with the spot futures contract month. Most auctions will not host feeder cattle sales again until the start of the New Year, which helped support the feeder cattle market as well. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 lower, 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
311 311 14 335.00 $335.00 $1,042 -20.00
351–398 387 72 317.50–345.00 $333.72 $1,291 -0.50
402–440 416 148 300.00–341.00 $325.53 $1,354 +4.21
459–496 483 529 278.00–326.00 $311.50 $1,505 +26.50
500–543 520 362 289.00–320.00 $304.09 $1,581 +8.31
522 522 3 268.00 $268.00 $1,399 -27.78
552 552 15 260.00 $260.00 $1,435 -25.11
551–597 571 907 265.00–295.50 $276.87 $1,581 -8.24
607 thin fleshed 607 155 285.00 $285.00 $1,730 —
601–647 622 421 240.00–274.00 $255.28 $1,588 -8.64
630 630 8 234.00 $234.00 $1,474 -14.25
651–695 664 890 239.00–266.50 $257.32 $1,709 +30.53
666 thin fleshed 666 52 280.00 $280.00 $1,865 —
694 694 10 242.50 $242.50 $1,683 -5.21
700–749 716 520 225.00–256.50 $242.36 $1,735 +1.57
734 734 30 230.00 $230.00 $1,688 +13.26
758–787 773 277 219.00–243.00 $229.71 $1,776 -3.71
801–844 829 415 211.00–232.50 $225.62 $1,870 +38.62
853–897 890 1,172 200.00–224.00 $216.33 $1,925 +7.06
905–944 933 237 215.25–227.60 $219.12 $2,044 +8.30
953–997 970 737 204.50–217.00 $213.99 $2,076 +4.14
973 973 39 193.00 $193.00 $1,878 -16.85
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1045 1016 348 189.50–207.50 $202.90 $2,061 -0.43
1057–1099 1072 881 194.00–204.50 $199.75 $2,141 +5.16
1117–1127 1122 103 196.00 $196.00 $2,199 +3.16
1210 1210 6 177.00 $177.00 $2,142 -3.25
1233 1233 8 176.00 $176.00 $2,170 -4.25
1279 1279 11 175.00 $175.00 $2,238 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 3 312.00 $312.00 $1,036 -3.77
369–397 386 12 265.00–310.00 $289.37 $1,117 -0.63
401–448 439 47 284.00–313.00 $300.49 $1,319 +21.90
450–499 479 135 251.00–291.00 $273.37 $1,309 -7.68
513–548 532 160 252.00–286.00 $271.01 $1,442 +3.95
552–597 582 244 243.00–265.00 $255.65 $1,488 -6.00
625–642 634 64 223.00–249.00 $237.87 $1,508 -0.67
656–697 679 247 227.00–236.00 $230.09 $1,562 +18.65
720–746 728 21 190.00–221.00 $214.16 $1,559 +14.26
751–793 778 152 205.00–221.00 $211.24 $1,643 +9.60
875–894 887 13 181.00–194.00 $189.07 $1,677 +6.03
912–944 942 63 150.00–198.25 $195.28 $1,840 —
969 969 8 197.00 $197.00 $1,909 +16.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1098–1290 1240 13 166.00–174.00 $169.28 $2,099 —
1384–1458 1421 10 156.00–162.50 $159.17 $2,262 -7.39
1415–1496 1442 84 167.00–170.00 $169.86 $2,449 +3.73
1491–1494 1492 30 163.00–170.00 $165.80 $2,474 —
1520–1563 1529 119 165.00–171.00 $167.56 $2,562 +8.56
1502–1562 1536 69 172.00–173.00 $172.46 $2,649 +4.47
1601–1807 1635 90 164.25–172.50 $169.51 $2,771 +3.11
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
928 928 6 141.00 $141.00 $1,308 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 12 335.00 $335.00 $1,092 +51.50
382–393 389 44 272.50–290.00 $281.44 $1,095 -1.86
401–448 423 162 252.00–288.00 $272.37 $1,152 -0.98
450–496 472 291 250.00–288.00 $273.95 $1,293 +18.70
475 thin fleshed 475 51 293.00 $293.00 $1,392 —
503–545 523 533 243.00–278.00 $261.36 $1,367 +6.98
574 574 30 238.00 $238.00 $1,366 -4.95
550–593 578 558 239.00–265.00 $251.92 $1,456 +8.97
608–649 627 340 224.00–260.00 $239.99 $1,505 +10.24
644 644 8 228.00 $228.00 $1,468 +25.00
650–695 668 334 213.00–241.00 $229.65 $1,534 +12.89
672–691 680 46 205.00–216.00 $213.39 $1,451 -3.37
703–742 724 215 205.50–232.00 $216.13 $1,565 +6.13
751–799 784 227 192.00–216.75 $207.00 $1,623 +10.06
805–848 836 148 193.00–201.00 $195.95 $1,638 +0.19
849 849 12 182.00 $182.00 $1,545 -13.76
850–892 886 258 188.00–208.00 $196.28 $1,739 +14.84
903–947 931 578 183.75–208.00 $190.31 $1,772 -2.61
955–998 976 512 179.85–212.50 $193.35 $1,887 +1.23
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1030 1014 306 173.00–202.00 $190.72 $1,934 +10.43
1054–1093 1074 240 183.75–190.50 $188.28 $2,022 +7.98
1131 1131 23 172.00 $172.00 $1,945 +29.00
1133 1133 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,926 +27.00
1167–1187 1176 176 177.50–183.75 $182.78 $2,149 —
1222 1222 50 183.75 $183.75 $2,245 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 3 245.00 $245.00 $760 -15.85
352–397 377 43 225.00–290.00 $253.58 $956 +1.32
408–448 426 48 241.00–267.00 $252.56 $1,076 +4.63
452–493 474 61 225.00–250.00 $243.55 $1,154 +13.42
525–535 531 43 205.00–240.00 $229.01 $1,216 +3.22
553–598 575 157 215.00–237.00 $229.38 $1,319 +11.64
603–647 629 119 219.00–234.00 $223.60 $1,406 +21.36
659–681 667 16 202.00–210.00 $206.94 $1,380 +29.94
756 756 36 197.00 $197.00 $1,489 +16.59
863–869 865 16 167.50–194.00 $175.82 $1,521 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1479–1523 1482 27 164.50–166.00 $164.61 $2,440 -3.54
1250–1567 1486 189 167.00–173.25 $171.55 $2,549 +3.40
1435–1593 1530 5 151.00–155.00 $152.50 $2,333 -19.81
1718 1718 2 169.00 $169.00 $2,903 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
884–894 885 61 155.00–163.00 $162.34 $1,437 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1168 1168 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,974 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
894–1630 1048 85-90% 23 51.00–69.00 $63.60 $667 —
905–1420 1129 85-90% 19 30.00–55.00 $42.77 $483 —
825–1805 1276 85-90% 127 70.00–82.50 $77.56 $990 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1830 1402 80-85% 117 83.00–92.00 $86.64 $1,215 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1960 1455 75-80% 108 91.00–109.00 $96.97 $1,411 —
1475–1615 1552 75-80% 3 111.00–114.00 $112.71 $1,749 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1870 1870 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,720 —
1630–2290 1902 10 100.00–114.00 $109.38 $2,080 —
2530 2530 1 124.00 $124.00 $3,137 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1344 1344 6 154.00 $154.00 $2,070 —
1523–1651 1619 12 151.00–154.00 $151.71 $2,456 +8.31
1624 1624 6 147.00 $147.00 $2,387 +3.60

↑ Back to top

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.