Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 1, 2024

24,565 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $278.20/cwt +8.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,743/hd at 626 lb · 1,491 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $256.37/cwt +11.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,849/hd at 721 lb · 1,245 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $263.21/cwt ≈ $1,769/hd at 672 lb · 1,188 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 24,565 1,945 29,066
Feeder cattle 23,387 1,443 28,986
Slaughter cattle 1,178 502 80

Market comments — USDA reporter

No price comparisons to make as there was only one sale a week ago to compare to, higher undertones prevailed at the auctions this week. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers, especially those light cattle under 650 lbs. Cash fed cattle posted a rally, up to 175.00, leaving a 4.00 positive basis. Attitudes amongst cattle producers are much better as the rapid decline of the cattle futures stopped.

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
290 290 5 305.00 $305.00 $884 —
334 334 6 354.00 $354.00 $1,182 —
358–398 382 69 325.00–337.50 $329.60 $1,259 —
408–448 428 109 315.00–360.00 $329.69 $1,411 —
464 464 9 290.00 $290.00 $1,346 -19.00
452–499 476 263 299.00–342.50 $321.38 $1,530 +12.38
504–513 thin fleshed 506 36 312.50–320.00 $318.73 $1,613 —
504–548 528 482 280.00–317.50 $305.48 $1,613 -4.52
553–599 576 953 266.00–315.00 $291.17 $1,677 +2.17
578 578 15 266.00 $266.00 $1,537 -23.00
580–586 unweaned 582 79 261.00–262.00 $261.29 $1,521 —
588 fancy 588 63 305.50 $305.50 $1,796 —
591 591 15 284.00 $284.00 $1,678 -5.00
602 thin fleshed 602 10 289.00 $289.00 $1,740 —
603–648 626 1,426 241.00–301.00 $279.09 $1,747 +9.68
635–648 640 33 254.00–254.25 $254.15 $1,627 -15.26
636–649 645 22 250.00–255.00 $251.57 $1,623 -17.84
653–697 672 1,188 241.00–277.50 $263.21 $1,769 —
701 unweaned 701 9 229.50 $229.50 $1,609 —
701–747 721 1,160 235.00–277.00 $257.96 $1,860 +13.02
707–745 727 76 233.00–236.50 $235.22 $1,710 -9.72
766 766 13 228.50 $228.50 $1,750 -1.44
768 768 63 246.50 $246.50 $1,893 +16.56
750–797 769 1,095 219.00–253.00 $240.95 $1,853 +11.01
806–841 824 16 206.50–220.00 $213.39 $1,758 -13.15
800–849 827 1,106 208.00–239.25 $231.12 $1,911 +4.58
856–891 875 422 207.00–234.25 $222.67 $1,948 +12.17
878–893 890 49 205.50–217.00 $207.58 $1,847 -2.92
900–945 914 627 206.00–226.50 $220.75 $2,018 +8.89
958–998 979 426 171.00–222.25 $211.58 $2,071 +6.33
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
903 903 15 206.00 $206.00 $1,860 —
1015–1046 1032 320 198.00–212.50 $208.21 $2,149 —
1053–1087 1069 375 189.00–204.00 $196.98 $2,106 —
1101–1124 1120 343 190.50–204.25 $198.00 $2,218 —
1176 1176 8 177.50 $177.50 $2,087 —
1210 1210 144 188.50 $188.50 $2,281 +22.50
1302 1302 46 182.75 $182.75 $2,379 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1278–1282 1279 10 151.00–152.00 $151.70 $1,940 —
1232–1374 1327 26 160.00–171.00 $167.35 $2,221 -2.74
1415–1455 1439 101 172.00–176.50 $174.39 $2,509 +3.91
1409–1487 1462 26 171.00–174.00 $172.49 $2,522 —
1453–1468 1462 8 168.00–169.00 $168.37 $2,462 —
1495 1495 2 165.00 $165.00 $2,467 —
1510–1594 1560 137 173.00–177.00 $176.17 $2,748 +1.17
1511–1584 1562 118 173.00–175.50 $173.63 $2,712 -1.37
1659 1659 11 168.00 $168.00 $2,787 —
1617–1690 1661 135 170.50–177.00 $174.65 $2,901 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 4 290.00 $290.00 $1,140 —
400–423 409 21 297.50–302.00 $299.27 $1,224 —
452–479 466 60 280.00–305.00 $296.58 $1,382 —
505–538 528 51 266.00–295.00 $285.72 $1,509 -1.28
583–596 589 11 250.00–276.00 $261.96 $1,543 —
607–637 626 58 235.00–260.00 $243.52 $1,524 —
663–698 691 77 236.00–254.00 $244.40 $1,689 -4.60
720–738 723 18 207.00–227.00 $210.40 $1,521 -11.60
755–778 766 35 197.50–229.00 $219.74 $1,683 -2.94
914–941 925 19 181.00–185.00 $183.29 $1,695 -3.21
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
908 908 5 206.00 $206.00 $1,870 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–320 313 20 276.00–295.00 $288.63 $903 —
379 379 13 280.00 $280.00 $1,061 —
358–399 384 91 284.00–316.00 $294.24 $1,130 —
414–446 421 80 265.00–266.00 $265.77 $1,119 -25.23
402–448 433 148 264.00–302.50 $282.88 $1,225 -8.12
450–489 477 329 261.00–306.00 $282.37 $1,347 +20.07
510 thin fleshed 510 48 289.50 $289.50 $1,476 —
500–546 516 602 251.00–304.50 $280.08 $1,445 +18.08
538 538 6 251.00 $251.00 $1,350 -11.00
571 unweaned 571 29 244.00 $244.00 $1,393 —
551–599 575 995 240.00–282.00 $260.96 $1,501 +10.96
579–594 590 26 250.00–252.00 $251.47 $1,484 +1.47
600 thin fleshed 600 25 250.25 $250.25 $1,502 —
608–619 616 13 223.00 $223.00 $1,374 -12.37
600–648 626 1,037 224.50–265.00 $241.40 $1,511 +6.03
672 fancy 672 237 270.50 $270.50 $1,818 —
652–696 677 648 219.00–250.50 $237.33 $1,607 +5.50
666–695 679 94 222.00–227.00 $222.74 $1,512 -9.09
702–749 724 718 210.00–242.00 $225.66 $1,634 +7.66
732–748 736 116 213.00–216.00 $213.41 $1,571 -4.59
750–799 776 863 201.00–222.50 $215.31 $1,671 -12.69
774–796 790 80 201.00–208.50 $207.84 $1,642 -8.16
826 826 108 196.00 $196.00 $1,619 -17.21
802–848 837 618 185.00–223.00 $211.14 $1,767 -2.07
871 871 50 194.00 $194.00 $1,690 -4.50
856–899 878 424 191.00–204.00 $199.43 $1,751 +0.93
904–936 913 60 189.50–192.50 $191.63 $1,750 -3.47
901–946 927 640 194.85–214.50 $203.60 $1,887 +8.50
931 931 64 201.00 $201.00 $1,871 +5.90
952–991 967 129 171.00–193.50 $189.43 $1,832 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 5 265.00 $265.00 $726 —
321 321 5 302.50 $302.50 $971 —
366–382 377 16 245.00–270.00 $251.27 $947 —
407–436 419 19 264.00–269.00 $266.81 $1,118 —
455–499 482 12 247.50–256.00 $252.89 $1,219 +2.89
528–548 544 40 240.00–265.00 $250.52 $1,363 +3.62
596 596 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,460 —
607–647 635 86 221.00–231.50 $229.54 $1,458 +0.04
671–681 676 48 210.00–225.50 $218.04 $1,474 -4.96
708–743 720 50 209.00–217.75 $214.94 $1,548 —
764 764 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,475 —
806–823 810 25 161.00–193.00 $168.80 $1,367 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1234–1253 1245 16 167.00–174.00 $170.96 $2,128 —
1339 1339 5 160.00 $160.00 $2,142 —
1366 1366 4 170.00 $170.00 $2,322 -3.93
1331–1513 1411 15 169.00–170.50 $169.84 $2,396 —
1268–1506 1419 45 172.50–177.00 $174.02 $2,469 —
1414–1578 1491 94 172.50–176.00 $174.52 $2,602 +1.05
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
641 641 8 220.00 $220.00 $1,410 —
1032–1034 1032 66 166.00–189.25 $187.13 $1,931 -6.72
1051 1051 63 187.50 $187.50 $1,971 —
1100–1148 1113 11 160.00–174.00 $170.06 $1,893 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1073 1073 11 167.00 $167.00 $1,792 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
684 684 6 183.00 $183.00 $1,252 +1.73

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
804 804 5 151.00 $151.00 $1,214 —
867 867 12 142.00 $142.00 $1,231 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1148 1148 5 159.00 $159.00 $1,825 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1174–1950 1465 75-80% 120 92.00–104.00 $97.51 $1,429 —
1713–1815 1776 75-80% 6 106.00–108.00 $107.15 $1,903 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1903 1374 80-85% 82 84.00–91.00 $87.72 $1,205 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–1260 961 85-90% 14 22.50–40.00 $28.89 $278 —
908–1910 1304 85-90% 30 73.00–83.00 $80.53 $1,050 —
1035–1481 1311 85-90% 19 51.00–71.00 $62.33 $817 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405–1714 1648 65-75% 10 101.00–105.50 $102.39 $1,687 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625–1630 1628 2 77.00–87.50 $82.26 $1,339 —
1700–2155 1879 9 100.00–111.00 $106.40 $1,999 —
1678–2084 1944 8 113.00–119.50 $118.22 $2,298 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1478 1478 14 145.50 $145.50 $2,150 —

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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.