Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 8, 2024

21,992 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $263.18/cwt -0.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,776/hd at 675 lb · 2,356 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $261.76/cwt +1.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,497/hd at 572 lb · 1,276 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $292.25/cwt +2.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,685/hd at 576 lb · 1,259 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 21,992 24,565 37,948
Feeder cattle 20,756 23,387 35,472
Slaughter cattle 1,236 1,178 2,476

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers unevenly steady, except 700-800 lbs 6.00 to 10.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 750 lbs 2.00 to 6.00 lower, instances 7.00 to 10.00 lower, over 750 lbs 7.00 to 8.00 lower. Moderate to good demand for feeder cattle this week, best demand remains centered on steers and heifers in light enough weight and flesh to make yearlings of. As the cattle futures contracts have stopped their freefall, attitudes towards buying cattle has increased greatly. Cattle feeders that bought yearlings last year are looking at breakeven prices closer to 200.00, than the current cash market of 175.00, this fact is putting pressure on the market for these big, weaned calves that have to go straight to finishing yards. Late week winter storm caused some consignment cancelations and feedyards in the heart of the storm to not have much interest in buying cattle this week. Slaughter cows 1.00 to 3.00 higher, except Lean cows 2.00 lower, bulls steady.

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
312–340 330 24 345.00–366.00 $360.51 $1,190 +6.51
376–396 388 25 322.00–350.00 $339.14 $1,316 +9.54
405–429 417 77 325.00–364.00 $349.02 $1,455 +19.33
450–499 476 369 298.00–337.50 $320.36 $1,525 -1.02
504–546 521 460 290.00–326.00 $307.19 $1,600 +1.71
541 thin fleshed 541 100 316.50 $316.50 $1,712 -2.23
542 542 17 287.00 $287.00 $1,556 -18.48
553 unweaned 553 30 275.00 $275.00 $1,521 +13.71
552–598 577 1,223 275.00–314.00 $292.78 $1,689 +1.61
589 589 6 270.00 $270.00 $1,590 -14.00
601 601 14 269.00 $269.00 $1,617 -10.09
603 thin fleshed 603 13 293.50 $293.50 $1,770 +4.50
612 612 63 264.00 $264.00 $1,616 -15.09
600–649 623 988 246.00–292.00 $276.16 $1,720 -2.93
636 unweaned 636 26 250.00 $250.00 $1,590 —
650–697 674 2,217 242.00–279.75 $264.51 $1,783 +1.30
657–699 688 131 239.00–245.00 $242.67 $1,670 -20.54
698 698 8 231.50 $231.50 $1,616 -31.71
700–747 727 1,049 230.00–259.00 $247.02 $1,796 +11.80
729–744 739 73 233.00–237.50 $235.51 $1,740 +0.29
751–793 772 1,043 223.00–245.00 $234.84 $1,813 -6.11
800–845 815 557 211.00–238.00 $227.50 $1,854 +14.11
821 821 21 222.25 $222.25 $1,825 +8.86
821 821 50 214.00 $214.00 $1,757 +0.61
851–873 856 184 194.50–197.00 $195.07 $1,670 -27.60
850–894 870 623 212.00–234.25 $223.93 $1,948 +1.26
901–905 902 12 193.50–209.00 $198.68 $1,792 -22.07
902–917 914 226 210.00–222.50 $217.65 $1,989 -3.10
954–996 975 399 189.00–217.75 $213.92 $2,086 +2.34
968–982 977 22 186.50–205.50 $193.35 $1,889 -18.23
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
746 746 4 217.50 $217.50 $1,623 —
1004 1004 10 172.00 $172.00 $1,727 -36.21
1004–1041 1022 492 189.50–217.75 $208.59 $2,132 +0.38
1050–1099 1065 573 188.00–214.00 $207.88 $2,214 +10.90
1123–1144 1133 418 184.50–200.00 $196.47 $2,226 -1.53
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 6 295.00 $295.00 $811 —
341 341 10 350.00 $350.00 $1,194 —
390–391 391 16 325.00–327.00 $326.25 $1,276 +36.25
414–442 427 43 272.50–322.50 $302.49 $1,292 +3.22
464–489 477 15 270.00–300.00 $286.39 $1,366 -10.19
516–548 529 44 270.00–301.00 $280.02 $1,481 -5.70
558–592 577 45 260.00–290.00 $271.60 $1,567 +9.64
602–638 622 174 241.00–263.00 $249.49 $1,552 +5.97
655–690 675 54 222.00–255.00 $242.43 $1,636 -1.97
717–729 720 69 218.00–237.50 $233.14 $1,679 +22.74
760 760 4 218.00 $218.00 $1,657 -1.74
800–829 815 162 185.00–211.00 $201.85 $1,645 —
888 888 6 202.00 $202.00 $1,794 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1218 1209 6 156.00–159.00 $157.01 $1,898 —
1239 1239 9 166.00 $166.00 $2,057 —
1360–1493 1444 13 170.00–178.50 $174.27 $2,516 -0.12
1443–1484 1465 21 160.00–169.75 $164.31 $2,407 -8.18
1450–1487 1469 33 170.00–175.50 $171.75 $2,523 -0.74
1517–1583 1562 44 160.00–167.25 $162.28 $2,535 -11.35
1510–1606 1577 96 169.00–175.00 $174.73 $2,755 +1.10
1518–1594 1577 62 169.00–173.50 $172.00 $2,712 -1.63
1610–1700 1617 163 173.00–177.25 $174.90 $2,828 —
1633–1739 1695 16 165.00–167.50 $166.64 $2,825 -8.01
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1059 1059 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,970 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
273 273 4 315.00 $315.00 $860 —
306–318 310 15 302.00–315.00 $310.55 $963 +21.92
353–393 372 65 284.00–321.00 $304.24 $1,132 +24.24
401–448 421 131 268.00–305.00 $284.07 $1,196 +18.30
451–499 474 345 254.00–299.00 $274.76 $1,302 -7.61
504–549 526 686 245.00–286.00 $269.58 $1,418 -10.50
555–588 571 185 275.00–277.00 $275.99 $1,576 +15.03
550–599 572 1,051 228.00–280.50 $260.23 $1,489 -0.73
572–590 579 40 233.00–241.00 $236.30 $1,368 -24.66
600–649 619 722 234.00–270.50 $250.74 $1,552 +27.74
665 665 84 245.50 $245.50 $1,633 +8.17
651–699 667 483 217.00–257.00 $235.23 $1,569 -2.10
672–679 674 61 220.00–235.00 $229.48 $1,547 -7.85
703–747 724 493 215.00–252.00 $226.92 $1,643 +1.26
718–739 728 52 202.50–208.00 $206.25 $1,502 -19.41
742 742 60 223.00 $223.00 $1,655 +9.59
750–798 785 296 199.00–222.50 $206.65 $1,622 -1.19
801–832 817 199 194.00–231.00 $203.21 $1,660 +7.21
804–843 825 63 187.00–197.00 $190.20 $1,569 -5.80
852 852 5 194.00 $194.00 $1,653 ±0.00
871–879 875 121 195.00–200.00 $197.53 $1,728 -1.90
911–948 932 209 174.00–199.25 $194.96 $1,817 -6.04
957–966 964 204 189.00–200.00 $195.93 $1,889 +6.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 5 295.00 $295.00 $826 +30.00
323 323 8 276.00 $276.00 $891 -26.50
385 385 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,059 +23.73
402 402 3 246.00 $246.00 $989 -20.81
426 thin fleshed 426 12 279.00 $279.00 $1,189 —
448 unweaned 448 5 210.00 $210.00 $941 —
454–495 476 60 241.00–265.00 $258.25 $1,229 +5.36
504–543 525 64 241.00–256.00 $248.93 $1,307 -1.59
530 unweaned 530 17 236.00 $236.00 $1,251 —
551–598 579 120 221.00–241.00 $231.87 $1,343 -13.13
603–645 634 206 216.00–243.00 $229.91 $1,458 +0.37
643 unweaned 643 11 201.00 $201.00 $1,292 —
653–698 683 101 200.00–213.00 $209.43 $1,430 -8.61
705–744 725 139 193.00–219.00 $207.73 $1,506 -7.21
825 825 6 185.00 $185.00 $1,526 +16.20
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1208 1208 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,921 —
1147–1295 1271 72 167.00–174.00 $172.32 $2,190 —
1337 1337 10 170.50 $170.50 $2,280 +10.50
1378–1396 1392 19 162.00–167.00 $163.04 $2,270 -6.96
1356–1564 1414 230 171.00–175.00 $173.16 $2,448 +3.32
1380–1508 1446 91 173.00–178.50 $174.63 $2,525 +0.61
1541 1541 5 158.00 $158.00 $2,435 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 31 176.00 $176.00 $1,874 -11.50

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1083–1870 1374 80-85% 94 83.00–92.50 $88.91 $1,222 +1.19
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–2075 1531 75-80% 80 93.00–106.00 $100.22 $1,534 —
1615–1935 1775 75-80% 2 108.00–110.00 $109.09 $1,936 +1.94
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
784–1715 1055 85-90% 9 25.00–42.00 $33.39 $352 —
1081–1720 1319 85-90% 19 72.00–83.00 $78.96 $1,041 +16.63
1115–1845 1420 85-90% 10 52.00–71.00 $63.52 $902 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1577–1775 1599 65-75% 9 107.00–107.50 $107.44 $1,718 —
1765 1765 65-75% 1 126.00 $126.00 $2,224 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1940–1960 1950 2 121.00–127.00 $123.98 $2,418 —
1810–2253 2090 9 100.00–110.00 $105.57 $2,206 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1416–1640 1491 11 142.50–153.00 $145.19 $2,165 -0.31

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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.