Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 15, 2024

12,209 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $261.52/cwt -0.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,521/hd at 582 lb · 915 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $261.66/cwt -1.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,753/hd at 670 lb · 747 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $241.17/cwt +6.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,867/hd at 774 lb · 726 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 12,209 21,992 32,844
Feeder cattle 11,663 20,756 31,028
Slaughter cattle 546 1,236 1,816

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 6.00 to 10.00 higher, 600-800 lbs 2.00 higher, over 800 lbs 3.00 to 7.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 550 lbs 10.00 higher, 550-750 lbs unevenly steady over 750 lbs 3.00 to 6.00 higher. Moderate to good demand this week, best demand was for those light weight steers and heifers to make yearlings of. Demand more moderate for heavier cattle bound for finishing yards as cattle feeders have been busy moving snow out of pens and with the -20 temps they haven't been real enthused to take on incoming cattle as the horrible weather creates so much extra work. Much better weather next week as temps finally move back above zero. Slaughter cows sold with steady to lower undertones, bulls not well tested.

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
336–348 340 17 305.00–339.00 $317.27 $1,079 -43.24
388 388 4 297.50 $297.50 $1,154 -41.64
415 415 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,204 -59.02
412–446 429 75 320.00–358.00 $337.51 $1,448 -11.51
460–494 476 144 290.50–338.00 $316.22 $1,505 -4.14
508–546 529 165 289.00–328.00 $313.29 $1,657 +6.10
550–598 568 587 281.00–320.00 $303.27 $1,723 +10.49
586 586 13 280.50 $280.50 $1,644 +10.50
600–648 626 636 255.00–294.50 $278.32 $1,742 +2.16
650–698 670 747 245.00–277.00 $261.66 $1,753 -2.85
700–743 719 498 228.00–264.00 $248.55 $1,787 +1.53
720–736 722 109 234.00–235.00 $234.55 $1,693 -12.47
751–796 774 726 219.00–255.00 $241.17 $1,867 +6.33
801–840 823 501 217.00–234.00 $229.68 $1,890 +7.43
850–881 859 213 220.50–232.50 $224.55 $1,929 +29.48
850–894 878 145 210.00–219.00 $216.41 $1,900 -7.52
900–949 924 464 204.00–218.50 $212.11 $1,960 -5.54
955–982 966 280 205.75–214.00 $210.80 $2,036 -3.12
966–994 970 66 202.25–206.25 $205.63 $1,995 -8.29
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1016 1016 27 195.50 $195.50 $1,986 -13.09
1006–1035 1030 146 185.00–205.00 $201.27 $2,073 -7.32
1067 1067 23 200.00 $200.00 $2,134 -7.88
1112–1148 1130 230 186.00–200.25 $199.06 $2,249 +2.59
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 5 324.00 $324.00 $1,225 -2.25
415 415 11 305.00 $305.00 $1,266 +2.51
456–476 468 21 274.00–309.00 $287.76 $1,347 +1.37
505–537 526 16 282.00–310.00 $294.09 $1,547 +14.07
557–591 575 45 259.00–280.00 $273.93 $1,575 +2.33
624–643 635 37 239.00–255.00 $246.64 $1,566 -2.85
683–699 690 25 248.00–249.50 $248.66 $1,716 +6.23
707–710 709 15 212.00–231.00 $220.06 $1,560 -13.08
769–797 785 23 211.00–216.00 $213.11 $1,673 -4.89
824 824 4 211.00 $211.00 $1,739 +9.15
874 874 4 204.00 $204.00 $1,783 +2.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 2 172.00 $172.00 $2,288 —
1453 1453 4 170.00 $170.00 $2,470 +5.69
1549 1549 20 173.00 $173.00 $2,680 —
1522–1585 1554 38 170.00–172.00 $170.93 $2,656 +8.65
1612 1612 36 173.00 $173.00 $2,789 -1.90
1684 1684 11 163.00 $163.00 $2,745 -3.64

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354–399 369 64 283.00–304.00 $294.36 $1,086 -9.88
418–448 436 88 269.00–301.00 $288.89 $1,260 +4.82
457–498 474 222 265.00–311.00 $283.59 $1,344 +8.83
481 481 6 276.00 $276.00 $1,328 +1.24
505–544 522 371 241.00–298.00 $279.70 $1,460 +10.12
568 568 107 275.25–286.50 $283.87 $1,612 +7.88
552–596 581 625 233.00–280.00 $262.20 $1,523 +25.90
576–595 589 123 242.00–249.00 $246.94 $1,454 +10.64
598 598 60 244.50 $244.50 $1,462 +8.20
600 600 7 237.00 $237.00 $1,422 -13.74
606–649 625 571 225.00–256.00 $240.48 $1,503 -10.26
659 659 164 254.50 $254.50 $1,677 +9.00
650–698 677 455 220.00–250.00 $232.72 $1,576 +3.24
672–698 682 35 201.00–229.00 $212.46 $1,449 -17.02
703–747 723 393 206.00–240.00 $223.40 $1,615 -3.52
756 756 5 202.00 $202.00 $1,527 -4.65
756–794 777 334 205.00–222.00 $212.99 $1,655 +6.34
800–846 819 193 194.00–215.00 $205.27 $1,681 +2.06
853–899 877 265 194.00–206.50 $203.14 $1,782 +5.61
901–908 903 57 195.00–202.75 $200.02 $1,806 +5.06
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405–1458 1436 167 169.00–173.00 $171.98 $2,470 -2.65
1405–1450 1437 131 170.00–173.00 $172.15 $2,474 -2.48
1484 1484 12 165.00 $165.00 $2,449 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 3 295.00 $295.00 $994 +19.00
372 372 3 292.00 $292.00 $1,086 +17.00
481–485 484 29 245.00–256.00 $246.45 $1,193 -11.80
500–501 500 32 236.00–255.00 $238.97 $1,195 -9.96
586–593 589 17 216.00–235.00 $223.79 $1,318 -8.08
607–649 641 25 210.00–228.50 $224.99 $1,442 -4.92
653–691 677 8 201.00–211.00 $204.62 $1,385 -4.81
717 717 15 211.00 $211.00 $1,513 +3.27
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1133–1141 1140 30 167.00–183.25 $181.10 $2,065 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 6 351.00 $351.00 $1,450 —
467 467 3 312.00 $312.00 $1,457 —
797 797 32 214.00 $214.00 $1,706 —
860 860 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,660 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1279–1538 1409 75-80% 8 109.00 $109.00 $1,536 —
1095–1775 1433 75-80% 47 94.00–106.00 $100.72 $1,443 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
767–1345 838 85-90% 9 20.00–30.00 $27.67 $232 —
851–1510 1007 85-90% 10 65.00–69.00 $67.27 $677 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1930 1519 80-85% 4 85.00–93.00 $89.56 $1,360 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1738 1738 65-75% 3 109.00 $109.00 $1,894 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1700–2060 1867 6 117.00–126.00 $120.46 $2,249 —
2080 2080 1 110.00 $110.00 $2,288 +4.43

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1541 1541 4 147.00 $147.00 $2,265 —

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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.