Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 29, 2024

24,136 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 $279.40/cwt +9.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,882/hd at 673 lb · 1,630 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $290.89/cwt +5.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,818/hd at 625 lb · 1,291 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $239.98/cwt +2.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,975/hd at 823 lb · 1,283 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 24,136 37,540 12,247
Feeder cattle 22,424 36,652 11,291
Slaughter cattle 1,712 888 956

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 5.00 to 9.00 higher, over 700 lbs 2.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder heifers 2.00 to 6.00 higher, instances of 8..00 to 10.00 higher on 750-800 lbs and 850-900 lbs. Very good demand for all weights of steers and heifers, especially on those light weight cattle to background and make yearlings of. The cattle inventory report and confirmed what everyone already knew, there are fewer cows again. The futures traders pushed the Feeder Cattle contracts 5.00 higher after Wednesday's report was released. Live Cattle contracts are now back in the 180s, a far cry from where the most bearish industry members were calling for it to be throughout the winter. Cattle producers are feeling very optimistic, especially the backgrounders and calf raisers as the summer and fall months of the Feeder Cattle board are right back up to their levels where they were before the Thanksgiving collapse began. Packers had to raise bids to 178.00 to get a few cattle bought. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 higher, bulls 1.00 to 2.00 lower.

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
310–344 320 38 350.00–380.00 $369.48 $1,182 +17.71
361–396 379 95 340.00–371.00 $362.49 $1,374 +15.49
402–448 425 122 335.00–365.00 $352.39 $1,498 +6.70
450 thin fleshed 450 3 370.00 $370.00 $1,665 —
453–496 480 222 320.00–361.00 $338.07 $1,623 +3.21
501 thin fleshed 501 37 346.00 $346.00 $1,733 —
500–549 522 389 303.00–350.00 $325.72 $1,700 +6.07
559 thin fleshed 559 19 331.00 $331.00 $1,850 +5.50
550–592 568 558 285.00–323.00 $307.33 $1,746 +6.24
601–648 624 1,191 270.00–309.50 $292.18 $1,823 +6.07
617–645 635 100 262.00–281.00 $275.55 $1,750 +9.33
657 thin fleshed 657 80 298.00 $298.00 $1,958 —
650–696 674 1,515 259.00–293.00 $278.65 $1,878 +8.44
686 686 35 269.50 $269.50 $1,849 -0.50
715 fancy 715 76 280.00 $280.00 $2,002 —
701–746 726 1,024 248.00–275.50 $259.03 $1,881 +4.54
735–747 740 21 237.00–241.00 $238.73 $1,767 +1.07
761–782 768 16 241.00–244.00 $241.96 $1,858 -6.19
750–799 777 1,263 236.00–264.50 $250.01 $1,943 -5.65
809 809 9 231.00 $231.00 $1,869 -7.78
800–849 823 1,274 229.00–255.00 $240.04 $1,976 +22.10
856–878 861 118 211.00–227.00 $222.20 $1,913 -7.77
852–896 866 1,116 220.00–246.00 $235.94 $2,043 +5.97
904–946 930 694 210.00–238.00 $226.60 $2,107 +1.68
951–986 965 312 206.00–226.50 $224.42 $2,166 +27.44
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220 1220 10 181.00 $181.00 $2,208 —
1250–1383 1339 9 153.00–160.00 $155.18 $2,078 —
1226–1399 1346 22 167.50–175.00 $171.60 $2,310 —
1412–1528 1434 108 172.00–177.00 $173.18 $2,483 —
1411–1485 1461 36 172.00–175.00 $173.18 $2,530 -3.09
1410–1529 1492 38 154.00–160.00 $155.00 $2,313 -21.50
1509–1574 1539 26 161.00–167.00 $164.04 $2,525 -5.96
1526–1549 1542 43 172.00–173.00 $172.84 $2,665 +2.84
1501–1596 1543 214 170.00–172.00 $171.62 $2,648 +1.62
1505–1574 1543 55 175.00–180.50 $177.37 $2,737 +7.37
1610–1691 1656 148 170.50–174.50 $173.22 $2,869 —
1651–1825 1660 38 162.00–167.50 $167.18 $2,775 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387–395 393 23 332.00–342.50 $339.80 $1,335 +0.52
421 421 5 315.00 $315.00 $1,326 +0.27
451–495 481 55 307.50–328.00 $316.68 $1,523 +15.86
526–545 538 34 290.00–300.00 $296.06 $1,593 +6.39
578–599 592 183 282.00–293.00 $288.68 $1,709 -3.51
625–635 627 21 269.00–275.00 $273.84 $1,717 +4.47
654–691 673 71 256.00–267.00 $260.73 $1,755 +4.94
740 740 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,480 -9.12
795–796 795 19 221.00–230.00 $226.68 $1,802 +1.49
820–829 822 36 226.00–233.50 $232.03 $1,907 +19.86
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
717 717 20 250.00 $250.00 $1,792 +27.00
1031–1033 1032 36 206.00–213.25 $210.84 $2,176 -4.82
1076 1076 15 202.00 $202.00 $2,174 -14.56
1053–1093 1081 160 197.00–214.75 $211.07 $2,282 -5.49
1289 1289 13 179.50 $179.50 $2,314 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705 705 3 207.00 $207.00 $1,459 —
799 799 9 191.00 $191.00 $1,526 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1188 1188 4 170.00 $170.00 $2,020 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–295 289 7 325.00–330.00 $327.19 $946 —
319 319 9 330.00 $330.00 $1,053 +13.88
354–382 374 93 315.00–350.00 $325.58 $1,218 +11.33
401–448 428 157 300.00–320.00 $309.46 $1,324 +4.38
453–495 479 433 280.00–314.00 $301.65 $1,445 +35.65
503–549 527 503 270.00–300.00 $283.98 $1,497 -3.98
552–594 568 919 255.00–287.25 $277.72 $1,577 +1.66
568–580 571 56 250.00–260.00 $257.16 $1,468 -39.70
600–647 619 1,190 246.00–279.50 $261.88 $1,621 +6.03
615–649 632 82 236.00–257.00 $244.47 $1,545 -11.38
650–694 674 1,033 225.00–266.50 $249.38 $1,681 -9.05
713–720 715 91 240.00–254.00 $250.13 $1,788 +7.55
700–749 727 1,051 223.50–248.00 $234.00 $1,701 +14.50
718–749 733 61 212.00–226.00 $222.67 $1,632 +8.93
752–779 769 710 219.00–243.00 $227.94 $1,753 +23.42
796 796 40 210.00–217.00 $214.55 $1,708 +11.05
803 803 38 216.50 $216.50 $1,738 +3.76
800–847 818 463 212.50–231.00 $217.92 $1,783 +5.18
823 823 62 238.50 $238.50 $1,963 +25.76
850–897 874 835 200.00–218.00 $213.01 $1,862 +8.55
863–885 882 51 194.00–208.50 $206.83 $1,824 +2.37
903–948 932 353 193.00–208.25 $203.66 $1,898 +3.41
950–999 977 186 191.00–202.00 $197.28 $1,927 -0.65
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–338 313 14 295.00–300.00 $298.84 $935 —
361–386 381 123 310.00–335.00 $317.40 $1,209 +11.80
421–449 438 35 285.00–293.00 $289.66 $1,269 +6.82
451–498 478 49 270.00–290.00 $279.13 $1,334 +6.54
504–549 531 32 250.00–267.00 $257.89 $1,369 -12.36
562–589 570 201 249.50–260.00 $253.39 $1,444 -7.45
608–628 617 44 231.00–249.00 $239.75 $1,479 +10.24
650–695 672 39 225.00–245.00 $232.63 $1,563 +18.48
680 680 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,360 -14.15
729–745 741 97 210.00–221.00 $215.17 $1,594 +24.17
760–766 764 11 201.00–212.00 $209.02 $1,597 +7.02
815–824 821 11 201.00–211.00 $204.61 $1,680 +16.42
897 897 17 186.00 $186.00 $1,668 -2.00
900 900 31 182.00 $182.00 $1,638 -3.25
924 924 9 157.00 $157.00 $1,451 -28.25
999 999 5 175.00 $175.00 $1,748 -2.76
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1047–1145 1084 8 159.00–163.00 $161.42 $1,750 —
1121–1366 1276 83 161.00–177.00 $170.44 $2,175 —
1299–1503 1377 85 163.00–169.00 $167.18 $2,302 -0.82
1351–1525 1413 72 169.25–174.50 $171.49 $2,423 -2.27
1352–1488 1421 84 173.50–176.00 $174.00 $2,473 -2.37
1428 1428 2 157.00 $157.00 $2,242 -19.37
1432 1432 11 160.00 $160.00 $2,291 -16.37
1535 1535 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,594 —
1620–1650 1625 6 155.00 $155.00 $2,519 —
1625 1625 2 167.50 $167.50 $2,722 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1025 1002 126 190.00–202.25 $201.95 $2,024 +5.27
1106 1106 5 169.00 $169.00 $1,869 -25.00
1152–1189 1172 12 172.13–176.50 $173.78 $2,037 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260 1260 5 136.00 $136.00 $1,714 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 4 275.00 $275.00 $1,414 +2.50
674 674 7 259.00 $259.00 $1,746 —
711 711 4 234.00 $234.00 $1,664 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–2043 1428 75-80% 231 94.00–113.50 $103.09 $1,472 +1.65
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–2190 1639 65-75% 119 102.00–114.50 $109.00 $1,787 -0.42
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
943–1815 1248 80-85% 35 84.00–93.00 $89.18 $1,113 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
721–1245 995 85-90% 14 30.00–42.50 $37.49 $373 -36.39
850–1825 1011 85-90% 15 72.50–77.50 $73.43 $742 —
1225 1225 85-90% 1 56.00 $56.00 $686 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1605–2120 1729 6 125.00–128.00 $126.91 $2,194 —
1778–2110 1889 3 90.00–102.00 $97.53 $1,842 -6.84
1880–2415 2112 16 111.00–120.00 $116.74 $2,466 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1383 1383 3 145.00 $145.00 $2,005 —
1613–1626 1620 14 147.00–149.50 $148.07 $2,399 —

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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.