Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 19, 2024

37,864 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $272.73/cwt +7.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,988/hd at 729 lb · 2,810 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $254.77/cwt +1.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,967/hd at 772 lb · 2,442 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $288.42/cwt +7.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,949/hd at 676 lb · 2,404 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 37,864 31,260 9,303
Feeder cattle 36,594 29,963 9,138
Slaughter cattle 1,270 1,297 165

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 800 lbs 2.00 to 6.00 higher, over 800 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Very good demand for steers and heifers as the cattle futures contracts continue to climb higher. The fall months of the Feeder Cattle contract are highly attractive and backgrounders want to make sure they have cattle to sell during that time, which is really making the market very active for this class of cattle. Cash fed cattle up to 184.00 in Iowa as cattle feeders are fighting hard to get their cattle sold par with the spot month of the Live Cattle futures. Cattle producers have seen little reason to delay selling their home raised feeder cattle as the market has been so attractive, which has resulted in two large months of auction receipts. Calving season is nearing, another reason for cow/calf operators to get their last year's crop of cattle sold to make room in the corrals for calving heifers and cows. Slaughter cows 2.00 to 5.00 higher, 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
318–342 338 53 383.00–400.00 $386.13 $1,305 -1.96
359–394 376 35 360.00–405.00 $382.30 $1,437 -1.37
421 fancy 421 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,600 —
405–442 427 260 330.00–400.00 $355.66 $1,519 -3.42
457–497 478 270 320.00–370.00 $345.47 $1,651 -0.04
496 496 15 310.00 $310.00 $1,538 -35.51
500–548 527 894 302.50–352.50 $332.16 $1,750 +7.46
557 557 47 324.50 $324.50 $1,807 +5.16
550–598 580 1,134 296.00–338.00 $319.09 $1,851 -0.25
581–596 585 75 282.00–295.50 $288.00 $1,685 -31.34
600–649 624 1,705 283.00–319.00 $305.12 $1,904 +3.41
611–647 628 71 275.00–285.00 $279.60 $1,756 -22.11
653 653 49 300.00 $300.00 $1,959 +17.80
658 fancy 658 94 316.00 $316.00 $2,079 —
659–698 672 50 253.00–283.00 $263.10 $1,768 -19.10
651–699 677 2,211 266.00–306.50 $287.56 $1,947 +5.36
712–730 722 72 238.00–242.00 $239.91 $1,732 -10.23
700–749 729 2,738 252.00–293.50 $273.59 $1,994 +23.45
751–799 772 2,343 240.00–270.00 $255.71 $1,974 +1.75
767–786 772 99 230.50–238.00 $232.58 $1,796 -21.38
809–812 811 204 260.50–266.00 $262.33 $2,127 +20.46
801–846 818 2,069 237.50–254.00 $246.87 $2,019 +5.00
820–842 830 82 228.00–239.00 $235.27 $1,953 -6.60
850–899 870 1,929 226.00–250.50 $242.90 $2,113 +9.71
876 876 5 209.00 $209.00 $1,831 -7.00
864–896 878 111 230.00–238.25 $236.64 $2,078 +20.64
900–949 926 1,619 220.00–242.25 $235.03 $2,176 +10.92
909–949 930 21 210.00–216.00 $213.21 $1,983 +3.34
953–984 969 238 202.00–230.00 $223.25 $2,163 +6.25
975 975 5 189.00 $189.00 $1,843 -28.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1023 1016 117 211.25–222.25 $219.08 $2,226 +7.15
1016 1016 5 205.00 $205.00 $2,083 -6.93
1050–1085 1064 380 208.25–220.10 $214.77 $2,285 +4.95
1113 1113 203 207.50 $207.50 $2,309 —
1131 1131 5 165.00 $165.00 $1,866 —
1293 1293 5 176.00 $176.00 $2,276 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
407–415 411 13 323.00–350.00 $337.67 $1,388 +21.62
455–490 475 22 315.00–327.50 $322.02 $1,530 +8.67
503–549 537 152 288.00–329.50 $300.56 $1,614 -4.95
564–598 587 106 276.00–305.00 $294.78 $1,730 +8.16
622 622 30 250.00 $250.00 $1,555 -29.81
613–647 635 235 262.00–289.00 $282.95 $1,797 +3.14
656–694 673 35 237.00–274.00 $253.27 $1,705 +1.82
738–744 741 49 244.00–256.00 $250.64 $1,857 +1.98
792 792 10 235.00 $235.00 $1,861 -6.00
828 828 17 224.50 $224.50 $1,859 +4.66
862–895 878 29 226.00–227.50 $226.76 $1,991 +13.10
902 902 11 189.50 $189.50 $1,709 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1353 1224 17 180.00–184.00 $181.72 $2,224 —
1415 1415 12 176.00 $176.00 $2,490 —
1440 1440 2 172.00 $172.00 $2,477 —
1441–1444 1443 26 181.75–184.00 $183.14 $2,643 —
1395–1494 1468 101 176.00–180.50 $179.36 $2,633 +4.88
1517–1589 1544 27 181.00–182.50 $181.93 $2,809 +2.01
1544–1548 1547 33 182.50–185.00 $183.03 $2,831 +3.11
1557–1594 1561 89 177.00–179.50 $179.24 $2,798 +1.30
1575–1595 1588 14 182.00–187.00 $183.77 $2,918 +5.83
1611–1719 1683 116 178.25–183.00 $179.43 $3,020 —
1741 1741 7 175.50 $175.50 $3,055 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1033 1033 38 179.50 $179.50 $1,854 -6.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
679 679 8 194.00 $194.00 $1,317 -28.00
945 945 14 165.00 $165.00 $1,559 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303–339 314 17 320.00–375.00 $357.51 $1,123 —
350–398 367 72 311.00–415.00 $358.29 $1,315 +28.82
401–446 418 203 287.50–327.50 $319.60 $1,336 +6.09
451–499 475 651 278.00–320.00 $301.57 $1,432 -5.51
519 thin fleshed 519 19 300.00 $300.00 $1,557 -5.50
501–549 531 674 272.00–309.00 $290.97 $1,545 -0.71
533–543 535 56 272.00–279.00 $273.02 $1,461 -18.66
540 540 22 263.00 $263.00 $1,420 -28.68
558–598 thin fleshed 572 219 298.00–302.00 $300.33 $1,718 -5.08
551–599 580 1,247 260.00–298.00 $278.45 $1,615 +28.45
601–649 620 1,695 245.00–290.00 $272.46 $1,689 +2.76
623 623 15 254.00 $254.00 $1,582 -15.70
612–640 629 70 260.75–263.50 $261.82 $1,647 -2.65
633 633 47 265.00 $265.00 $1,677 +0.53
667 667 36 239.00 $239.00 $1,594 -30.51
658–693 671 21 223.00–231.00 $226.23 $1,518 -43.28
650–698 676 1,718 237.50–268.00 $254.09 $1,718 +2.10
683–686 684 98 258.50–264.00 $262.70 $1,797 +27.99
708–742 717 648 251.00–276.00 $257.51 $1,846 +20.14
717 717 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,742 +5.63
701–746 720 1,287 231.25–258.00 $245.96 $1,771 +8.59
710–748 737 70 227.50–236.00 $230.26 $1,697 +6.62
765 765 42 260.00 $260.00 $1,989 +12.79
751–799 770 1,340 222.25–251.00 $234.09 $1,802 +8.35
789 789 16 232.00 $232.00 $1,830 +6.26
816 816 51 241.50 $241.50 $1,971 +36.35
801–849 826 702 214.00–240.00 $225.02 $1,859 +7.08
853–894 880 292 210.00–227.00 $219.80 $1,934 +19.42
890 890 21 202.50 $202.50 $1,802 +2.12
902–934 919 304 204.10–213.50 $208.07 $1,912 +2.16
952–990 960 165 188.00–217.00 $205.43 $1,972 -5.27
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–391 379 44 292.00–331.00 $319.47 $1,211 +25.61
446 446 21 291.00 $291.00 $1,298 +1.14
477–499 491 72 260.00–294.00 $279.25 $1,371 +18.57
501–548 519 103 264.00–282.50 $276.40 $1,435 +11.22
577–593 584 70 253.00–269.00 $261.32 $1,526 +13.34
609–642 631 162 218.50–256.00 $241.44 $1,523 +10.02
656–658 656 51 235.00–248.00 $246.47 $1,617 +18.32
711–749 742 116 227.00–255.25 $249.50 $1,851 +32.47
795 795 5 160.00 $160.00 $1,272 —
801–841 820 52 176.00–215.00 $199.08 $1,632 —
928 928 25 182.50 $182.50 $1,694 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
996–1188 1060 6 164.00–174.00 $170.26 $1,805 —
1039–1198 1117 9 177.50–183.00 $180.73 $2,019 —
1385–1400 1393 4 167.00–168.00 $167.50 $2,333 —
1397–1457 1426 54 183.50–185.50 $184.07 $2,625 +7.59
1334–1503 1432 176 181.00–184.75 $182.38 $2,612 +5.90
1340–1493 1454 95 173.00–179.00 $177.92 $2,587 +9.31
1646 1646 5 179.00 $179.00 $2,946 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1025 1021 75 194.00–201.00 $195.19 $1,993 —
1050–1084 1067 16 176.00–190.00 $182.89 $1,951 —
1106 1106 4 187.00 $187.00 $2,068 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537 537 15 210.00 $210.00 $1,128 —
559 559 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,202 —
655 655 20 232.00 $232.00 $1,520 +42.00
816 816 7 172.50 $172.50 $1,408 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1154 1154 5 167.00 $167.00 $1,927 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
518 518 11 305.00 $305.00 $1,580 —
658 658 13 260.00 $260.00 $1,711 —
740 740 5 248.00 $248.00 $1,835 —
979 979 6 183.00 $183.00 $1,792 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–2230 1474 75-80% 178 97.00–120.00 $111.64 $1,646 —
1460–1710 1618 75-80% 20 121.00–125.00 $122.56 $1,983 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
715–1568 898 85-90% 14 20.00–40.00 $30.65 $275 —
869–1280 995 85-90% 13 78.00–84.00 $79.06 $787 +16.48
775–1440 1055 85-90% 5 57.50–72.50 $67.15 $708 +24.34
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 65-75% 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,241 —
1413–1719 1623 65-75% 24 112.00–122.00 $119.06 $1,932 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1653 1286 80-85% 24 86.00–96.00 $92.08 $1,184 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1710–1740 1725 2 83.00–101.00 $91.92 $1,586 —
1705–2455 1976 10 110.00–126.00 $118.89 $2,349 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1685 1685 4 155.00 $155.00 $2,612 —

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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.