Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 12, 2024

9,653 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $243.89/cwt -3.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,256/hd at 925 lb · 1,059 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $232.98/cwt -5.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,927/hd at 827 lb · 587 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $229.28/cwt ≈ $1,997/hd at 871 lb · 533 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,653 4,409 11,727
Feeder cattle 8,260 3,412 9,919
Slaughter cattle 1,393 997 1,808

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 3.00 lower, heifers too lightly tested last week to allow a complete comparison, lower undertones evident. Moderate to good demand this week, dependent upon flesh condition as there are yearlings coming off grass and the flesh condition of those cattle are highly desirable compared to those coming out of growing yards. The futures contracts continued to fall lower which is causing cattle feeders to slow their approach to the feeder market. Cash fed cattle were lower, but topping at 192.00 is still a lofty level for August when there is historically large supplies of market ready cattle. Cattle feeders are scratching their heads trying to figure out the current structure of the Live Cattle contract, Aug is leading all the other months when normally the winter and Apr contracts are dollars higher than the summer months. Drought conditions in the western half of the state is causing yearlings to start coming to town as the grass dries out and gets short. Slaughter cows steady to 3.00 lower, bulls firm.

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
341 unweaned 341 5 405.00 $405.00 $1,381 —
364 364 21 390.00 $390.00 $1,420 —
405–418 414 24 375.00–382.50 $377.14 $1,561 —
463 463 11 347.50 $347.50 $1,609 —
537–545 539 18 300.00–315.00 $310.79 $1,675 —
610–636 616 22 289.00–291.00 $290.53 $1,790 —
647 647 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,812 —
688–697 695 45 263.00–273.00 $270.75 $1,882 —
714–739 722 104 254.00–277.00 $274.21 $1,980 -9.79
758 758 8 248.00 $248.00 $1,880 -33.00
759–799 779 132 253.00–267.00 $259.66 $2,023 -21.34
800–849 824 508 238.00–262.00 $255.66 $2,107 +6.15
850–896 883 436 235.00–259.25 $248.94 $2,198 -0.46
901–947 925 1,059 230.00–252.25 $243.89 $2,256 -3.39
966 966 38 228.25 $228.25 $2,205 -6.81
950–998 968 462 217.00–243.75 $238.00 $2,304 +2.94
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
717 717 15 264.00 $264.00 $1,893 —
839 839 42 254.75 $254.75 $2,137 —
988 988 7 216.00 $216.00 $2,134 —
1003–1049 1025 702 220.00–235.00 $231.39 $2,372 +4.80
1027 1027 17 225.25 $225.25 $2,313 -1.34
1050–1099 1058 314 212.50–235.25 $231.81 $2,453 +11.51
1113 1113 29 213.00 $213.00 $2,371 +3.34
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1073–1217 1171 17 199.00–205.00 $202.42 $2,370 —
1334 1334 4 186.50 $186.50 $2,488 —
1273–1496 1400 300 189.75–193.00 $191.35 $2,679 -3.76
1382–1415 1409 17 195.00–197.00 $195.35 $2,752 +0.24
1333–1467 1427 43 192.25–196.25 $194.72 $2,779 -0.39
1509–1576 1554 243 191.00–194.00 $192.51 $2,992 +0.61
1574 1574 5 187.50 $187.50 $2,951 +2.50
1553–1643 1607 32 194.00 $194.00 $3,118 —
1601–1631 1616 12 185.00–189.00 $186.98 $3,022 —
1668 1668 2 182.00 $182.00 $3,036 -6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
712 712 8 260.00 $260.00 $1,851 —
765 765 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,912 —
852–884 878 25 215.00–238.00 $233.53 $2,050 —
915–923 916 30 228.00–234.00 $231.95 $2,125 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–349 325 14 375.00–383.00 $379.30 $1,233 —
389 389 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,478 —
443 443 13 345.00 $345.00 $1,528 —
458–491 472 19 337.50–345.00 $340.79 $1,609 —
605–627 616 16 258.00–275.00 $265.21 $1,634 —
665–682 676 14 256.00 $256.00 $1,731 -13.17
704–747 721 364 229.00–259.00 $250.31 $1,805 -4.51
753–792 776 156 234.00–245.50 $239.50 $1,859 -8.50
804–842 827 587 219.00–241.50 $232.98 $1,927 -5.91
850–893 871 533 220.25–240.50 $229.28 $1,997 —
903–948 913 450 215.00–233.50 $223.40 $2,040 +15.38
919 919 7 207.00 $207.00 $1,902 -1.02
958–993 981 180 215.50–236.00 $221.06 $2,169 +8.67
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
694 694 9 249.00 $249.00 $1,728 —
1005–1045 1020 69 210.50–223.50 $218.26 $2,226 —
1060–1093 1090 64 200.00–206.50 $205.91 $2,244 —
1107–1114 1110 187 206.00–206.25 $206.08 $2,287 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1163–1241 1187 18 189.00–192.50 $191.33 $2,271 +0.75
1227–1414 1300 44 192.50–196.00 $193.51 $2,516 —
1204–1379 1331 188 188.75–194.00 $192.32 $2,560 -2.70
1347 1347 13 194.50 $194.50 $2,620 -0.52
1440–1455 1450 6 184.00–187.00 $186.01 $2,697 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
899 899 15 211.00 $211.00 $1,897 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756 756 5 214.00 $214.00 $1,618 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1870 1436 75-80% 126 138.00–152.00 $143.97 $2,067 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–1365 987 85-90% 8 66.00–87.50 $75.40 $744 —
910–1498 1129 85-90% 22 92.00–108.00 $102.71 $1,160 -15.81
1097–1745 1294 85-90% 19 110.00–124.00 $118.46 $1,533 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1750 1354 80-85% 45 127.00–137.00 $134.51 $1,821 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1446–1905 1538 65-75% 12 139.50–146.00 $142.51 $2,192 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525–1765 1678 6 136.00–159.00 $150.16 $2,520 —
1415–2300 1887 19 165.00–175.00 $170.97 $3,226 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1321–1405 1342 8 184.50–188.50 $187.45 $2,516 —
1350 1350 3 186.00 $186.00 $2,511 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1534 1534 4 184.00 $184.00 $2,823 —
1439–1585 1535 46 185.50–190.35 $190.01 $2,917 —
1608–1625 1612 16 189.00–193.00 $191.99 $3,095 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1503–1588 1554 10 167.00–170.00 $168.16 $2,613 —

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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.