Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 26, 2024

12,982 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 heifers $219.81/cwt -2.15 vs last sale · ≈ $2,030/hd at 924 lb · 1,020 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $231.52/cwt +5.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,915/hd at 827 lb · 914 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $241.28/cwt +7.69 vs last sale · ≈ $2,235/hd at 926 lb · 807 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 12,982 4,360 11,906
Feeder cattle 11,707 2,973 10,110
Slaughter cattle 1,275 1,387 1,796

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers steady to 2.00 lower, heifers not well compared due to limited offerings a week ago. Moderate to good demand for yearling steers and heifers, especially for those that are being offered right off grass. The weakness that exists in the cattle futures complex has had a effect on the cash fat and feeder cattle markets. Cash fat cattle converged with the CME Live Cattle Aug contract, after holding a huge positive basis for the entire year, as the much lower futures complex pulled the cash market down to it's level. Cattle feeders are very spooked by this occurrence as the market fundamentals still remain as strong as they have been but they have seemed to have lost their leverage over the packers as they have taken lower money for their cattle. Feeder cattle have been at historically high prices all summer and now cattle feeders are looking at a futures market at 178.00, much lower than their breakeven prices. The corn crop looks to be very abundant, which is helping to keep feed cost low but with a much lower outlook for the fat market, cattle feeders are having great difficulty getting cattle bought cheap enough to have breakevens that align with the futures. Slaughter cows unevenly steady, 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
344 unweaned 344 11 400.00 $400.00 $1,376 —
418–425 420 22 350.00–370.00 $364.48 $1,531 —
461–473 469 18 322.50–350.00 $331.51 $1,555 —
500–537 510 22 297.50–312.50 $308.19 $1,572 —
554–596 582 134 277.50–307.00 $290.56 $1,691 —
590 unweaned 590 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,386 —
612–643 636 128 253.50–275.00 $266.82 $1,697 —
663–698 687 129 247.50–284.00 $266.85 $1,833 -10.74
710–739 731 82 243.00–280.00 $259.27 $1,895 -10.73
753–798 780 240 240.00–274.00 $259.85 $2,027 +14.12
803–846 836 158 246.50–260.00 $254.47 $2,127 —
851–896 869 705 228.00–255.00 $242.06 $2,104 -0.21
897 897 10 240.00 $240.00 $2,153 —
922 thin fleshed 922 250 249.50 $249.50 $2,300 —
906–946 928 557 221.00–244.00 $237.59 $2,205 +4.00
952–995 976 737 219.00–238.00 $230.43 $2,249 -6.00
983 983 3 220.00 $220.00 $2,163 -16.43
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1042 1022 1,123 207.00–233.00 $226.48 $2,315 -0.44
1031 1031 6 212.50 $212.50 $2,191 -14.42
1051–1079 1059 182 215.50–220.50 $218.29 $2,312 —
1157–1191 1164 150 185.00–216.25 $211.55 $2,462 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1232–1234 1234 38 187.00–193.00 $192.05 $2,370 +4.63
1339–1468 1402 128 182.00–187.50 $184.53 $2,587 +1.54
1358–1472 1403 24 185.00–186.50 $185.65 $2,605 +2.66
1409 1409 5 190.00 $190.00 $2,677 +7.01
1506 1506 14 179.00 $179.00 $2,696 -5.12
1513–1549 1534 84 183.00–187.25 $185.25 $2,842 +1.13
1543 1543 3 181.00 $181.00 $2,793 -3.12
1610–1668 1659 33 182.00–183.00 $182.85 $3,033 —
1829 1829 14 174.00 $174.00 $3,182 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 7 281.00 $281.00 $1,517 —
566 566 5 285.00 $285.00 $1,613 —
640 640 12 282.00 $282.00 $1,805 —
656–693 671 22 245.00–260.00 $251.85 $1,690 —
734–736 735 64 247.50–262.00 $252.04 $1,852 +17.54
764 764 6 223.00 $223.00 $1,704 —
852–896 886 68 200.00–236.00 $225.25 $1,996 —
913 913 24 237.00 $237.00 $2,164 —
978–994 991 14 210.00–213.00 $212.37 $2,105 +2.37
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1083 1083 14 207.00 $207.00 $2,242 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 unweaned 384 14 330.00 $330.00 $1,267 —
415–419 416 49 296.00–305.00 $297.30 $1,237 —
452–499 473 56 273.00–306.00 $288.25 $1,363 —
517–548 535 84 252.00–269.00 $265.23 $1,419 —
563–589 581 40 241.00–271.00 $262.91 $1,528 —
603–648 630 237 241.00–280.00 $253.71 $1,598 —
650–699 665 170 237.00–266.00 $248.41 $1,652 +17.41
708–745 729 491 237.00–257.50 $244.34 $1,781 —
751–797 778 251 226.00–248.00 $241.47 $1,879 ±0.00
802–849 827 914 215.00–242.50 $231.52 $1,915 +11.52
852 852 6 219.50 $219.50 $1,870 —
851–895 867 649 214.00–248.00 $222.81 $1,932 -6.92
872 872 5 219.50 $219.50 $1,914 -10.23
877–893 885 40 210.50–218.00 $215.39 $1,906 -14.34
900–944 923 889 211.25–234.50 $218.60 $2,018 -3.36
923–933 928 131 228.00 $228.00 $2,116 +6.04
951–996 970 551 206.00–228.00 $220.83 $2,142 +12.08
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1026 1026 120 223.00 $223.00 $2,288 +11.23
1016–1048 1035 104 208.00–220.00 $212.88 $2,203 +1.11
1072–1096 1081 15 199.50–215.00 $208.87 $2,258 +11.37
1100–1147 1114 53 192.00–200.50 $196.98 $2,194 —
1173 1173 8 190.00 $190.00 $2,229 +3.78
1212 1212 4 190.50 $190.50 $2,309 —
1264 1264 6 177.50 $177.50 $2,244 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1168 1005 74 179.00–204.00 $186.55 $1,875 —
1166 1166 6 186.50 $186.50 $2,175 —
1235–1315 1284 44 184.00–187.00 $186.13 $2,390 —
1264–1488 1341 177 184.00–188.00 $186.08 $2,495 +3.12
1393 1393 2 188.50 $188.50 $2,626 +9.50
1780 1780 4 176.00 $176.00 $3,133 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 11 262.50 $262.50 $1,383 -18.50
552–571 569 76 237.50–252.50 $240.83 $1,370 -20.17
608–645 625 15 230.00–242.00 $235.78 $1,474 —
679–699 693 30 219.00–231.00 $226.43 $1,569 —
792–799 796 17 218.00–220.00 $219.18 $1,745 —
840–847 846 79 213.50–215.00 $213.76 $1,808 —
890–892 891 14 211.00–211.50 $211.29 $1,883 —
977 977 9 202.00 $202.00 $1,974 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526 526 5 180.00 $180.00 $947 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1995 1447 80-85% 186 125.00–137.00 $131.66 $1,905 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1780 1483 75-80% 132 134.00–148.00 $138.25 $2,050 —
1258–1760 1502 75-80% 4 151.00–153.00 $152.13 $2,285 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
782–1315 918 85-90% 25 65.00–91.00 $78.36 $719 —
998–1795 1234 85-90% 17 105.00–111.00 $108.48 $1,339 —
885–1875 1279 85-90% 43 110.00–125.50 $120.26 $1,538 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1488–1554 1544 65-75% 13 135.00–141.00 $135.89 $2,098 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–2090 1599 4 135.00–142.50 $139.39 $2,229 —
1495–2455 1732 41 147.00–171.50 $161.91 $2,804 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1291 1291 11 175.00 $175.00 $2,259 —
1368 1368 2 176.00 $176.00 $2,408 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1363 1363 4 178.00 $178.00 $2,426 -6.00
1389 1389 8 177.50 $177.50 $2,465 -6.50
1407–1450 1423 11 174.00–178.00 $176.52 $2,512 -1.48

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1309 1309 4 164.00 $164.00 $2,147 —
1415–1433 1425 18 165.00–170.00 $167.79 $2,391 —
1432 1432 28 162.00 $162.00 $2,320 —
1436 1436 4 164.00 $164.00 $2,355 —
1355–1694 1661 23 170.00–172.00 $171.65 $2,851 —

↑ Back to top

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.