Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 16, 2024

20,133 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 $242.93/cwt +1.91 vs last sale · ≈ $2,242/hd at 923 lb · 1,985 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $247.64/cwt -0.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,184/hd at 882 lb · 1,838 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $231.79/cwt -3.17 vs last sale · ≈ $2,018/hd at 871 lb · 1,674 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 20,133 15,871 17,535
Feeder cattle 18,664 15,059 16,009
Slaughter cattle 1,469 812 1,526

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers steady to 2.00 higher. Moderate to good demand for yearling steers and heifers, best demand for those coming straight off grass in that highly desirable, light flesh condition. Spring born calves not coming to town yet, besides a few small packages, as grass conditions are adequate yet. Gains were made in the Live Cattle futures contracts, along with cash fed cattle market advancing up to 185.50, helped to support the feeder cattle market this week. The bearish tone of the futures has been a drag on the cash markets, this was an encouraging sign to see cash fed cattle advance back into the mid 180s. Slaughter cows steady, bulls 3.00 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
300–327 313 19 376.00–390.00 $383.07 $1,199 +28.07
375 375 22 382.50 $382.50 $1,434 —
412–447 437 110 317.50–383.00 $359.04 $1,569 —
452–485 469 29 300.00–335.00 $316.28 $1,483 -9.72
512–542 536 91 269.00–307.00 $301.08 $1,614 -0.04
554 554 18 292.00 $292.00 $1,618 —
602–641 617 77 265.00–303.00 $283.98 $1,752 —
660–693 683 99 268.00–277.00 $272.13 $1,859 -4.30
708–746 725 155 249.00–280.00 $268.85 $1,949 +11.20
751–796 781 155 246.00–268.00 $256.28 $2,002 -3.64
801–844 819 671 250.00–266.50 $262.38 $2,149 +4.50
881 881 71 240.00 $240.00 $2,114 -7.70
851–899 882 1,767 237.50–259.75 $247.95 $2,187 +0.25
901 901 5 227.00 $227.00 $2,045 -14.19
902–947 923 1,980 230.35–248.75 $242.97 $2,243 +1.78
953–999 981 1,169 225.50–245.25 $235.10 $2,306 +0.65
989–995 992 124 228.00 $228.00 $2,262 -6.45
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1041 1023 2,038 222.75–240.00 $233.09 $2,385 +3.06
1035 1035 13 221.50 $221.50 $2,293 -8.53
1060–1062 1061 109 224.85–226.35 $225.61 $2,394 -3.15
1119–1148 1134 100 220.25–223.25 $221.73 $2,514 —
1163 1163 112 212.60 $212.60 $2,473 +21.60
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1163–1333 1229 14 182.00–191.00 $186.43 $2,291 +4.93
1266–1434 1330 19 184.25–190.00 $188.37 $2,505 +5.96
1418 1418 14 183.00 $183.00 $2,595 -2.48
1372–1467 1438 85 185.25–188.00 $187.65 $2,698 +2.17
1373–1493 1468 165 184.00–188.50 $186.13 $2,732 +4.96
1512–1622 1547 89 185.25–188.00 $186.65 $2,887 +2.14
1513–1577 1573 153 184.25–186.75 $184.91 $2,909 —
1610–1638 1630 71 183.25–187.25 $186.36 $3,038 +1.47
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 8 325.00 $325.00 $1,410 —
589–594 591 21 277.00–279.00 $278.33 $1,645 —
644 644 6 254.00 $254.00 $1,636 -10.61
691 691 11 249.00 $249.00 $1,721 -28.00
711–719 715 89 249.00–267.00 $258.31 $1,847 +18.31
753–789 774 42 225.00–247.00 $243.41 $1,884 —
825–844 832 135 234.00–253.75 $249.37 $2,075 —
894 894 9 223.50 $223.50 $1,998 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1186 1186 5 197.00 $197.00 $2,336 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
309–310 310 16 327.50–345.00 $338.45 $1,049 -1.55
385 385 18 325.00 $325.00 $1,251 —
401–434 418 96 297.00–341.00 $331.17 $1,384 +42.36
494 494 25 297.00 $297.00 $1,467 —
502–535 508 53 267.50–301.00 $282.74 $1,436 +16.74
551–553 553 64 252.00–266.00 $261.41 $1,446 -33.36
606–630 623 213 251.00–270.50 $260.63 $1,624 +10.55
625 625 9 245.00 $245.00 $1,531 -5.08
656–698 675 396 235.00–264.00 $248.73 $1,679 -3.31
708–747 727 368 226.50–260.00 $242.43 $1,762 +3.93
753–795 782 944 222.00–246.25 $241.65 $1,890 -5.50
824 824 6 224.50 $224.50 $1,850 -7.26
806–846 829 367 219.00–239.50 $229.37 $1,901 -2.39
863 863 7 226.00 $226.00 $1,950 -13.89
850–888 870 1,562 214.50–240.35 $232.10 $2,019 +1.62
882 882 105 227.50 $227.50 $2,007 -2.98
900–949 922 1,656 207.25–239.75 $226.56 $2,089 +18.92
950–996 971 1,230 208.25–232.00 $222.33 $2,159 +4.11
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1198 1198 45 187.75 $187.75 $2,249 —
1186–1398 1234 27 183.00–190.25 $187.24 $2,311 +0.74
1247–1431 1364 129 186.75–188.75 $187.94 $2,564 +4.32
1263–1478 1383 254 184.00–189.00 $187.41 $2,592 +3.79
1341–1480 1436 19 180.00–183.00 $182.12 $2,615 -5.17
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1048 1014 322 196.50–224.50 $212.20 $2,152 +0.20
1017–1032 1028 27 193.00–195.00 $193.51 $1,989 -12.99
1097 1097 5 203.00 $203.00 $2,227 -8.96
1101–1139 1124 89 184.00–208.75 $204.06 $2,294 +6.56
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317–341 328 11 300.00–312.00 $306.33 $1,005 —
438 438 14 304.00 $304.00 $1,332 +14.00
571 571 4 251.00 $251.00 $1,433 -11.00
645 645 12 241.00 $241.00 $1,554 —
675–685 680 11 225.00–249.00 $238.00 $1,618 -3.50
724–734 728 39 221.00–243.00 $233.05 $1,697 —
780 780 6 226.50 $226.50 $1,767 -5.50
867 867 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,977 +8.53
928 928 6 205.00 $205.00 $1,902 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1011 1011 9 190.00 $190.00 $1,921 —
1125 1125 5 190.00 $190.00 $2,138 —
1285 1285 6 188.50 $188.50 $2,422 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
794–1325 981 85-90% 16 60.00–87.50 $75.08 $737 —
880–1530 1080 85-90% 35 91.00–110.00 $102.04 $1,102 —
1005–1728 1375 85-90% 62 111.00–124.50 $117.14 $1,611 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
921–1872 1457 75-80% 47 134.00–140.00 $135.75 $1,978 +0.72
1595 1595 75-80% 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,392 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1925 1414 80-85% 48 125.00–133.00 $129.14 $1,826 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1801 1716 65-75% 22 131.50–150.00 $135.30 $2,322 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–2030 1766 6 132.00–147.00 $140.61 $2,483 —
1760–2370 2040 19 149.00–161.00 $153.68 $3,135 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810 810 140 209.00 $209.00 $1,693 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
736 736 25 232.00 $232.00 $1,708 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
797 797 21 227.50 $227.50 $1,813 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425–1833 1569 6 174.00–181.00 $177.04 $2,778 —

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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.