Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 16, 2024

16,137 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 $300.16/cwt -4.53 vs last sale · ≈ $2,032/hd at 677 lb · 996 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $338.72/cwt +2.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,934/hd at 571 lb · 861 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $308.73/cwt -13.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,937/hd at 627 lb · 801 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 16,137 31,270 10,218
Feeder cattle 15,047 29,878 8,834
Slaughter cattle 1,090 1,392 1,384

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves 5.00 to 10.00 lower, heifer calves 5.00 to 10.00 lower with instances to 15.00 lower on 400-450 lbs. Yearling feeder steers 2.00 to 5.00 lower, heifers unevenly steady. Good demand for steer and heifer calves, but the market was not as active after the sharp runup last week. Cash fed cattle held steady, topping at 196.00, but the CME Live and Feeder Cattle futures did not follow along, causing some concern. This was the last chance for many to buy cattle before the end of the year as most auction markets won't host another large feeder cattle sale until after the New Year.

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
236 236 5 465.00 $465.00 $1,097 —
329–339 334 8 440.00 $440.00 $1,470 -5.01
354–388 371 45 407.50–480.00 $440.30 $1,634 +32.80
401–432 417 92 382.50–410.00 $402.42 $1,678 -9.11
445 445 5 355.00 $355.00 $1,580 -26.00
452–491 474 469 355.00–395.00 $370.09 $1,754 -6.90
489–494 492 22 350.00–355.00 $352.85 $1,736 +0.85
526 526 5 322.50 $322.50 $1,696 -33.81
500–545 527 517 339.00–382.50 $353.35 $1,862 -2.96
566 566 12 320.00 $320.00 $1,811 -16.63
550–590 571 849 320.00–361.00 $338.98 $1,936 +2.35
600–648 627 783 289.00–325.00 $309.00 $1,937 -13.38
638 638 18 297.00 $297.00 $1,895 +9.47
675 thin fleshed 675 78 310.50 $310.50 $2,096 —
651–699 677 918 276.00–324.00 $299.28 $2,026 -5.59
702–748 724 485 269.00–290.00 $281.77 $2,040 -5.34
728 728 9 273.00 $273.00 $1,987 -14.11
751–793 766 261 256.00–278.00 $274.02 $2,099 +21.52
753–793 776 19 264.00–268.00 $265.63 $2,061 -18.70
801–819 810 231 257.00–273.50 $268.34 $2,174 +2.79
811–849 833 34 246.00–253.00 $249.62 $2,079 +3.62
873–888 881 256 255.00–265.00 $260.72 $2,297 -3.20
903–948 920 285 244.00–260.75 $254.03 $2,337 -4.95
966 966 82 236.00 $236.00 $2,280 -21.18
980–996 983 645 257.00–260.10 $259.53 $2,551 +2.35
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–291 281 22 380.00–395.00 $386.54 $1,086 —
305–334 325 15 342.50–385.00 $364.69 $1,185 -13.11
366–389 377 25 367.50–412.50 $396.28 $1,494 -6.11
433–438 435 7 347.50–357.00 $351.60 $1,529 -2.33
451–497 481 135 325.00–356.00 $342.02 $1,645 -5.15
507–548 531 79 317.50–345.00 $329.04 $1,747 +3.20
553–596 575 138 290.00–320.00 $310.03 $1,783 +11.20
601–625 614 78 257.00–312.50 $302.36 $1,856 +14.83
685 685 25 272.50 $272.50 $1,867 +4.29
723–747 733 15 255.00–262.50 $258.06 $1,892 -4.74
776–790 778 17 230.00–253.00 $248.88 $1,936 -10.11
807–831 812 28 215.00–242.00 $220.92 $1,794 —
866–893 888 42 247.50–251.00 $248.15 $2,204 —
902 902 33 229.00 $229.00 $2,066 -17.93
911 911 35 247.50 $247.50 $2,255 +0.57
972–997 975 22 222.00–232.00 $230.61 $2,248 -5.51
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451 451 16 333.00 $333.00 $1,502 —
517 517 18 290.00 $290.00 $1,499 —
1010–1048 1029 364 235.25–256.50 $247.36 $2,545 +21.03
1080 1080 180 253.10 $253.10 $2,733 +5.22
1127 1127 50 214.50 $214.50 $2,417 —
1151 1151 51 231.50 $231.50 $2,665 +2.26
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200 1200 4 207.00 $207.00 $2,484 —
1414 1414 25 191.00 $191.00 $2,701 +0.70
1372–1485 1424 13 191.00–192.00 $191.52 $2,727 +1.22
1324–1478 1433 17 195.00–195.50 $195.36 $2,800 +5.06
1426–1478 1438 38 193.00–194.25 $193.95 $2,789 +3.65
1401–1481 1469 47 193.00–195.00 $194.72 $2,860 +9.72
1527–1568 1546 39 194.00–196.00 $194.83 $3,012 —
1514–1623 1583 93 192.00–197.00 $195.67 $3,097 +6.12
1674–1676 1675 54 194.50–195.25 $195.06 $3,267 +2.48
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
463 463 6 355.00 $355.00 $1,644 —
519 519 28 337.00 $337.00 $1,749 —
551 551 5 315.00 $315.00 $1,736 —
648–649 649 15 290.00–302.00 $297.20 $1,929 —
659 659 7 245.00 $245.00 $1,615 —
673–681 677 12 260.00–271.00 $265.53 $1,798 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322–342 336 10 365.00–392.50 $384.59 $1,292 +5.55
360–391 374 57 357.00–380.00 $369.58 $1,382 -6.86
401–446 426 165 321.00–360.00 $339.95 $1,448 -17.51
450–499 472 437 307.50–345.00 $327.79 $1,547 -6.01
501–549 522 626 290.00–335.00 $313.41 $1,636 -10.50
534–548 540 39 265.00–295.00 $286.59 $1,548 -58.57
568 thin fleshed 568 4 329.00 $329.00 $1,869 —
550–597 569 455 277.50–321.00 $297.66 $1,694 -5.75
600–646 621 468 262.00–315.00 $284.82 $1,769 -1.85
618–645 629 92 252.50–282.50 $272.18 $1,712 -14.49
653–696 674 447 252.00–286.00 $270.99 $1,826 -0.81
676–688 686 49 255.00–257.50 $256.02 $1,756 +5.17
700–744 714 415 250.50–277.00 $261.10 $1,864 +3.61
716 716 82 250.00 $250.00 $1,790 -7.49
765–790 775 324 231.00–254.25 $249.06 $1,930 +9.71
756–798 776 31 242.00–248.00 $244.22 $1,895 -8.10
814–841 829 292 234.00–263.25 $254.13 $2,107 +9.64
855–897 857 96 230.50–239.00 $234.99 $2,014 -12.01
859–875 863 88 231.00–234.00 $231.64 $1,999 -15.36
900–940 915 458 224.00–250.00 $236.71 $2,166 -0.81
949 949 49 217.00 $217.00 $2,059 -12.00
951–974 962 293 217.85–237.00 $222.90 $2,144 -5.90
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
283–297 287 12 340.00–370.00 $362.23 $1,040 -27.77
323–339 333 11 325.00–350.00 $336.77 $1,121 -14.46
353–394 366 54 332.50–370.00 $343.50 $1,257 +6.13
418–449 431 73 297.50–337.50 $323.30 $1,393 +3.24
453–497 462 67 286.00–315.00 $304.77 $1,408 -2.68
504–541 531 65 255.00–293.00 $272.45 $1,447 -18.89
552–585 577 67 270.00–276.00 $274.54 $1,584 -2.48
600–640 625 50 252.50–270.00 $262.59 $1,641 -16.91
729–744 734 13 211.00–250.50 $226.49 $1,662 -4.51
811–832 821 85 208.00–227.00 $216.84 $1,780 -8.44
856–894 879 36 182.00–227.00 $220.01 $1,934 -10.52
934 934 4 206.00 $206.00 $1,924 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429 429 7 293.00 $293.00 $1,257 —
490 490 32 280.00 $280.00 $1,372 —
573 573 54 270.00 $270.00 $1,547 —
1010–1024 1012 73 237.50–242.75 $241.80 $2,447 +13.95
1068–1094 1081 213 209.50–236.00 $218.30 $2,360 +0.13
1137 1137 10 223.00 $223.00 $2,536 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1152–1361 1282 15 191.00–193.50 $192.24 $2,465 +0.28
1259–1527 1372 197 191.00–195.50 $194.09 $2,663 —
1322–1571 1422 102 192.00–197.00 $195.17 $2,775 +4.10
1539 1539 11 191.00 $191.00 $2,939 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 11 360.00 $360.00 $965 —
358 358 5 350.00 $350.00 $1,253 —
442 442 13 335.00 $335.00 $1,481 —
527–538 530 39 280.00–306.00 $301.25 $1,597 +26.25
581 581 7 275.00 $275.00 $1,598 +10.00
649 649 7 261.00 $261.00 $1,694 +3.00
670 670 5 230.00 $230.00 $1,541 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429 429 12 345.00 $345.00 $1,480 -92.50
549 549 37 310.00 $310.00 $1,702 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1436 1436 8 189.00 $189.00 $2,714 —
1493–1598 1568 25 187.00–191.00 $190.30 $2,984 +13.15
1609 1609 23 193.50 $193.50 $3,113 +6.50

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1588–1756 1703 17 166.00–173.00 $168.02 $2,861 —

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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.