Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 27, 2025

27,723 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 $320.29/cwt +5.73 vs last sale · ≈ $2,172/hd at 678 lb · 2,426 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $308.42/cwt +5.81 vs last sale · ≈ $2,222/hd at 721 lb · 2,010 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $338.96/cwt +9.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,115/hd at 624 lb · 2,003 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 27,723 27,336 24,136
Feeder cattle 26,224 26,546 22,424
Slaughter cattle 1,499 790 1,712

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 550 lbs steady, over 550 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Very good demand again this week as cash fed cattle spiked up to 215.00 the prior week, which has really helped to support the feeder cattle market. The optimism continues to run very high as the cash fed cattle market outpaces the futures contracts. The very easy winter that we are experiencing is making for great growing conditions for cattle, this is also helping to support the feeder cattle market as costs of gain are much better than last year. Very large receipts in East River auctions as cattle producers there are quick to act on these historically high feeder prices and need to make room for the new crop calves that will be arriving soon.

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
304–336 314 15 440.00–465.00 $454.59 $1,427 +39.59
369 unweaned 369 21 473.00 $473.00 $1,745 —
353–397 380 53 422.50–460.00 $435.31 $1,654 -7.58
400–449 429 135 385.00–440.00 $413.03 $1,772 -1.77
419–432 430 21 405.00 $405.00 $1,742 -9.80
451–497 475 209 367.50–427.50 $395.27 $1,878 -1.26
467–492 479 50 355.00–395.00 $366.25 $1,754 -30.28
508 unweaned 508 85 400.00 $400.00 $2,032 —
500–548 523 675 342.50–405.00 $375.62 $1,964 +1.59
550–599 579 1,115 329.00–380.50 $357.54 $2,070 +5.64
583 unweaned 583 26 342.00 $342.00 $1,994 —
598 598 6 326.00 $326.00 $1,949 +12.21
600–649 622 1,835 310.00–358.00 $339.69 $2,113 +29.69
618–649 635 37 275.00–315.00 $304.61 $1,934 -23.70
611–646 641 46 313.00–322.00 $320.88 $2,057 -7.43
649 649 85 348.00 $348.00 $2,259 +19.69
650–699 678 2,364 302.00–339.50 $320.86 $2,175 +45.86
656–698 687 62 285.00–308.25 $298.38 $2,050 +23.38
719 719 150 327.00 $327.00 $2,351 +48.70
700–749 720 1,810 285.00–322.50 $307.36 $2,213 +29.06
740 740 21 292.00 $292.00 $2,161 -11.07
746–749 748 29 285.00–293.50 $290.58 $2,174 -12.49
769–787 770 136 265.00–279.00 $265.63 $2,045 -22.76
751–799 773 1,264 280.00–310.00 $298.25 $2,305 +9.86
802–841 816 1,181 263.50–302.50 $287.91 $2,349 +10.39
831 831 6 265.00 $265.00 $2,202 +11.00
850–895 869 662 270.00–290.25 $279.89 $2,432 +3.04
891 891 126 260.25 $260.25 $2,319 +1.00
903–946 921 762 256.00–282.00 $274.59 $2,529 +8.51
951–998 968 277 246.00–273.50 $268.82 $2,602 +7.72
977–982 979 24 245.00–253.00 $248.68 $2,435 +6.18
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1246–1404 1333 55 206.00–216.00 $214.06 $2,853 —
1438–1457 1450 16 214.00–218.00 $215.49 $3,125 —
1426–1475 1461 17 209.00–211.50 $210.05 $3,069 —
1476 1476 4 208.00 $208.00 $3,070 —
1532 1532 13 204.00 $204.00 $3,125 -9.97
1548–1734 1576 256 208.00–215.00 $211.56 $3,334 +2.61
1498–1680 1606 103 207.00–217.00 $213.57 $3,430 —
1667–1701 1680 122 208.00–208.50 $208.30 $3,499 -0.28
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301–302 302 10 370.00–400.00 $385.02 $1,163 —
427–437 433 30 367.50–390.00 $382.46 $1,656 -5.78
455–467 463 17 340.00–380.00 $357.77 $1,656 -19.61
512–549 536 130 300.00–377.50 $358.47 $1,921 +9.63
555–599 579 46 321.00–350.00 $339.91 $1,968 +13.56
644 644 4 311.00 $311.00 $2,003 +1.71
674–690 685 22 282.00–380.00 $312.69 $2,142 +12.00
754 754 16 272.50 $272.50 $2,055 —
840 840 18 262.00 $262.00 $2,201 —
857 857 3 263.00 $263.00 $2,254 +7.14
949 949 15 240.00 $240.00 $2,278 -9.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1016 1003 33 243.50–254.50 $249.62 $2,504 -4.48
1054–1082 1060 170 237.00–263.35 $259.50 $2,751 +12.39
1120–1128 1126 33 235.00–236.00 $235.27 $2,649 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 8 295.00 $295.00 $1,740 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–290 283 7 415.00–430.00 $419.39 $1,187 —
317–347 334 34 400.00–429.00 $408.25 $1,364 +2.36
357–398 376 118 362.50–417.50 $398.08 $1,497 +14.30
424–426 unweaned 425 64 372.00–375.00 $372.75 $1,584 —
401–448 431 233 350.00–408.00 $376.28 $1,622 +4.11
441 441 11 317.00 $317.00 $1,398 -55.17
461 fancy 461 15 390.00 $390.00 $1,798 —
451–498 477 499 349.00–392.00 $362.32 $1,728 +4.81
491 491 7 337.50 $337.50 $1,657 -20.01
496 496 11 332.00 $332.00 $1,647 -25.51
509–543 527 30 305.00–317.50 $311.81 $1,643 -30.04
501–549 528 933 316.00–357.00 $342.38 $1,808 +0.53
566–592 unweaned 571 108 293.50–322.00 $315.98 $1,804 —
551–598 576 1,213 292.00–339.00 $321.32 $1,851 +29.33
593 593 8 287.50 $287.50 $1,705 -4.49
601–649 622 1,492 286.00–324.00 $308.83 $1,921 +2.69
623 thin fleshed 623 164 329.50 $329.50 $2,053 —
641 641 18 287.00 $287.00 $1,840 +8.35
644 644 28 283.00 $283.00 $1,823 +4.35
653–680 672 216 317.00–327.00 $324.17 $2,178 +36.96
650–699 673 1,238 270.00–316.00 $295.82 $1,991 +8.61
693 693 5 253.00 $253.00 $1,753 -0.89
717 717 21 269.00 $269.00 $1,929 -8.57
700–747 724 601 264.00–304.00 $283.74 $2,054 -8.44
719–742 730 95 247.50–284.00 $266.16 $1,943 -26.02
707–745 733 170 296.00–309.00 $302.63 $2,218 +10.45
751–796 764 674 255.00–294.00 $276.29 $2,111 -7.71
758–776 770 111 294.00–312.00 $306.25 $2,358 +42.87
804–847 823 433 254.50–266.00 $261.24 $2,150 -38.76
852–885 878 153 240.00–261.75 $256.39 $2,251 +18.72
900–940 915 234 237.00–257.00 $252.62 $2,311 +10.82
972 972 61 241.00 $241.00 $2,343 +8.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351 351 7 365.00 $365.00 $1,281 +12.50
411–448 419 62 316.00–380.00 $339.41 $1,422 -3.81
468–498 479 60 315.00–347.50 $327.06 $1,567 -10.73
502–539 528 82 290.00–326.00 $314.16 $1,659 -0.07
550–590 571 68 288.00–306.50 $301.22 $1,720 +14.77
609–645 635 129 273.00–297.50 $282.78 $1,796 +5.36
682 682 23 269.00 $269.00 $1,835 -1.87
730–738 734 16 236.00–252.50 $244.21 $1,793 -13.29
796–797 797 32 236.00–257.00 $241.25 $1,923 -5.75
800–833 806 46 224.00–235.00 $232.41 $1,873 —
865 865 14 222.50 $222.50 $1,925 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1139 1139 19 208.50 $208.50 $2,375 —
1178–1508 1366 129 209.00–217.00 $213.48 $2,916 —
1275–1506 1412 134 207.00–213.50 $212.03 $2,994 +2.52
1457 1457 7 204.00 $204.00 $2,972 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 6 233.00 $233.00 $2,330 —
1071 1071 9 226.00 $226.00 $2,420 -11.68
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
644 644 5 210.00 $210.00 $1,352 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1128 1128 4 185.00 $185.00 $2,087 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
359 359 11 475.00 $475.00 $1,705 —
449 449 38 405.00 $405.00 $1,818 —
484 unweaned 484 13 387.50 $387.50 $1,876 —
517 unweaned 517 79 344.00 $344.00 $1,778 —
692 unweaned 692 73 284.00 $284.00 $1,965 —
754 754 5 271.00 $271.00 $2,043 —
863 863 6 249.00 $249.00 $2,149 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1447–1547 1495 48 207.00–209.50 $208.02 $3,110 —
1538 1538 3 213.50 $213.50 $3,284 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
814 814 9 202.50 $202.50 $1,648 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
676 676 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,622 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1478 1478 3 212.00 $212.00 $3,133 —
1574 1574 7 210.00 $210.00 $3,305 -0.41
1616–1650 1629 90 205.00–215.00 $209.04 $3,405 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 15 235.00 $235.00 $1,633 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1106 1106 7 223.00 $223.00 $2,466 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1595–1777 1715 19 178.00–187.00 $184.44 $3,163 —

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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.