Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 20, 2026

20,043 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $380.85/cwt +8.39 vs last sale · ≈ $3,172/hd at 833 lb · 1,422 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $351.32/cwt -2.05 vs last sale · ≈ $3,254/hd at 926 lb · 1,365 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $333.32/cwt -4.63 vs last sale · ≈ $3,251/hd at 975 lb · 1,251 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 20,043 18,530 19,664
Feeder cattle 19,379 17,340 19,137
Slaughter cattle 664 1,190 527

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower, instances to 10.00 lower, except those lighter cattle to background 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Very good demand remains for light cattle to grow into yearlings, either in a yard or on grass, demand was more moderate to good on those heavier cattle suitable for finishing. As the CME cattle futures complex hit some resistance this week, and cash fat cattle slipped down to 244.00-246.00 early in the week, cattle feeders were approaching the feeder market a little more warily. Breakeven costs are higher than the futures contracts which is causing great concern, however the competition to buy cattle is so great as auction receipts are beginning their usual decline. Drought concerns are becoming greater with each passing week as warm temps and high winds continue to suck moisture from the ground.

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
373–376 374 18 600.00–625.00 $616.62 $2,306 —
400–449 430 34 580.00–610.00 $594.49 $2,556 —
481–487 485 104 545.00–592.00 $579.10 $2,809 +43.39
501–547 528 130 507.50–545.00 $534.69 $2,823 +32.29
552–596 576 601 472.50–522.00 $506.86 $2,920 +12.67
609–648 633 560 434.00–499.00 $475.23 $3,008 +3.47
658 unweaned 658 22 399.00 $399.00 $2,625 —
651–685 671 844 413.00–476.50 $457.86 $3,072 +17.02
699 699 14 402.00 $402.00 $2,810 -12.34
702–748 734 370 388.00–439.00 $409.93 $3,009 -14.29
748 748 5 382.50 $382.50 $2,861 -41.72
752–797 778 1,220 363.00–415.00 $402.89 $3,134 +5.14
803–849 833 1,422 357.00–389.50 $380.85 $3,172 +7.90
851–898 878 1,145 348.00–384.25 $364.49 $3,200 -2.32
878–896 889 41 333.00–351.00 $339.15 $3,015 -0.85
900–945 926 1,332 330.00–364.75 $351.98 $3,259 -1.62
914–945 934 33 322.00–326.50 $324.64 $3,032 -28.96
954–998 974 1,153 318.50–348.00 $335.11 $3,264 -3.64
970–997 991 98 310.00–317.00 $312.30 $3,095 -4.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1007 1007 21 302.00 $302.00 $3,041 -34.49
1000–1047 1017 744 305.00–338.25 $325.77 $3,313 -10.72
1051–1090 1071 356 296.50–329.00 $307.82 $3,297 -10.60
1113 1113 46 294.25 $294.25 $3,275 -14.75
1185 1185 5 293.00 $293.00 $3,472 —
1224 1224 16 281.50 $281.50 $3,446 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 5 520.00 $520.00 $2,517 +17.50
535 thin fleshed 535 4 517.50 $517.50 $2,769 —
509–549 546 82 462.50–515.00 $468.17 $2,556 -46.83
630 630 10 412.50 $412.50 $2,599 -26.61
655–698 679 86 315.00–417.50 $352.98 $2,397 -61.09
703 thin fleshed 703 6 420.00 $420.00 $2,953 —
750–795 775 22 345.00–356.00 $352.01 $2,728 —
854 854 29 340.00 $340.00 $2,904 -11.00
930–940 933 50 329.00–329.25 $329.16 $3,071 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1456–1499 1479 11 248.00–251.00 $249.66 $3,692 -5.34
1434–1536 1502 18 250.00–250.50 $250.34 $3,760 —
1623–1630 1624 43 249.50–250.25 $250.13 $4,062 —
1805 1805 36 245.00 $245.00 $4,422 -2.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1024 1024 10 316.00 $316.00 $3,236 +8.01
1081 1081 4 298.00 $298.00 $3,221 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 12 635.00 $635.00 $2,032 —
409–440 417 55 480.00–577.50 $555.09 $2,315 +9.56
455–499 471 159 467.50–515.00 $503.43 $2,371 +18.36
492 492 14 465.00 $465.00 $2,288 -20.07
522 522 103 522.00 $522.00 $2,725 +55.33
530 unweaned 530 9 420.00 $420.00 $2,226 —
510–547 542 321 450.00–494.00 $483.15 $2,619 +16.48
552–596 572 438 407.50–480.00 $449.51 $2,571 +3.07
611 thin fleshed 611 6 460.00 $460.00 $2,811 —
631 unweaned 631 16 386.00 $386.00 $2,436 —
608–648 634 435 380.00–430.00 $411.37 $2,608 -3.42
652–689 667 438 363.00–413.50 $397.97 $2,654 -27.34
701–744 727 542 348.00–405.00 $378.60 $2,752 +19.22
726–740 731 34 345.00–355.00 $348.50 $2,548 -10.88
759–793 769 58 362.00–389.00 $370.95 $2,853 -19.91
783 783 6 340.00 $340.00 $2,662 -27.07
756–798 784 860 336.00–382.00 $356.82 $2,797 -10.25
753–799 795 66 310.00–337.00 $328.77 $2,614 -38.30
804–835 812 419 363.00–406.00 $375.28 $3,047 -15.72
823 823 14 328.00 $328.00 $2,699 -12.44
808–847 827 816 327.00–372.50 $346.37 $2,864 +5.93
860 thin fleshed 860 22 348.50 $348.50 $2,997 —
852–892 876 474 312.00–342.00 $329.42 $2,886 -4.11
855–886 880 385 340.00–358.00 $344.97 $3,036 +33.97
893 893 3 302.50 $302.50 $2,701 -8.50
904–941 916 196 294.00–308.50 $303.10 $2,776 -18.97
913–920 917 116 473.00–475.00 $473.98 $4,346 +151.91
906–945 918 343 305.00–395.00 $326.25 $2,995 +4.18
966 966 128 297.00 $297.00 $2,869 -17.57
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
741 741 29 2,700.00 $2,700.00 -420.00
753–798 789 123 2,820.00–3,000.00 $2,936.23 -13.77
802–817 810 116 2,900.00–3,000.00 $2,964.13 -35.87
857–884 872 167 2,850.00–3,250.00 $3,095.67 —
904 904 78 3,240.00 $3,240.00 -80.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1532 1449 203 243.50–250.50 $249.47 $3,615 —
1371–1527 1486 39 245.00–250.50 $248.40 $3,691 -0.80
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366 366 4 485.00 $485.00 $1,775 —
434–449 438 29 465.00–520.00 $511.45 $2,240 +56.09
529 529 9 365.00 $365.00 $1,931 -73.11
613 613 10 380.00 $380.00 $2,329 -15.00
686–697 691 53 340.00–368.00 $359.58 $2,485 +2.58
706–740 721 9 336.00–347.50 $342.26 $2,468 -12.82
765–789 776 44 342.50–349.00 $345.50 $2,681 +11.53
804 804 11 310.00 $310.00 $2,492 -17.00
866 866 7 290.00 $290.00 $2,511 -23.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
509 509 5 405.00 $405.00 $2,061 —
636 636 24 380.00 $380.00 $2,417 —
1025–1028 1026 47 286.50–293.00 $289.55 $2,971 +2.55
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025 1025 23 262.00 $262.00 $2,686 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756 756 8 365.00 $365.00 $2,759 —
850 850 11 337.50 $337.50 $2,869 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1336 1336 10 240.00 $240.00 $3,206 —
1538 1538 4 245.50 $245.50 $3,776 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1532–1755 1718 96 243.50–247.50 $245.96 $4,226 —
1841 1841 9 248.00 $248.00 $4,566 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1563–1573 1567 7 227.00–229.00 $228.14 $3,575 —

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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.