Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 4, 2026

16,821 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $345.36/cwt -4.64 vs last sale · ≈ $3,353/hd at 971 lb · 1,924 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $358.11/cwt +9.95 vs last sale · ≈ $2,929/hd at 818 lb · 1,347 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $379.30/cwt -7.21 vs last sale · ≈ $3,162/hd at 834 lb · 1,086 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 16,821 10,023 19,188
Feeder cattle 15,897 8,881 18,452
Slaughter cattle 924 1,142 736

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers unevenly steady. Very good demand across all weights and classes this week, especially so as cash fed cattle reached a new historic high price of 260.00, yet the futures contracts went the opposite direction for the last two days of the week, leaving cattle feeders feeling a little uneasy. Drought conditions are a major concern as spring rains have been limited, some heifers that were being held back for breeding are having to come to town as ranchers are looking to conserve grass. Corn planting is winding down quickly as dry weather made for much progress, rain is needed in those areas as well.

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
243 243 9 810.00 $810.00 $1,968 —
307 307 9 710.00 $710.00 $2,180 —
365 365 3 640.00 $640.00 $2,336 +82.22
416 thin fleshed 416 46 660.00 $660.00 $2,746 —
453–487 467 61 524.00–598.00 $563.89 $2,633 +13.88
499 499 37 515.00 $515.00 $2,570 -35.01
518–549 536 239 465.00–535.00 $515.63 $2,764 -6.59
552–594 572 259 480.00–531.00 $509.42 $2,914 +18.59
603–648 627 373 430.00–500.00 $460.10 $2,885 +7.58
650 unweaned 650 25 441.00 $441.00 $2,866 —
671 671 7 432.00 $432.00 $2,899 -14.71
650–696 674 121 423.00–469.00 $439.57 $2,963 -7.14
709–745 728 405 385.00–437.00 $426.05 $3,102 +13.97
750–799 770 646 373.00–420.00 $398.42 $3,068 -19.95
777–794 787 23 364.00–372.00 $367.09 $2,889 -16.91
803–848 833 1,014 372.50–400.00 $380.48 $3,169 +18.48
843 843 72 360.50–364.00 $362.64 $3,057 +0.64
850 thin fleshed 850 61 382.00 $382.00 $3,247 —
858–898 886 773 343.00–382.50 $362.44 $3,211 -8.16
896 896 19 349.00 $349.00 $3,127 -21.60
900–947 925 890 343.00–366.50 $358.10 $3,312 +1.28
948 948 90 336.00 $336.00 $3,185 -20.82
950–999 971 1,924 321.00–360.50 $345.36 $3,353 -4.64
1070 1070 16 299.50 $299.50 $3,205 —
1263 1263 13 271.00 $271.00 $3,423 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014–1034 1024 520 321.50–342.50 $333.31 $3,413 -8.39
1035 1035 21 319.50 $319.50 $3,307 -22.20
1051–1089 1072 273 313.50–326.75 $319.19 $3,422 -13.31
1084 1084 49 312.50 $312.50 $3,388 -20.00
1104–1138 1112 116 297.00–310.25 $308.50 $3,431 -11.58
1123–1149 1131 176 305.50–312.35 $310.14 $3,508 -9.94
1317 1317 12 264.50 $264.50 $3,483 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394–397 396 18 512.50–590.00 $551.10 $2,182 —
513–548 529 34 490.00–510.00 $500.25 $2,646 —
560–562 561 18 475.00–480.00 $476.39 $2,673 —
605 thin fleshed 605 10 443.00 $443.00 $2,680 —
699 699 28 418.00 $418.00 $2,922 —
729–745 734 42 375.00–398.00 $393.31 $2,887 -10.69
773–798 791 104 362.00–378.00 $368.18 $2,912 -8.99
830–846 836 25 353.00–361.00 $355.92 $2,975 —
882 882 48 353.00 $353.00 $3,113 +12.00
925 925 8 336.00 $336.00 $3,108 —
969 969 12 325.00 $325.00 $3,149 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1413–1464 1434 21 257.00–260.25 $259.03 $3,714 +9.03
1464 1464 10 256.00 $256.00 $3,748 —
1563 1563 8 257.00 $257.00 $4,017 +0.29
1577–1734 1633 32 256.00–260.00 $258.00 $4,213 +2.79
1614–1676 1642 124 255.50–258.00 $257.67 $4,231 +2.46
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
701 701 11 370.00 $370.00 $2,594 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
224 224 8 760.00 $760.00 $1,702 —
296 296 9 620.00 $620.00 $1,835 —
386–393 390 62 545.00–595.00 $552.63 $2,155 —
415–442 426 23 475.00–555.00 $526.52 $2,243 -8.67
455–494 475 23 455.00–530.00 $500.48 $2,377 +19.99
508–546 529 212 390.00–511.00 $480.39 $2,541 +32.89
564 fancy 564 8 500.00 $500.00 $2,820 —
555–599 584 404 423.00–486.00 $452.36 $2,642 +7.67
600 fancy 600 10 470.00 $470.00 $2,820 —
608–648 624 239 391.00–451.00 $431.33 $2,691 +11.29
625 625 5 377.00 $377.00 $2,356 -43.04
650–698 683 410 375.00–414.00 $389.85 $2,663 -1.22
684 thin fleshed 684 18 426.00 $426.00 $2,914 —
686–696 693 65 395.00 $395.00 $2,737 +3.93
700–729 717 128 393.00–400.00 $395.72 $2,837 +4.97
705–746 720 525 350.00–393.00 $377.19 $2,716 -13.56
747 747 10 350.00 $350.00 $2,614 -40.75
765–793 781 296 361.00–397.00 $377.68 $2,950 +11.72
757–791 782 304 345.00–373.00 $360.48 $2,819 -5.48
790 thin fleshed 790 10 367.50 $367.50 $2,903 —
793 793 37 355.00 $355.00 $2,815 -10.96
800–849 816 935 326.00–367.00 $354.04 $2,889 +5.88
817 817 31 338.00 $338.00 $2,761 -10.16
800–845 823 381 355.00–384.00 $369.75 $3,043 +21.59
880 880 52 370.00 $370.00 $3,256 +33.49
851–897 885 112 321.00–350.00 $325.72 $2,883 -10.79
900–946 917 414 308.00–324.00 $320.51 $2,939 +1.37
946 946 65 313.00 $313.00 $2,961 -6.14
951–959 956 153 297.00–305.00 $300.43 $2,872 +6.43
977 977 60 324.50 $324.50 $3,170 +30.50
1004 1004 20 293.00 $293.00 $2,942 —
1067–1087 1085 200 261.00–271.75 $270.69 $2,937 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
758 758 76 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —
803–848 831 127 2,885.00–3,140.00 $3,023.51 +33.51
873–894 883 137 2,970.00–3,230.00 $3,050.66 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1257–1457 1421 280 254.50–262.00 $257.92 $3,665 -6.08
1377–1449 1434 14 258.50–259.00 $258.90 $3,713 -5.10
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 14 505.00 $505.00 $1,838 —
477 477 11 435.00 $435.00 $2,075 —
520–543 535 42 421.00–430.00 $427.27 $2,286 —
550–584 581 73 405.00–406.00 $405.79 $2,358 -14.21
644–646 645 23 380.00–387.00 $384.87 $2,482 —
662–676 670 13 362.50–367.50 $364.78 $2,444 +0.19
729 729 8 336.00 $336.00 $2,449 -10.00
868 868 5 325.00 $325.00 $2,821 +21.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
961 961 10 257.50 $257.50 $2,475 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1177 1177 6 262.00 $262.00 $3,084 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1398–1533 1446 14 250.00–256.00 $252.27 $3,648 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1401 1401 14 257.00 $257.00 $3,601 +21.51
1582–1631 1610 16 251.00–256.00 $253.85 $4,087 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1277–1699 1576 90 224.00–233.00 $228.02 $3,594 —

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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.