Cattle Market Pulse

South Dakota Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 3, 2026

8,946 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 $331.70/cwt +2.13 vs last sale · ≈ $3,237/hd at 976 lb · 1,516 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $339.59/cwt +3.37 vs last sale · ≈ $3,134/hd at 923 lb · 1,150 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $313.10/cwt +3.11 vs last sale · ≈ $2,718/hd at 868 lb · 523 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,946 8,228 5,502
Feeder cattle 8,037 7,226 4,536
Slaughter cattle 909 1,002 966

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers unevenly steady. Moderate to good demand for yearling steers and heifers. Yearlings are starting to be offered in the auctions, right off grass. Cattle feeders have faced losses on outgoing cattle, as well as suffering death loss and performance loss due to the excessive heat, which has made them pull back in their pursuit in feeder cattle. CME cattle futures have been volatile again, further compounding the uncertainty for the coming months. Severe drought has kept it's grip on much of the state, pushing cattle off grass earlier than normal. Hay production is decreased and row crops stressed as well. Packers had to raise bids up to 235.00-237.50 to get cattle bought this week, which helped give a little support to the feeder market.

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
324–343 336 11 570.00–580.00 $576.49 $1,937 —
450–486 474 15 447.50–505.00 $465.70 $2,207 —
501 501 8 472.00 $472.00 $2,365 —
536 536 6 435.00 $435.00 $2,332 —
556 556 8 435.00 $435.00 $2,419 -27.50
610 610 6 425.00 $425.00 $2,592 —
659–677 665 115 385.00–415.00 $410.04 $2,727 +9.03
704–738 717 26 396.00–415.00 $404.72 $2,902 +27.72
767–788 774 217 360.50–370.00 $366.85 $2,839 -7.63
805–849 834 212 329.00–366.00 $352.45 $2,939 +9.45
858–889 873 390 352.50–363.50 $360.40 $3,146 -1.79
900–946 923 1,150 320.00–347.25 $339.59 $3,134 +3.37
952–999 975 1,465 315.00–340.50 $332.98 $3,247 +2.34
998 998 51 295.00 $295.00 $2,944 -16.00
1099 1099 10 305.00 $305.00 $3,352 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1046 1024 468 306.00–326.50 $316.89 $3,245 -10.16
1048 1048 62 300.50 $300.50 $3,149 -26.55
1050–1095 1065 728 297.25–326.50 $312.95 $3,333 +10.95
1076–1098 1086 111 294.25–300.75 $297.85 $3,235 -1.07
1105 1105 37 287.00 $287.00 $3,171 +15.50
1115–1147 1129 235 297.25–311.25 $303.71 $3,429 +32.21
1157 1157 90 304.10 $304.10 $3,518 —
1278 1278 45 259.50 $259.50 $3,316 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1247–1409 1333 15 237.50–257.00 $246.01 $3,279 —
1387 1387 21 246.50 $246.50 $3,419 —
1396–1498 1441 60 237.00–241.75 $240.53 $3,466 —
1515–1603 1576 170 236.00–240.00 $237.88 $3,749 +6.45
1602–1632 1618 85 238.25–239.50 $238.90 $3,865 -4.10
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 6 452.50 $452.50 $2,557 +72.50
658 658 10 377.00 $377.00 $2,481 +24.50
773 773 26 358.50 $358.50 $2,771 —
998 998 109 315.00 $315.00 $3,144 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
468 468 10 425.00 $425.00 $1,989 —
746 746 8 325.00 $325.00 $2,424 -24.00
755 755 7 357.50 $357.50 $2,699 —
885 885 6 325.00 $325.00 $2,876 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
689 689 5 325.00 $325.00 $2,239 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 4 545.00 $545.00 $1,608 —
319–330 326 10 495.00–545.00 $525.41 $1,713 —
468–488 476 27 420.00–445.00 $438.19 $2,086 —
511 511 6 420.00 $420.00 $2,146 -8.76
519–543 524 14 405.00–430.00 $424.45 $2,224 -4.31
574–590 584 25 390.00–395.00 $391.97 $2,289 —
616–645 639 47 384.00–405.00 $388.86 $2,485 -6.66
662–689 677 143 358.00–406.00 $388.42 $2,630 +18.28
726–729 728 61 346.00–349.00 $347.32 $2,528 -10.18
731 thin fleshed 731 13 366.00 $366.00 $2,675 —
754–774 772 71 333.00–371.25 $367.57 $2,838 +25.25
790 790 22 309.00 $309.00 $2,441 -33.32
800–840 822 219 316.00–342.00 $332.29 $2,731 +8.23
859–890 866 426 307.50–333.00 $315.08 $2,729 +5.09
871–879 877 97 296.00–309.50 $304.41 $2,670 -5.58
927 927 7 305.00 $305.00 $2,827 +16.00
957–980 962 23 311.00–314.00 $313.34 $3,014 +7.29
975 975 61 285.00 $285.00 $2,779 -21.05
1029–1033 1030 66 257.00–268.00 $264.49 $2,724 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1482 1368 16 238.00–245.50 $241.05 $3,298 —
1299–1493 1428 228 237.00–243.50 $238.41 $3,404 -4.59
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1007 1005 16 282.00–302.00 $289.48 $2,909 -9.69
1013 1013 61 285.50 $285.50 $2,892 -13.67
1053–1077 1067 28 273.00–294.00 $281.88 $3,008 +2.79
1192 1192 10 267.50 $267.50 $3,189 —
1243 1243 6 248.00 $248.00 $3,083 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
598 598 10 372.50 $372.50 $2,228 —
804 804 23 331.00 $331.00 $2,661 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 9 355.00 $355.00 $1,260 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1179 1179 5 240.00 $240.00 $2,830 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1487 1450 22 234.00–236.00 $235.07 $3,409 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1479–1708 1584 16 230.00–233.00 $232.19 $3,678 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1346 1346 5 214.00 $214.00 $2,880 —
1658 1658 6 227.00 $227.00 $3,764 —

↑ Back to top

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.