Weekly Summary, South Dakota

Market report for Monday, October 20, 2025

Data sourced from USDA AMS

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves 20.00 to 30.00 lower, yearling feeder steers and heifers 5.00 to 15.00 lower. Good demand for calves and yearlings but there was a lot of pressure on the market coming from the futures contracts. The futures had been volatile all week until Friday when the board opened limit lower, and closed that way. Cattle producers are facing great uncertainty now about the future, in spite of positive market fundamentals and strong consumer demand. Spring born calves continue to come to the auctions in central and Western SD in large numbers as the fall run continues. Cattle feeders are ready to buy these calves, but now it's very difficult to know at what price level to buy them at. Big strings of backgrounded yearlings are still being offered, fleshy cattle are becoming harder to find bidders for. More attractive fleshed yearlings are still in great demand but as cattle feeders had to accept lower bids, down to 232.00, to sell cattle while the week before they were able to command higher prices, the yearling market was under pressure as well. Very mild weather throughout Oct has made for ideal cattle performance, and cost of feed remains low but now cattle feeders are approaching the feeder market with apprehension.