CGCustomGrazing

South Dakota grazing rates

South Dakota pasture rent runs $44.00/pair/mo per cow-calf pair and $36.50/AUM (USDA NASS, 2025 survey). Pastureland cash rent averages $31.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025). Grass hay is $156/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.66 per pair per day.

USSouthern PlainsNorthern PlainsMidwestWestSoutheast

Northern Plains · South Dakota

This week

Feeder Cattle Index
$359.19/​cwt
national
Feeder cattle
$350.40/​cwt
850 lb avg, SD
Grass hay
$156/​ton
SD
Hay feed cost
$2.66
per pair per day

Source: USDA AMS via LivestockValue and HayValue, week of Jul 31, 2026

What grass rents for

NASS pastureland rent
$36.50/​AUM
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Cow-calf pair rent
$44.00/​pair/​mo
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
State cash rent
$31.00/​acre
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Top counties by pastureland cash rent (64 of South Dakota’s counties reporting)
County$/acreYear
Lake County$73.00/acre2025
Miner County$69.50/acre2025
Lincoln County$66.50/acre2025
Moody County$65.50/acre2025
Brookings County$65.00/acre2025
McCook County$64.50/acre2025
Minnehaha County$64.00/acre2025
Hamlin County$63.50/acre2025
Davison County$63.50/acre2025
Deuel County$62.00/acre2025
Codington County$61.50/acre2025
Sanborn County$61.00/acre2025
Clay County$61.00/acre2025
Kingsbury County$60.50/acre2025
Yankton County$60.50/acre2025
$/AUM by year, SD
$37$22.92010: $22.92012: $262013: $27.92014: $302015: $322016: $31.52017: $31.52018: $31.52019: $29.52020: $27.52021: $332022: $372023: $362024: $35.52025: $36.5201020142017202020232025

Source: USDA NASS Cash Rents, USDA NASS, 2025 survey.

Hay feed cost

Hay feed cost
$2.66
per pair per day, this week
Grass hay, winter average by year, SD
$185.57/ton$82.95/ton2022: $143.01/ton2023: $185.57/ton2024: $158.11/ton2025: $82.95/ton2026: $93.3/ton20222023202420252026

34 lb hay per pair per day (1.3 AU at 26 lb per AU). feeding waste not included.

Grass gain

Grass at $36.50/AUM prices gain at $0.42 to $0.56 per lb. The market pays $350.40/cwt for 850-lb feeders this week.

yearling at 0.7 AU. 1.5 to 2.0 lb per day gain on grass.

Published benchmarks

Some figures are published rates, not CustomGrazing listing data. Each one names its source.

FigureValueSource
US average pastureland cash rent$15.50/acreUSDA NASS Cash Rents, 2025
Kansas Flint Hills summer lease occupancy97.2% of bluestem pasture under contract, 2024–25K-State Bluestem Pasture Report, 2025
Observed asking prices, full care$30–50/AUMasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, Texas pair rate$30–40/pair/monthasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, custom care$1.25–2.50/head/dayasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026

Common questions

What does pasture rent cost in South Dakota?

South Dakota pasture rent runs $44.00/pair/mo per cow-calf pair and $36.50/AUM (USDA NASS, 2025 survey).

What does it cost to feed hay instead of grazing in South Dakota?

Grass hay is $156/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.66 per pair per day.

What do South Dakota pastureland cash rents run per acre?

Pastureland cash rent averages $31.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025).