Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, January 2, 2021

5,204 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Mitchell Livestock Auction report →

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $126.78/cwt -0.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,176/hd at 927 lb · 683 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $139.24/cwt +0.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,217/hd at 874 lb · 415 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $134.27/cwt +0.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,030/hd at 767 lb · 326 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,204 5,036 4,703
Feeder cattle 5,204 5,036 4,703

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last auction, Dec.17th : Steers 500-700 lbs. were 1.00-4.00 higher, steers 700 lbs. and up were steady to 1.00 lower. A higher undertone was noted on heifers up to 500 lbs. Heifers 500 lbs. and up were steady , instances 6.00 higher on heifers 700-750 lbs. and 2.00 higher on heifers 800-850 lbs. Demand was good. Many load lots in todays offering. The next feeder cattle auction will be Jan. 7th, expecting 5000 head of feeders, starting at 9:00 am

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
435–443 441 14 186.00–187.50 $187.18 $825 —
496–498 496 20 175.50–186.00 $177.61 $881 -6.11
513–545 534 70 173.25–184.00 $176.23 $941 +1.13
557–582 567 130 161.00–171.50 $170.57 $967 +5.02
609–642 620 156 152.00–163.50 $159.11 $986 +3.32
659–698 677 256 145.10–154.25 $150.60 $1,020 +1.11
709–748 732 243 142.00–148.75 $146.18 $1,070 -0.90
751–797 784 186 140.00–147.75 $144.08 $1,130 -1.32
802–836 811 59 135.25–141.25 $139.57 $1,132 -2.68
853–890 874 415 133.25–140.85 $139.24 $1,217 +0.42
907–945 934 113 136.00–136.60 $136.43 $1,274 —
982–989 983 114 133.00–135.35 $135.02 $1,327 +1.08
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1004–1033 1022 198 127.50–131.60 $131.09 $1,340 —
1056–1089 1066 352 128.50–134.25 $132.35 $1,411 +0.25
1118–1129 1120 218 125.85–128.50 $127.77 $1,431 -0.87
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–475 466 7 165.00–178.00 $170.43 $794 +12.43
541–542 542 23 166.00–167.00 $166.57 $903 +12.79
574–585 580 20 155.00 $155.00 $899 +0.35
613 613 9 142.75 $142.75 $875 -5.42
751–759 756 13 135.50–138.50 $136.65 $1,033 +5.15
878 878 14 131.00 $131.00 $1,150 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006 1006 5 118.00 $118.00 $1,187 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 4 173.00 $173.00 $564 +0.54
409 409 5 166.00 $166.00 $679 +6.19
472–489 485 27 166.00–167.25 $166.98 $810 +8.30
504–541 536 103 147.00–155.50 $153.72 $824 -0.02
551–594 560 143 148.00–152.50 $150.28 $842 -0.45
600–643 631 156 138.75–145.00 $141.89 $895 +0.46
651–691 670 103 136.00–143.25 $140.50 $941 -0.17
700–746 732 170 131.00–138.25 $136.60 $1,000 +6.22
754–789 767 326 131.50–137.25 $134.27 $1,030 +0.33
800–845 823 291 127.00–134.75 $131.17 $1,080 +2.11
841 841 5 126.00 $126.00 $1,060 -3.06
852 852 6 120.00 $120.00 $1,022 -7.14
897 897 71 125.00 $125.00 $1,121 -2.14
908–947 927 671 123.25–129.10 $126.82 $1,176 +0.03
946 946 12 124.75 $124.75 $1,180 -2.04
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1028–1046 1039 145 122.60–125.10 $124.13 $1,290 —
1095 1095 53 123.25 $123.25 $1,350 +11.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–496 486 12 145.00–149.50 $148.06 $720 +5.33
526 526 6 139.50 $139.50 $734 +3.63
563 563 14 143.00 $143.00 $805 +4.67
610–644 616 24 113.00–136.50 $130.42 $803 -4.58
672–697 675 30 121.50–137.00 $135.40 $914 +5.87
827 827 7 112.75 $112.75 $932 -12.75
880 880 22 126.00 $126.00 $1,109 —
940 940 5 115.00 $115.00 $1,081 —

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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.