Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 24, 2023

697 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $252.68/cwt +26.68 vs last sale · ≈ $2,206/hd at 873 lb · 87 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $248.00/cwt ≈ $2,312/hd at 932 lb · 77 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $235.00/cwt +4.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,918/hd at 816 lb · 68 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 697 1,298 3,862
Feeder cattle 697 1,298 3,862

Compared to last week: We had some thin fleshed off grass steers under 1000 lbs. that were dollars higher. Steers 1050-1150 lbs. were 5.00 higher. We also had some light heifers that were dollars higher. Demand was very good . There will be NO AUCTION next week, due to SD state Fair. Next auction will be Sept 7th. Follow web site for time and number of feeders.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052–1088 1067 195 211.00–228.10 $224.90 $2,400 +5.40
1116 1116 60 223.00 $223.00 $2,489 +5.59
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
871 thin fleshed 871 64 254.00 $254.00 $2,212
879 879 23 249.00 $249.00 $2,189 +23.00
920 920 14 225.50 $225.50 $2,075
935 thin fleshed 935 63 253.00 $253.00 $2,366
970 970 66 236.75 $236.75 $2,296
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1096 1096 7 210.00 $210.00 $2,302

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
698 698 19 238.00 $238.00 $1,661
788–798 789 28 235.00 $235.00 $1,854
816 816 68 235.00 $235.00 $1,918 +4.04
852 852 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,908 -0.75
951 951 61 219.85 $219.85 $2,091 -3.91
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018 1018 14 220.50 $220.50 $2,245
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
714 714 6 231.00 $231.00 $1,649

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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.