Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 21, 2023

2,217 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $224.29/cwt -6.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,052/hd at 915 lb · 411 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $215.71/cwt -8.88 vs last sale · ≈ $2,116/hd at 981 lb · 327 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $250.00/cwt +1.50 vs last sale · ≈ $2,210/hd at 884 lb · 148 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,217 3,438 1,986
Feeder cattle 2,217 3,438 1,986

Compared to last week: Trend not applicable today light numbers for comparison in steers. Heifers 900-1000 lbs. were 5.00 lower. Demand was very active. Had some new spring calves today, those with shots and light flesh were sought after most bringing top money. The next feeder cattle auction will be Sept. 28th, expecting 3000 head of yearlings and spring calves, starting at 8:30 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
329 329 7 365.00 $365.00 $1,201 +27.50
362–382 unweaned 375 9 365.00–370.00 $366.61 $1,375 —
407–416 412 26 345.00–355.00 $349.56 $1,440 —
416–442 unweaned 428 51 315.00–339.00 $331.63 $1,419 —
459–494 unweaned 471 24 301.00–343.00 $328.31 $1,546 —
502–546 unweaned 513 50 302.50–316.00 $311.99 $1,601 —
582 unweaned 582 18 298.00 $298.00 $1,734 —
658 unweaned 658 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,810 —
884 884 148 250.00 $250.00 $2,210 +1.50
956–990 978 53 228.75–232.50 $229.99 $2,249 -12.11
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1007–1033 1016 124 215.00–226.75 $225.13 $2,287 +5.88
1085 1085 5 212.00 $212.00 $2,300 -17.46
1108 1108 8 209.50 $209.50 $2,321 -11.60
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
952 952 34 193.00 $193.00 $1,837 —
1111 1111 50 180.50 $180.50 $2,005 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
237 unweaned 237 3 320.00 $320.00 $758 —
334 unweaned 334 5 360.00 $360.00 $1,202 —
415 415 4 320.00 $320.00 $1,328 —
497 497 9 280.00 $280.00 $1,392 +1.66
509–537 517 10 225.00–296.00 $247.11 $1,278 —
528 unweaned 528 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,584 —
585 585 9 237.50 $237.50 $1,389 -7.50
676 676 12 255.00 $255.00 $1,724 +20.00
865 865 24 240.00 $240.00 $2,076 +8.09

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366–399 unweaned 383 14 325.00–329.00 $327.09 $1,253 —
405–443 unweaned 423 51 295.00–337.50 $308.98 $1,307 —
474 unweaned 474 5 301.00 $301.00 $1,427 —
510–535 unweaned 516 58 288.00–302.50 $295.79 $1,526 —
625 unweaned 625 3 257.00 $257.00 $1,606 —
703 703 54 242.00 $242.00 $1,701 -9.52
707 707 12 257.00 $257.00 $1,817 +5.48
818 818 86 230.50 $230.50 $1,885 -10.70
826 826 4 250.00 $250.00 $2,065 +8.80
858 858 72 229.60 $229.60 $1,970 -7.90
859 859 26 221.00 $221.00 $1,898 -16.50
906–932 910 129 216.00–219.35 $218.84 $1,991 -13.20
900–943 917 282 221.50–230.00 $226.79 $2,080 -5.25
974–982 981 145 219.00–225.50 $219.44 $2,153 -5.15
974–991 981 182 211.00–216.50 $212.74 $2,087 -11.85
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278–285 unweaned 282 8 317.50–337.50 $327.38 $923 —
311 311 9 312.50 $312.50 $972 +7.50
336 unweaned 336 7 325.00 $325.00 $1,092 —
405–428 413 12 260.00–305.00 $275.56 $1,138 —
470 470 7 275.00 $275.00 $1,292 +39.00
517 517 90 245.50 $245.50 $1,269 -3.50
605 605 20 231.00 $231.00 $1,398 -20.00
806 806 10 225.00 $225.00 $1,814 +4.28
900 900 17 217.50 $217.50 $1,958 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
934 934 96 190.00 $190.00 $1,775 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1021 1013 28 221.00–222.50 $221.80 $2,247 -5.15
1097 1097 3 201.00 $201.00 $2,205 -21.00
1111 1111 6 206.00 $206.00 $2,289 -4.00

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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.