Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 5, 2023

1,017 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $215.30/cwt -1.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,986/hd at 922 lb · 248 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $224.44/cwt ≈ $1,778/hd at 792 lb · 108 head
light 8-weight L 2 heifers $191.00/cwt ≈ $1,610/hd at 843 lb · 82 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,017 3,334 2,357
Feeder cattle 1,017 3,334 2,357

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold on a lower undertone, feeder heifers sold on a lower undertone, heifers 900-950 lbs. sold 2.00 lower. Demand was fair. Quality and flesh were determining factors in todays prices. The next feeder cattle auction will be Oct. 12th, expecting 2500 head of feeders, starting at 9:00 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1004 1004 7 204.00 $204.00 $2,048
1113 1113 123 209.10 $209.10 $2,327
1179 1179 6 195.50 $195.50 $2,305
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 5 269.00 $269.00 $1,453 -26.00
665 665 25 230.00 $230.00 $1,530 -20.00
730 730 6 223.00 $223.00 $1,628 -10.00
806 806 10 230.00 $230.00 $1,854 -9.00
854 854 5 218.00 $218.00 $1,862 -17.00
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
891 891 16 157.00 $157.00 $1,399
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526 526 14 249.00 $249.00 $1,310

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623–627 627 46 237.50–243.00 $238.09 $1,493
650 650 13 235.00 $235.00 $1,528 -6.00
763–794 786 55 225.50–234.00 $227.75 $1,790
799 799 53 221.00 $221.00 $1,766
904 904 117 216.25 $216.25 $1,955 -2.86
926–948 939 131 212.75–215.25 $214.45 $2,014 -1.08
950 950 12 213.00 $213.00 $2,024 -6.92
958 958 20 232.00 $232.00 $2,223 +12.08
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
843 843 82 191.00 $191.00 $1,610
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 4 263.00 $263.00 $1,005 -22.00
462 462 6 253.00 $253.00 $1,169 -3.00
517–534 528 26 257.00 $257.00 $1,357 -1.00
576 576 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,440 +28.00
660 660 10 225.50 $225.50 $1,488 -11.66
699 699 5 183.00 $183.00 $1,279 -54.16
719 719 12 227.50 $227.50 $1,636
805 805 7 212.00 $212.00 $1,707 -13.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
686 686 13 170.00 $170.00 $1,166
830 830 16 159.00 $159.00 $1,320
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1031 1031 7 213.50 $213.50 $2,201 -16.25
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1098 1098 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,812 -20.45

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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.