Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 28, 2024

2,187 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $243.03/cwt +14.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,897/hd at 781 lb · 404 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $294.75/cwt +29.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,813/hd at 615 lb · 294 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $229.76/cwt +1.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,882/hd at 819 lb · 192 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,187 2,549 5,013
Feeder cattle 2,187 2,549 5,013

Compared to last week : Feeder steers 900-1000 lbs. sold steady to 5.00 higher. Feeder heifers 800-900 lbs. sold steady to 1.00 higher, a much higher undertone was noted on light heifers. Demand was real good. Many load lots in todays offering. Featuring one consignor of 750 head of feeders. The next feeder cattle auction will be April 4th, expecting 3000 head of feeders, starting at 9:30 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 41 360.00 $360.00 $1,782 +6.00
610 610 62 317.50 $317.50 $1,937
677–690 682 35 286.00–292.50 $289.87 $1,977 -2.78
709–740 738 101 270.00–270.10 $270.09 $1,993 +6.09
808 808 6 235.00 $235.00 $1,899 -19.60
908–937 923 133 235.85–237.75 $236.78 $2,185 +5.39
965–969 967 136 226.75–227.75 $227.25 $2,198 +0.07
981 981 15 222.00 $222.00 $2,178 -5.18
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 3 352.00 $352.00 $1,331
408 408 6 335.00 $335.00 $1,367 +15.00
564 564 18 309.00 $309.00 $1,743 +20.00
632 632 14 283.50 $283.50 $1,792 -6.50
748 748 33 258.00 $258.00 $1,930 -6.50

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 88 329.00 $329.00 $1,671 +43.00
555–580 556 56 284.00–291.00 $290.61 $1,616
614–629 615 294 281.00–296.00 $294.75 $1,813 +29.75
675–696 688 75 250.25–257.00 $252.81 $1,739 +8.31
749 749 98 254.00 $254.00 $1,902 +14.55
771 771 49 236.00 $236.00 $1,820 +7.78
758–797 782 355 239.75–253.60 $244.00 $1,908 +15.78
813–824 819 192 222.00–240.10 $229.76 $1,882 +1.44
854–896 880 168 219.10–221.10 $219.86 $1,935 -0.02
955 955 21 208.25 $208.25 $1,989 -5.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377–379 378 17 340.00–341.00 $340.41 $1,287
462 462 10 298.00 $298.00 $1,377 +18.00
529 529 7 282.00 $282.00 $1,492 +2.00
659 659 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,615
702 702 4 239.50 $239.50 $1,681
836 836 27 219.50 $219.50 $1,835

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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.