Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 18, 2024

4,560 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $210.30/cwt -1.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,943/hd at 924 lb · 829 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $219.55/cwt +1.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,927/hd at 878 lb · 659 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $237.25/cwt +1.95 vs last sale · ≈ $2,194/hd at 925 lb · 455 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,560 3,265 3,952
Feeder cattle 4,560 3,265 3,952

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 800 lbs. and up were unevenly steady. Feeder heifers 800 lbs. and up were 1.00-5.00 higher. Were many heavy yearlings in todays offering. Demand was good. Many large load lots in today auction. On May 2nd MLM will be holding a special spring calf offering. The next feeder cattle auction will be April 25th, expecting 2500 head of feeders, starting at 10:00 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
453 453 3 321.00 $321.00 $1,454 -62.00
626 626 48 294.25 $294.25 $1,842 +3.71
687 687 13 271.50 $271.50 $1,865 -15.03
719–736 721 48 254.00–256.00 $254.30 $1,834 +15.41
761–781 778 37 253.00–255.00 $254.74 $1,982 -9.97
802 thin fleshed 802 40 265.75 $265.75 $2,131
818–831 826 28 239.00–239.50 $239.32 $1,977 -15.52
806–839 828 154 242.50–251.00 $244.66 $2,026 -10.18
864 864 16 228.50 $228.50 $1,974 +8.38
871–887 875 237 225.50–236.25 $235.00 $2,056 +14.88
923 923 37 225.00 $225.00 $2,077 -5.76
900–935 925 418 229.50–240.85 $238.33 $2,205 +7.57
974 974 61 228.50 $228.50 $2,226 -4.75
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1008–1034 1016 257 213.50–224.35 $218.49 $2,220
1082–1089 1084 150 210.00–216.50 $214.76 $2,328
1105–1139 1138 129 200.00–210.00 $209.62 $2,385 -10.38
1152 1152 120 209.00 $209.00 $2,408
1249 1249 118 199.10 $199.10 $2,487
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 4 317.50 $317.50 $1,378
490–498 494 6 316.00–319.00 $317.51 $1,568
574 574 15 296.00 $296.00 $1,699 +41.00
672 672 5 267.00 $267.00 $1,794
718 718 4 252.00 $252.00 $1,809 +12.00
773 773 3 221.00 $221.00 $1,708 -15.06
816 816 41 225.00 $225.00 $1,836
927 927 3 206.00 $206.00 $1,910 -13.50

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 8 317.00 $317.00 $1,369
612–623 622 53 261.00–263.00 $261.15 $1,624 -7.78
695 695 15 249.00 $249.00 $1,731 -9.56
713–743 727 24 244.00–247.00 $245.59 $1,785 -3.17
759 759 19 221.50 $221.50 $1,681 -20.94
763–783 771 251 220.00–240.50 $233.94 $1,804 -8.50
813–841 828 202 214.25–225.75 $221.22 $1,832 +2.49
853–888 877 607 217.00–224.50 $220.43 $1,933 +0.54
873–896 885 52 209.00–209.50 $209.26 $1,852 +2.03
900–935 920 618 206.50–222.25 $213.19 $1,961 +1.25
911–940 935 211 198.50–202.50 $201.82 $1,887 -10.12
959–982 976 116 209.50–220.00 $214.52 $2,094 +2.02
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1005 1002 176 198.75–209.10 $202.91 $2,033
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
591 591 9 256.00 $256.00 $1,513 -5.80
623–643 634 17 248.50–259.00 $253.36 $1,606 +0.08
713 713 8 231.00 $231.00 $1,647 +8.00
910 910 35 201.00 $201.00 $1,829

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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.