Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 25, 2024

2,710 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $218.81/cwt -0.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,939/hd at 886 lb · 355 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $230.17/cwt -2.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,754/hd at 762 lb · 348 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $208.87/cwt -1.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,897/hd at 908 lb · 342 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,710 4,560 4,218
Feeder cattle 2,710 4,560 4,218

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 900-1000 lbs. sold 7.00-9.00 lower, steers 1000-1200 lbs. sold steady to 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers 750-1000 lbs. sold unevenly steady. Demand was good. Some load lots in todays offering. The next feeder cattle auction will be May 2nd, expecting 2500 head of feeders, will be featuring fall grass calves, starting at 10:00 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1022–1029 1026 20 196.00–208.00 $203.22 $2,085 -15.27
1015–1041 1030 400 216.10–223.35 $221.69 $2,283 +3.20
1070–1098 1081 354 212.25–215.10 $214.11 $2,315 -0.65
1168 1168 108 212.35 $212.35 $2,480 +3.35
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 12 370.00 $370.00 $1,454 —
484 484 25 323.00 $323.00 $1,563 +2.00
522 522 4 325.00 $325.00 $1,696 —
580 unweaned 580 3 287.50 $287.50 $1,668 —
651 thin fleshed 651 18 290.00 $290.00 $1,888 —
672 672 6 266.00 $266.00 $1,788 -5.50
700–748 727 39 253.00–264.00 $258.85 $1,882 +4.55
747 unweaned 747 18 247.00 $247.00 $1,845 —
775–786 779 32 243.00–247.00 $244.39 $1,904 -10.35
830 830 25 239.75 $239.75 $1,990 -4.91
905–933 925 116 225.50–230.35 $229.13 $2,119 -9.20
958–973 971 94 218.00–221.50 $221.13 $2,147 -7.37
994 994 10 200.00 $200.00 $1,988 -28.50
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
753 753 27 230.00 $230.00 $1,732 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 3 365.00 $365.00 $1,113 —
697 697 11 265.00 $265.00 $1,847 -2.00
812 812 7 231.00 $231.00 $1,876 +6.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 384 10 375.00 $375.00 $1,440 —
412 412 3 312.00 $312.00 $1,285 -5.00
465 465 25 301.00 $301.00 $1,400 —
524–545 533 7 278.00–289.00 $284.18 $1,515 —
645 645 5 258.00 $258.00 $1,664 -3.15
686 686 4 242.00 $242.00 $1,660 -7.00
709 unweaned 709 14 220.00 $220.00 $1,560 —
753–785 762 348 221.00–236.00 $230.17 $1,754 +8.67
805–840 811 119 218.00–236.00 $224.38 $1,820 +3.16
859–893 886 355 216.50–222.35 $218.81 $1,939 +9.55
904–911 908 342 204.00–213.00 $208.87 $1,897 -4.32
976 976 15 198.50 $198.50 $1,937 -16.02
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 32 216.00 $216.00 $1,495 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
621 621 4 250.00 $250.00 $1,552 -3.36
739 739 6 216.00 $216.00 $1,596 -15.00
785 785 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,594 —
944 944 6 192.00 $192.00 $1,812 -9.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 4 312.00 $312.00 $1,604 —
613 613 12 281.00 $281.00 $1,723 —
797 797 5 216.00 $216.00 $1,722 —

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Reading this report

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.