Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 17, 2024

1,555 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $209.88/cwt -5.33 vs last sale · ≈ $2,032/hd at 968 lb · 203 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $254.17/cwt +37.67 vs last sale · ≈ $2,194/hd at 863 lb · 129 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $235.89/cwt +0.89 vs last sale · ≈ $2,155/hd at 914 lb · 129 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,555 1,744 1,920
Feeder cattle 1,555 1,744 1,920

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: A higher undertone was noted on steers 800 lbs. and up. Feeder heifers 900-1000 lbs. sold steady to 3.00 lower. Had a consignment of 280 very light fleshed Bk. steers today bring top money. Demand was good with many large load lots in heavier feeders. Next week Oct.24th, expecting 3500 head of feeders, around 2000 of the 3500 head will be spring calves, starting at "9:00 am"

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
489 489 5 312.50 $312.50 $1,528 —
642 642 9 272.00 $272.00 $1,746 —
726 726 4 258.00 $258.00 $1,873 —
769 thin fleshed 769 30 272.00 $272.00 $2,092 —
759–775 774 53 253.00–258.00 $257.12 $1,990 —
831 831 13 245.00 $245.00 $2,036 -1.00
852 852 8 235.00 $235.00 $2,002 —
858–869 thin fleshed 864 121 253.50–257.50 $255.44 $2,207 —
912 912 92 240.00 $240.00 $2,189 +5.00
911–932 918 37 223.00–227.00 $225.68 $2,072 -9.32
958–989 982 88 224.00–233.00 $229.99 $2,259 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 4 390.00 $390.00 $1,248 —
410 410 22 328.00 $328.00 $1,345 +10.00
487–496 492 15 272.00–304.00 $286.79 $1,411 —
624–638 632 11 247.00–255.00 $250.28 $1,582 —
696 696 10 235.00 $235.00 $1,636 —
746 746 4 233.00 $233.00 $1,738 —
762–782 770 39 240.00 $240.00 $1,848 —
817 817 13 235.00 $235.00 $1,920 —
927 927 3 222.00 $222.00 $2,058 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1009 1009 20 220.00 $220.00 $2,220 +2.65
1053 1053 7 206.00 $206.00 $2,169 -19.25
1070 1070 58 229.25 $229.25 $2,453 +22.75
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1194 1194 19 194.25 $194.25 $2,319 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–454 452 10 271.00–295.00 $280.55 $1,268 —
563 563 9 267.00 $267.00 $1,503 —
604 604 24 246.00 $246.00 $1,486 —
705 705 36 254.50 $254.50 $1,794 +11.50
789 789 70 246.00 $246.00 $1,941 —
789 789 19 231.00 $231.00 $1,823 —
889 889 14 215.00 $215.00 $1,911 -14.44
904–912 908 124 216.00–218.00 $217.00 $1,970 —
956–967 961 142 209.50–213.50 $211.65 $2,034 -3.56
985 985 61 205.75 $205.75 $2,027 -9.46
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371–378 377 19 297.50–305.00 $303.44 $1,144 —
488 488 6 261.00 $261.00 $1,274 —
516 516 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,192 —
698 698 29 225.00 $225.00 $1,570 —
754–793 776 22 218.00–227.50 $221.35 $1,718 —
859–894 877 18 218.00–227.00 $222.41 $1,951 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1012–1030 1015 56 211.00–212.00 $211.18 $2,143 +2.68
1131 1131 4 197.00 $197.00 $2,228 —
1150–1156 1155 34 190.25–197.00 $191.04 $2,207 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 4 262.00 $262.00 $1,231 —
1019–1022 1021 19 196.00–198.00 $197.58 $2,017 -4.42

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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.