Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 5, 2026

2,421 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $377.01/cwt -5.51 vs last sale · ≈ $2,965/hd at 786 lb · 258 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $335.90/cwt +4.90 vs last sale · ≈ $3,325/hd at 990 lb · 230 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $327.05/cwt +25.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,989/hd at 914 lb · 214 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,421 4,121 3,767
Feeder cattle 2,421 3,767

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 600 lbs. and up sold unevenly steady. Feeder heifers 600 lbs. and up sold 3.00-7.00 higher. Demand was good. Again flesh determined what was bid on feeders. The next feeder cattle auction will be Feb. 12th, expecting 3500 plus, starting at 8:30 am.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 4 540.00 $540.00 $2,538
511 511 7 507.50 $507.50 $2,593 +11.00
565–580 576 14 465.00–482.50 $474.70 $2,734 -3.89
608–627 621 46 450.00–457.00 $452.75 $2,812 +0.03
676–685 683 64 407.00–420.00 $416.46 $2,844 +0.69
709–727 722 71 383.00–403.00 $395.83 $2,858 +0.99
775 775 13 344.00 $344.00 $2,666 -41.75
765–792 787 245 372.00–384.50 $378.76 $2,981 +17.85
800 800 5 348.00 $348.00 $2,784 -19.27
808–842 814 40 356.00–374.50 $368.24 $2,997 +0.97
852–893 867 210 348.00–358.50 $354.53 $3,074 -0.06
902–903 903 93 341.00–353.00 $347.20 $3,135 -0.91
952–999 990 230 334.00–345.00 $335.90 $3,325 +4.90
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 66 334.00 $334.00 $3,357
1074 1074 137 311.75 $311.75 $3,348 -10.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 4 472.00 $472.00 $2,426 -0.55
561–574 568 15 447.50–459.00 $453.70 $2,577 +2.73
631–635 634 24 400.00–428.00 $421.03 $2,669 -15.43
835 835 3 340.00 $340.00 $2,839
882 882 5 344.00 $344.00 $3,034

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
407 407 3 572.50 $572.50 $2,330 +67.81
495 495 17 482.50 $482.50 $2,388 -5.63
505–537 528 13 450.00–480.00 $466.56 $2,463 +1.70
552–580 568 68 427.00–460.00 $441.29 $2,507 +10.99
610–642 636 53 386.00–401.00 $390.67 $2,485 +13.67
653–672 665 90 378.00–388.00 $380.57 $2,531 +9.39
682–697 690 18 353.00–359.00 $356.03 $2,457 -27.63
701–742 724 108 351.00–374.50 $366.99 $2,657 +7.56
752–782 761 132 343.00–361.00 $353.21 $2,688 +5.00
803–827 806 72 334.00–340.00 $339.23 $2,734 +6.04
855 855 51 364.25 $364.25 $3,114 +49.85
860–884 870 129 312.00–333.00 $317.58 $2,763 +3.18
909 909 4 303.00 $303.00 $2,754 -7.73
908–916 914 210 321.50–330.00 $327.51 $2,993 +16.78
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
518–528 521 9 425.00–445.00 $438.25 $2,283 +10.01
599 599 7 400.00 $400.00 $2,396 -5.13
775 775 4 330.00 $330.00 $2,558

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 24 485.00 $485.00 $2,595
733 733 38 384.00 $384.00 $2,815
995 995 3 280.00 $280.00 $2,786

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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.