Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 21, 2026

1,071 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $309.80/cwt +1.80 vs last sale · ≈ $2,866/hd at 925 lb · 89 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $317.11/cwt -23.05 vs last sale · ≈ $3,048/hd at 961 lb · 85 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $366.66/cwt -28.29 vs last sale · ≈ $2,908/hd at 793 lb · 43 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,071 4,000 1,473
Feeder cattle 1,071 4,000 1,473

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: Not enough steers or heifer to give true a comparison today in all class's. A lower undertone was noted on both steers and heifers. Demand was good. Quality was fair compared to two weeks ago. The next feeder cattle auction will be June 4th, expecting 1000 plus feeders, starting at 9:30 am. Then on June 11th MLM will have their BBQ special.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1037–1041 1039 195 311.00–320.75 $317.18 $3,296 -2.32
1061–1099 1079 111 294.50–314.25 $304.35 $3,284 -8.15
1134 1134 31 292.25 $292.25 $3,314 -17.89
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
713–728 724 28 399.00–408.00 $405.47 $2,936 -3.72
791–795 793 43 364.00–370.00 $366.66 $2,908 -0.43
863–887 868 16 351.00–361.00 $352.92 $3,063 +9.92
904 904 7 326.00 $326.00 $2,947 -22.36
921–926 922 28 338.00–341.00 $338.65 $3,122 -9.71
951–956 952 41 320.00–326.50 $324.75 $3,092 -15.41
970 thin fleshed 970 44 310.00 $310.00 $3,007 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 4 550.00 $550.00 $1,914 —
527 527 7 500.00 $500.00 $2,635 +10.00
679 679 4 417.50 $417.50 $2,835 —
720 720 4 391.00 $391.00 $2,815 —
806–832 816 27 348.00–358.00 $353.11 $2,881 -2.81
940 940 28 324.00 $324.00 $3,046 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1071 1071 7 280.00 $280.00 $2,999 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
509 509 5 435.00 $435.00 $2,214 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
628 628 23 393.00 $393.00 $2,468 +16.00
736 736 39 358.50 $358.50 $2,639 +8.50
751–787 763 18 335.00–346.00 $342.22 $2,611 -34.78
808 808 11 339.00 $339.00 $2,739 +4.92
862–863 863 28 317.00–321.50 $320.54 $2,766 -1.35
921–928 925 89 302.25–314.00 $309.80 $2,866 +1.80
981 981 4 290.00 $290.00 $2,845 -7.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317 317 11 555.00 $555.00 $1,759 —
492 492 6 490.00 $490.00 $2,411 —
501–504 502 16 395.00–430.00 $408.17 $2,049 -15.34
675 675 4 347.50 $347.50 $2,346 -17.28
735 735 9 320.00 $320.00 $2,352 -16.00
779 779 15 326.00 $326.00 $2,540 —
898 898 7 304.00 $304.00 $2,730 —
902–938 914 9 250.00–296.00 $280.26 $2,562 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 35 299.00 $299.00 $2,990 —
1046 1046 14 276.00 $276.00 $2,887 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
407 407 6 535.00 $535.00 $2,177 —
499 499 6 440.00 $440.00 $2,196 —
652 652 3 355.00 $355.00 $2,315 —
707 707 3 355.00 $355.00 $2,510 —
755 755 3 330.00 $330.00 $2,492 —
826 826 4 322.50 $322.50 $2,664 —
907 907 14 301.00 $301.00 $2,730 —
1074 1074 5 230.00 $230.00 $2,470 —

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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.