Cattle Market Pulse

Mitchell Livestock Auction Market Report

Mitchell, South Dakota · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 22, 2026

3,231 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $404.42/cwt ≈ $2,588/hd at 640 lb · 216 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $382.31/cwt ≈ $2,168/hd at 567 lb · 208 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $468.40/cwt ≈ $2,445/hd at 522 lb · 184 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,231 1,150 4,347
Feeder cattle 3,231 1,150 4,347

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: No numbers matched for a good trend in all class's. Had many light feeders today. Also a good number of 1000 -1050 lbs, steers, they were dollars higher. A dollars higher undertone was noted on all heifers. Demand was very good. All breeds of beef cattle were represented in todays auction. Many load lots in today's offering. Next auction will be Oct.29th, expecting 1500 head of feeders, starting at 10:00 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
357–378 364 28 500.00–540.00 $527.46 $1,920 +32.46
438–449 445 154 501.00–535.00 $521.73 $2,322 —
468–484 480 64 487.50–490.00 $488.23 $2,344 +8.23
507–542 522 184 446.75–495.00 $468.40 $2,445 —
554–588 571 169 425.00–450.00 $440.13 $2,513 —
619–644 640 216 394.75–427.00 $404.42 $2,588 —
650–653 652 86 405.00–419.00 $415.56 $2,709 +34.56
696 696 6 373.00 $373.00 $2,596 -8.00
702–736 710 88 347.50–388.00 $361.25 $2,565 —
775 775 30 358.00 $358.00 $2,774 —
883–895 891 110 318.00–332.50 $324.91 $2,895 —
904 904 48 320.50 $320.50 $2,897 —
981–998 984 116 302.00–332.50 $321.20 $3,161 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003–1033 1020 432 304.00–325.00 $315.13 $3,214 +30.63
1054 1054 29 291.25 $291.25 $3,070 +16.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
463–496 486 46 400.00–450.00 $433.39 $2,106 —
536–547 540 48 425.00–430.00 $426.79 $2,305 —
572–591 584 68 387.50–392.00 $389.78 $2,276 —
788 788 5 321.00 $321.00 $2,529 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 22 533.00 $533.00 $1,855 —
384 384 8 455.00 $455.00 $1,747 +45.00
402–425 420 101 470.00–512.50 $479.49 $2,014 —
452–499 478 86 424.00–434.00 $429.38 $2,052 —
518–537 527 94 389.00–407.00 $398.22 $2,099 +52.89
554–590 567 208 356.00–400.00 $382.31 $2,168 —
617–633 619 124 349.00–381.50 $378.01 $2,340 —
675 675 32 342.00 $342.00 $2,308 +5.00
736–738 738 49 330.00–331.75 $331.57 $2,447 —
831–847 844 78 310.25–318.00 $312.05 $2,634 +2.05
867–898 876 104 305.50–326.50 $318.26 $2,788 —
929 929 5 262.00 $262.00 $2,434 —
958–970 960 55 289.50–310.00 $293.64 $2,819 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 9 440.00 $440.00 $1,527 —
446 446 23 427.50 $427.50 $1,907 —
459–496 481 18 357.50–380.00 $371.84 $1,789 —
509–531 524 54 371.00–377.50 $373.25 $1,956 —
575 575 10 352.00 $352.00 $2,024 +23.00
806–814 811 12 297.00–307.00 $302.86 $2,456 —
937 937 16 290.00 $290.00 $2,717 —
967 967 23 288.00 $288.00 $2,785 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1037 1037 35 280.00 $280.00 $2,904 —
1247 1247 9 245.50 $245.50 $3,061 +15.00

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Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
481 481 9 265.00 $265.00 $1,275 —
558 558 20 312.00 $312.00 $1,741 —

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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.