Mitchell Livestock Auction market report — October 22, 2026

Mitchell, SD · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

3,231

Last sale (Oct 8) 1,150 (+2081)
Last year 4,347

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$442.56 /cwt

$2,436 per head · 469 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$358.82 /cwt

$2,616 per head · 123 hd
vs last week —

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.
USDA Market News reporter, October 22, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 22

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. No sale last week to compare. Last year = sale of Oct 23.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	28	364 lb	$527.46	$1,920	—	−71.58
400–499 lb	264	461 lb	$498.22	$2,295	—	−39.61
500–599 lb	469	550 lb	$442.56	$2,436	—	−14.24
600–699 lb	302	643 lb	$407.59	$2,623	—	−17.01
700–799 lb	123	729 lb	$358.82	$2,616	—	−14.72
800–899 lb	110	891 lb	$324.91	$2,895	—	−21.59
900–999 lb	164	961 lb	$321.00	$3,083	—	−7.58

Feeder heifers — Oct 22

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. No sale last week to compare. Last year = sale of Oct 23.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	39	355 lb	$495.54	$1,760	—	−37.30
400–499 lb	228	449 lb	$446.85	$2,008	—	+9.07
500–599 lb	366	551 lb	$384.23	$2,116	—	−11.88
600–699 lb	156	630 lb	$370.62	$2,337	—	+9.30
700–799 lb	49	738 lb	$331.57	$2,447	—	—
800–899 lb	194	859 lb	$314.81	$2,705	—	—
900–999 lb	99	956 lb	$290.14	$2,775	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $442.56/cwt
4-week average: $442.56
13-week average: $442.05
4-week vs 13-week: +0.1%

52-wk low $408.16high $538.85

Sales in 3 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $358.82/cwt
4-week average: $358.82
13-week average: $355.56
4-week vs 13-week: +0.9%

52-wk low $331.74high $398.60

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $384.23/cwt
4-week average: $360.94
13-week average: $372.07
4-week vs 13-week: −3.0%

52-wk low $337.65high $490.03

Sales in 4 of the last 13 weeks.

Direction compares the 4-week average with the 13-week average: Rising +1% or more, Steady within ±1%, Easing −1% to −3%, Falling −3% or more. Weekly prices are head-weighted averages of Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 feeder cattle, regular lots.

The label describes recent prices; it is not a forecast. In our backtest of every barn since 2019 (about 35,000 barn-weeks), barns labeled Falling went on to beat other barns' average move over the next 13 weeks 61% of the time, and barns labeled Rising trailed it 56% of the time.

Last 52 weeks

Weekly average $/cwt4-week average

Price history since 2019

Weekly average $/cwt

When to sell: the seasonal pattern

5-weight steers

For 500–599 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jun and May and lowest in Nov and Oct.

Each month's head-weighted average price compared with the centered 12-month average around it, then averaged across years. Past patterns are not a forecast.
Month	vs year avg	Years above	Years
Jan	+1.1%	71%	7
Feb	+1.9%	57%	7
Mar	+2.4%	86%	7
Apr	+2.7%	57%	7
May	+3.6%	71%	7
Jun	+4.3%	86%	7
Jul	−0.4%	50%	6
Aug	−2.5%	33%	6
Sep	+0.3%	57%	7
Oct	−2.7%	29%	7
Nov	−3.6%	14%	7
Dec	+0.1%	43%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jul and Jun and lowest in Nov and Apr.

Each month's head-weighted average price compared with the centered 12-month average around it, then averaged across years. Past patterns are not a forecast.
Month	vs year avg	Years above	Years
Jan	−0.7%	57%	7
Feb	+0.6%	71%	7
Mar	−0.7%	43%	7
Apr	−1.4%	57%	7
May	−0.5%	43%	7
Jun	+2.2%	57%	7
Jul	+3.6%	86%	7
Aug	+2.0%	75%	8
Sep	+1.5%	57%	7
Oct	+1.4%	86%	7
Nov	−2.1%	29%	7
Dec	−0.4%	43%	7

Recent sales

Last 13 weeks. Download the weekly history as CSV.
Sale	Head sold	Steers 500–599 $/cwt	Steers 700–799 $/cwt	Heifers 500–599 $/cwt
Thu Oct 22	3,231	$442.56	$358.82	$384.23
Thu Oct 8	1,150	—	—	$337.65
Thu Sep 24	1,000	—	$357.00	—
Thu Sep 17	2,331	$435.10	$353.72	$368.91
Thu Aug 27	574	—	$376.53	—
Thu Aug 20	1,676	$448.50	$331.74	$397.50
Thu Aug 6	999	—	—	—
Thu Jul 23	1,050	—	—	—

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every South Dakota sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Sioux Falls Regional Livestock Auction, Worthing	69 mi	Oct 19	—	$351.00
Hub City Livestock Auction, Aberdeen	122 mi	Oct 21	$469.67	$380.26
Ft. Pierre Livestock Auction, Fort Pierre	124 mi	Oct 23	$467.96	$348.87
Mobridge Livestock Exchange, Mobridge	172 mi	Oct 22	$470.74	—
Herreid Livestock Market, Herreid	177 mi	Oct 23	$466.00	$365.50
Philip Livestock Auction, Philip	182 mi	Oct 20	$465.30	$402.00

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	3,231	34	AMS_2022

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Mitchell Livestock Auction - Mitchell, SD” (AMS_2022). See something wrong? Report a correction. Feeder prices are Medium and Large frame No. 1 and 1–2 cattle, $/cwt, grouped into 100-lb bands by average weight and weighted by head count. Value-added, unweaned and No. 2 lots are shown in their own columns; other lot types (fancy, fleshy, thin-fleshed, spayed, replacement) are left out. $/head = $/cwt × average weight ÷ 100.