Roanoke Stockyards market report — October 21, 2026

Roanoke, AL · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/21/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

713

Last week 990 (−277)
Last year 783

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$389.33 /cwt

$2,180 per head · 11 hd
vs last week +4.01

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

— /cwt

None sold in this weight at the latest sale

Compared to one week ago: Feeder steers and heifers sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher, feeder bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady, slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher. Replacement cows and pairs sold mostly steady.
USDA Market News reporter, October 21, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 21

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 14. Last year = sale of Oct 22. No. 2 = lighter-muscled cattle, a separate grade line in the USDA report. These are kept out of the main price. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	No. 2 $/cwt
400–499 lb	8	456 lb	$466.45	$2,128	+1.45	+17.20	$457.08 (12 hd)
500–599 lb	11	560 lb	$389.33	$2,180	+4.01	−25.34	$381.46 (11 hd)
600–699 lb	5	621 lb	$354.96	$2,204	+10.75	−20.34	$342.28 (13 hd)
700–799 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$314.00 (2 hd)†

Feeder heifers — Oct 21

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 14. Last year = sale of Oct 22. Value added = lots USDA marks as value added (weaned and vaccinated programs). No. 2 = lighter-muscled cattle, a separate grade line in the USDA report. These are kept out of the main price. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Value added $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	14	348 lb	$431.55	$1,504	+12.85	−1.97	—	$415.45 (15 hd)
400–499 lb	7	444 lb	$393.66	$1,747	+16.46	+10.67	—	$378.16 (13 hd)
500–599 lb	4	520 lb	$343.53†	$1,786	−4.04	−0.89	$356.00 (20 hd)	$324.90 (24 hd)
600–699 lb	6	630 lb	$331.86	$2,091	+0.55	−2.83	—	$314.19 (11 hd)
700–799 lb	6	715 lb	$316.00	$2,259	—	—	—	$298.67 (3 hd)†

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	4	1,283 lb	$151.26	$150.00–$155.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	24	1,125 lb	$146.52	$143.00–$149.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	19	1,122 lb	$140.27	$138.00–$142.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	4	1,370 lb	$151.48	$151.00–$152.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	8	1,528 lb	$145.80	$144.00–$149.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	5	1,410 lb	$141.25	$138.00–$143.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	8	1,029 lb	$128.82	$126.00–$132.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	3	1,012 lb	$118.96	$117.00–$120.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $389.33/cwt
4-week average: $384.11
13-week average: $384.46
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $363.63high $488.27

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $329.21/cwt
4-week average: $326.08
13-week average: $330.44
4-week vs 13-week: −1.3%

52-wk low $304.59high $395.99

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $343.53/cwt
4-week average: $340.23
13-week average: $344.51
4-week vs 13-week: −1.2%

52-wk low $327.72high $428.80

Sales in 12 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 Mar and Feb and lowest in Oct and Nov.

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	+1.6%	57%	7
Feb	+4.8%	86%	7
Mar	+6.5%	100%	7
Apr	+4.3%	86%	7
May	+3.4%	86%	7
Jun	+2.7%	71%	7
Jul	+1.0%	57%	7
Aug	−3.2%	25%	8
Sep	−2.7%	14%	7
Oct	−5.2%	14%	7
Nov	−3.7%	0%	7
Dec	−3.4%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Mar and Feb and lowest in Oct and Nov.

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	+0.5%	43%	7
Feb	+3.2%	100%	7
Mar	+4.9%	100%	6
Apr	+3.1%	67%	6
May	+0.6%	57%	7
Jun	+1.1%	71%	7
Jul	+1.6%	57%	7
Aug	+0.8%	71%	7
Sep	−1.3%	29%	7
Oct	−3.0%	29%	7
Nov	−2.2%	29%	7
Dec	−1.5%	29%	7

Recent sales

Last 13 weeks. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price. Download the weekly history as CSV.
Sale	Head sold	Steers 500–599 $/cwt	Steers 700–799 $/cwt	Heifers 500–599 $/cwt
Wed Oct 21	713	$389.33	—	$343.53†
Wed Oct 14	990	$385.33	$329.21	$347.57
Wed Oct 7	868	$386.23	$318.40	$331.59
Wed Sep 30	1,058	$375.53	$324.67†	$338.24
Wed Sep 23	1,002	$396.66	$332.05	$345.82
Wed Sep 16	810	$407.27	—	$339.93
Wed Sep 2	635	$363.63	$337.01	$344.91
Wed Aug 26	493	$363.95	$305.98	$330.80
Wed Aug 19	692	$375.03	$334.00	$345.32
Wed Aug 12	877	$379.75	$342.47	$351.60
Wed Aug 5	606	$397.56	$338.67†	$368.27
Wed Jul 29	484	$393.22	$341.92†	$346.49
Wed Jul 22	524	$409.33†	—	$387.99

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Alabama sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Clay County Livestock Auction, Ashland	28 mi	Oct 20	$358.00	—
Ashville Stockyard, Steele	73 mi	Oct 19	—	—
Mid State Stockyards LLP, Letohatchee	96 mi	Oct 20	$377.04	$326.00
South Alabama Stockyards, Troy	99 mi	Oct 21	$400.00†	$318.00†
Cullman Stockyard, Cullman	111 mi	Oct 20	—	—
Coffee County Stockyards, New Brockton	126 mi	Oct 19	—	—

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	713	42	AMS_1999

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Roanoke Stockyards - Roanoke, AL” (AMS_1999). 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.