Benton County Sale Barn market report — October 22, 2026

Siloam Springs, AR · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,012

Last week 639 (+373)
Last year 1,194

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$402.94 /cwt

$2,166 per head · 52 hd
vs last week +25.96

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$330.00† /cwt

$2,442 per head · 4 hd
vs last week +9.50

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 10.00-15.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 5.00-10.00 higher. The offering included several large groups of weaned cattle. A few of the large groups were 49 heifers weighing 656lbs that sold for 356.00/cwt. Also had 57 heifers weighing 902 that sold for 300.00/cwt. The largest lot of the day was 85 heifers weighing 612 that sold for 364.00/cwt. Slaughter cows sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00-8.00 higher.
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. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. 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
300–399 lb	22	347 lb	$568.29	$1,970	+53.15	−2.63	$493.02 (10 hd)
400–499 lb	23	428 lb	$457.14	$1,958	+10.39	+8.66	$381.69 (8 hd)
500–599 lb	52	537 lb	$402.94	$2,166	+25.96	−1.66	$349.27 (12 hd)
600–699 lb	25	638 lb	$357.73	$2,282	+14.04	−31.53	$312.36 (7 hd)
700–799 lb	4	740 lb	$330.00†	$2,442	+9.50	−29.00	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 22

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. 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	26	350 lb	$429.79	$1,506	+40.29	+5.16	—	$380.11 (10 hd)
400–499 lb	61	452 lb	$369.68	$1,670	−15.24	−9.52	—	$335.20 (17 hd)
500–599 lb	50	556 lb	$327.56	$1,821	−4.98	−27.32	$356.88 (75 hd)	$301.64 (3 hd)†
600–699 lb	14	633 lb	$306.51	$1,940	+1.42	−16.49	$360.72 (117 hd)	$285.00 (2 hd)†
700–799 lb	11	732 lb	$300.40	$2,198	—	−11.57	$334.00 (9 hd)	—
900–999 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$300.00 (57 hd)	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	20	1,173 lb	$129.86	$128.00–$132.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	9	1,061 lb	$125.00	$124.00–$127.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	8	1,146 lb	$120.82	$119.00–$123.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	4	1,415 lb	$134.01	$130.00–$140.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	2	1,455 lb	$124.01	$120.00–$128.00
Lean 85-90%	High	7	954 lb	$115.06	$113.00–$118.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	8	951 lb	$104.80	$100.00–$109.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $402.94/cwt
4-week average: $385.96
13-week average: $393.56
4-week vs 13-week: −1.9%

52-wk low $368.19high $491.98

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $330.00/cwt
4-week average: $326.55
13-week average: $326.30
4-week vs 13-week: +0.1%

52-wk low $307.58high $390.46

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $327.56/cwt
4-week average: $331.27
13-week average: $354.89
4-week vs 13-week: −6.7%

52-wk low $327.56high $440.33

Sales in 11 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 Feb and Apr and lowest in Oct and Sep.

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	−0.6%	33%	6
Feb	+6.2%	100%	7
Mar	+3.7%	86%	7
Apr	+3.9%	71%	7
May	+3.3%	71%	7
Jun	+1.8%	86%	7
Jul	+2.0%	57%	7
Aug	+1.4%	75%	8
Sep	−4.0%	29%	7
Oct	−5.9%	14%	7
Nov	−3.4%	0%	7
Dec	−2.1%	57%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Jul and lowest in Dec and Mar.

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	−1.2%	50%	6
Feb	+0.5%	57%	7
Mar	−2.0%	43%	7
Apr	−1.4%	29%	7
May	0.0%	43%	7
Jun	+1.0%	57%	7
Jul	+3.4%	86%	7
Aug	+5.3%	62%	8
Sep	+2.8%	57%	7
Oct	+1.3%	57%	7
Nov	−1.0%	57%	7
Dec	−2.8%	17%	6

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
Thu Oct 22	1,012	$402.94	$330.00†	$327.56
Thu Oct 15	639	$376.98	$320.50	$332.54
Thu Oct 1	1,020	$377.94	$329.15	$333.71
Thu Sep 24	1,337	$397.39	$331.29	$363.67
Thu Sep 17	431	$386.79	$310.69†	$370.72
Thu Sep 3	578	$381.81	$330.00†	$345.57
Thu Aug 27	455	$368.19	$307.58†	$334.84
Thu Aug 20	232	$376.87	$321.68†	$352.11
Thu Aug 13	327	$415.82	$362.06	$373.89
Thu Aug 6	695	$411.05	$320.00†	$375.34
Thu Jul 30	298	$433.41	—	$393.80
Thu Jul 23	270	$435.87	$333.00†	$380.34

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Arkansas sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Green Forest Stockyards, Green Forest	62 mi	Oct 21	$358.83	—
County Line Sale, Ratcliff	71 mi	Oct 21	$383.50	$327.00†
Ash Flat Livestock Auction, Ash Flat	163 mi	Oct 16	$411.75	$337.00†
Hope Livestock Auction, Hope	182 mi	Oct 22	$376.33	$318.84

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	1,012	39	AMS_2051

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Benton County Sale Barn - Siloam Springs, AR” (AMS_2051). 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.