County Line Sale market report — October 21, 2026

Ratcliff, AR · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/21/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

126

Last week 110 (+16)
Last year 191

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$383.50 /cwt

$2,109 per head · 8 hd
vs last week +13.50

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$327.00† /cwt

$2,354 per head · 1 hd
vs last week +4.69

Compared to last week: On a light test, Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold steady, 500-600 lbs sold 15.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400-600 lbs sold 3.00-6.00 higher, over 600 lbs sold steady. Not enough comparable receipts to establish a Trend for Slaughter cows or bulls.
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
300–399 lb	5	347 lb	$485.46	$1,685	+10.43	+47.00	—
400–499 lb	17	461 lb	$402.66	$1,855	−10.65	−21.59	$356.55 (2 hd)†
500–599 lb	8	550 lb	$383.50	$2,109	+13.50	−12.62	—
600–699 lb	1	690 lb	$339.00†	$2,339	−6.88	−10.82	—
700–799 lb	1	720 lb	$327.00†	$2,354	+4.69	—	—

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	10	345 lb	$428.42	$1,479	+8.95	+0.90	—	—
400–499 lb	7	449 lb	$374.54	$1,680	−2.87	−20.17	—	$351.33 (3 hd)†
500–599 lb	6	514 lb	$343.97	$1,768	+10.47	+1.11	—	$316.00 (1 hd)†
600–699 lb	1	670 lb	$311.00†	$2,084	−16.00	−22.95	$342.00 (2 hd)†	—
700–799 lb	1	760 lb	$265.00†	$2,014	—	—	—	—
800–899 lb	1	880 lb	$256.00†	$2,253	−2.50	—	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	1	1,025 lb	$135.00	$135.00–$135.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	1	1,155 lb	$123.00	$123.00–$123.00
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	4	1,076 lb	$100.15	$81.00–$112.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	2	1,665 lb	$120.48	$120.00–$121.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	5	1,662 lb	$117.20	$116.00–$119.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $383.50/cwt
4-week average: $374.43
13-week average: $381.27
4-week vs 13-week: −1.8%

52-wk low $334.72high $514.00

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $327.00/cwt
4-week average: $321.78
13-week average: $322.56
4-week vs 13-week: −0.2%

52-wk low $305.56high $380.54

Sales in 6 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $343.97/cwt
4-week average: $339.28
13-week average: $337.56
4-week vs 13-week: +0.5%

52-wk low $317.49high $427.01

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 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	+0.3%	43%	7
Feb	+5.3%	100%	7
Mar	+6.2%	100%	7
Apr	+4.6%	86%	7
May	+3.4%	86%	7
Jun	+2.2%	86%	7
Jul	+1.2%	43%	7
Aug	+2.1%	71%	7
Sep	−2.2%	29%	7
Oct	−6.2%	0%	7
Nov	−6.4%	0%	7
Dec	−3.4%	43%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Apr and lowest in Oct 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	−2.0%	50%	6
Feb	+1.7%	71%	7
Mar	−2.1%	20%	5
Apr	+2.6%	75%	4
May	−0.7%	17%	6
Jun	+1.4%	50%	6
Jul	+2.4%	67%	6
Aug	+7.1%	83%	6
Sep	−1.0%	43%	7
Oct	−2.4%	17%	6
Nov	−2.0%	43%	7
Dec	+1.6%	80%	5

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	126	$383.50	$327.00†	$343.97
Wed Oct 14	110	$370.00†	$322.31†	$333.50†
Wed Oct 7	185	$378.90	$316.02†	$343.03
Wed Sep 30	209	$365.33†	—	$336.62
Wed Sep 23	185	$413.28	—	$340.13
Wed Sep 16	125	$352.00†	$311.00†	$334.02
Wed Sep 9	69	$338.99	—	$325.40
Wed Sep 2	179	$395.50	—	$317.49
Wed Aug 26	89	$370.00†	—	$335.91†
Wed Aug 19	42	—	—	—
Wed Aug 12	124	$400.91	$320.00†	$351.26
Wed Aug 5	184	$409.87	—	$355.39†
Wed Jul 29	117	$396.94	$339.00†	$334.07†
Wed Jul 22	89	$423.63	—	$354.17

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
Benton County Sale Barn, Siloam Springs	71 mi	Oct 22	$402.94	$330.00†
Green Forest Stockyards, Green Forest	76 mi	Oct 21	$358.83	—
Hope Livestock Auction, Hope	115 mi	Oct 22	$376.33	$318.84
Ash Flat Livestock Auction, Ash Flat	143 mi	Oct 16	$411.75	$337.00†

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	126	48	AMS_2057

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “County Line Sale - Ratcliff, AR” (AMS_2057). 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.