Walnut Auction Sales market report — October 20, 2026

Walnut, IL · Tuesday sale · USDA report published 10/20/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

Last week 105 (−46)
Last year 88

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$357.50† /cwt

$2,138 per head · 2 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

— /cwt

None sold in this weight at the latest sale

Today at Walnut, a light offering of feeder cattle was met with good demand on active trade. As harvest and good harvest conditions continues, as do light offerings. No price comparison for today's special as it was the first reported special of the fall season.
USDA Market News reporter, October 20, 2026

This barn's weekly USDA report covers slaughter cattle only, so the feeder tables and cards come from its latest special feeder sale.

Feeder steers — Oct 20

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 21. 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	1	345 lb	$440.00†	$1,518	—	—	—
400–499 lb	7	495 lb	$422.14	$2,090	—	−30.93	—
500–599 lb	2	598 lb	$357.50†	$2,138	—	−39.25	—
600–699 lb	4	637 lb	$351.22†	$2,237	—	−35.04	—
700–799 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$291.49 (6 hd)

Feeder heifers — Oct 20

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 21. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
400–499 lb	5	473 lb	$410.00	$1,938	—	−6.44
500–599 lb	2	573 lb	$355.02†	$2,034	—	+19.19
700–799 lb	1	710 lb	$305.00†	$2,166	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	1	1,450 lb	$139.00	$139.00–$139.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $357.50/cwt
4-week average: $357.50
13-week average: $357.50
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $357.50high $416.16

Sales in 1 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of March 30, 2026): $358.93/cwt
4-week average: $358.93
13-week average: $348.61
4-week vs 13-week: +3.0%

52-wk low $338.30high $358.93

Sales in 2 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $355.02/cwt
4-week average: $355.02
13-week average: $355.02
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $350.00high $396.46

Sales in 1 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 2022

Weekly average $/cwt

When to sell: the seasonal pattern

5-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

7-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

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
Wed Oct 21	54	—	—	—
Wed Oct 14	110	—	—	—
Wed Oct 7	134	—	—	—
Wed Sep 23	150	—	—	—
Wed Sep 16	176	—	—	—
Wed Sep 9	75	—	—	—
Wed Sep 2	80	—	—	—
Wed Aug 26	91	—	—	—
Wed Aug 19	95	—	—	—
Wed Aug 12	140	—	—	—
Wed Aug 5	114	—	—	—
Wed Jul 29	128	—	—	—
Wed Jul 22	191	—	—	—

Special and graded sales

The last 12 months of this barn's special and graded sales, $/cwt, Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 regular lots (value-added lots where a sale has only those). A sale counts in the weekly trend only when it is a regular feeder sale: a plain special where feeder steers and heifers are most of the head. Graded, replacement, cow-and-pair, preconditioned and Holstein sales stay out.
Sale	Type	Head	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799	Heifers 500–599	In trend
Oct 20, 2026	Feeder Cattle Specialspecial	59	$357.50	—	$355.02	Yes
Mar 31, 2026	Feeder Cattle Specialspecial	105	$416.16	$358.93	$396.46	Yes
Jan 20, 2026	Feeder Cattle Specialspecial	180	$393.00	$338.30	$350.00	Yes
Oct 21, 2025	Feeder Cattle Specialspecial	88	$396.75	$348.75	$335.83	Yes

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Illinois sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Fairview Sale Barn, Fairview	70 mi	Sep 17	$440.08	$346.25
Greenville Livestock, Greenville	185 mi	Sep 12	$413.01	$345.56

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Slaughter Cattle	October 21, 2026	54	46	AMS_2047
Feeder Cattle Special special	October 20, 2026	59	4	AMS_2044

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Walnut Auction Sales Slaughter Cattle - Walnut, IL” (AMS_2047); “Walnut Auction Sales Feeder Cattle Special - Walnut, IL” (AMS_2044). 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.