Russell Livestock market report — October 12, 2026

Russell, IA · Monday sale · USDA report published 10/12/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,955

Last week 2,091 (−136)
Last year —

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$444.68 /cwt

$2,355 per head · 181 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$355.31 /cwt

$2,726 per head · 231 hd
vs last week —

Compared to the auction two weeks ago steers under 600 lbs. sold even to 9.00 lower, while those cattle over 600 lbs. sold uneven; 600 lbs. to 650 lbs. and 750 lbs. to 850 lbs. sold 13.00 to 19.00 higher and all others were lower. Heifers under 700 lbs. sold mostly 6.00 to sharply higher and heifers over 700 lbs. sold 8.00 to 26.00 higher. There were several load lots in the offering today. A large supply of seven- and eight-weight steers were offered today. Demand was very good today.
USDA Market News reporter, October 12, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 12

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 6. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. 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	Unweaned $/cwt
300–399 lb	33	385 lb	$546.91	$2,107	—	−71.36	$410.00 (4 hd)†
400–499 lb	134	450 lb	$502.03	$2,261	—	—	$455.24 (14 hd)
500–599 lb	181	530 lb	$444.68	$2,355	—	−13.63	$416.55 (60 hd)
600–699 lb	68	643 lb	$390.55	$2,513	—	−21.69	$398.80 (114 hd)
700–799 lb	231	767 lb	$355.31	$2,726	—	−13.65	$310.00 (5 hd)
800–899 lb	209	842 lb	$342.45	$2,882	—	−9.17	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 12

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 6. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. These are kept out of the main price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Unweaned $/cwt
300–399 lb	53	371 lb	$471.77	$1,749	—	−49.78	$423.00 (14 hd)
400–499 lb	132	458 lb	$413.12	$1,893	—	−35.13	$353.32 (64 hd)
500–599 lb	85	546 lb	$380.06	$2,077	—	−21.64	$364.32 (37 hd)
600–699 lb	44	666 lb	$335.20	$2,232	—	−16.23	$337.31 (20 hd)
700–799 lb	121	751 lb	$332.07	$2,494	—	−24.93	—
800–899 lb	68	815 lb	$322.26	$2,626	—	−6.21	—
900–999 lb	22	954 lb	$284.00	$2,708	—	−22.00	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 12

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $444.68/cwt
4-week average: $443.70
13-week average: $421.14
4-week vs 13-week: +5.4%

52-wk low $385.00high $512.33

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $355.31/cwt
4-week average: $353.65
13-week average: $359.78
4-week vs 13-week: −1.7%

52-wk low $332.27high $409.27

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $380.06/cwt
4-week average: $383.55
13-week average: $384.02
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $344.69high $458.52

Sales in 5 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 May and Jun 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	−1.6%	29%	7
Feb	+2.9%	71%	7
Mar	+2.8%	86%	7
Apr	+2.8%	57%	7
May	+4.2%	100%	7
Jun	+3.5%	71%	7
Jul	+1.8%	57%	7
Aug	−0.3%	57%	7
Sep	+1.9%	86%	7
Oct	−3.9%	14%	7
Nov	−4.9%	0%	7
Dec	−3.2%	29%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Sep and Aug and lowest in Dec 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	−1.5%	57%	7
Feb	+0.8%	71%	7
Mar	−0.6%	29%	7
Apr	−0.6%	43%	7
May	+2.0%	71%	7
Jun	+2.1%	57%	7
Jul	+0.7%	43%	7
Aug	+4.4%	71%	7
Sep	+5.0%	86%	7
Oct	+1.1%	86%	7
Nov	−2.7%	29%	7
Dec	−4.0%	14%	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
Mon Oct 12	1,955	$444.68	$355.31	$380.06
Mon Sep 28	2,091	$442.72	$351.99	$387.03
Mon Sep 14	3,476	$430.97	$357.05	$399.53
Mon Aug 31	1,883	$402.35	$350.65	$360.86
Mon Aug 3	823	$385.00†	$383.90	$392.60
Mon Jul 13	898	$468.29	$378.33	$423.21

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Iowa sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Bloomfield Livestock, Bloomfield	44 mi	Oct 21	$443.00	$376.96
Tama Livestock, Tama	75 mi	Sep 14	$420.73	$335.06
Kalona Livestock, Kalona	85 mi	Oct 22	—	—
Clarinda Livestock, Clarinda	97 mi	Oct 22	$440.43	$355.41
Dunlap Livestock, Dunlap	138 mi	Oct 23	$458.70	$350.00
Sheldon Livestock, Sheldon	204 mi	Aug 15	$284.69	$267.50

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Feeder Cattle	October 12, 2026	1,955	25	AMS_2159

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Russell Livestock Feeder Cattle - Russell, IA” (AMS_2159). 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.