Winter Livestock market report — October 21, 2026

Dodge City, KS · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/23/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

2,431

Last week 2,479 (−48)
Last year 2,120

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$439.46 /cwt

$2,453 per head · 88 hd
vs last week +18.87

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$363.93 /cwt

$2,801 per head · 376 hd
vs last week +16.52

Compared to last week, steers over 700 lbs sold 20.00 higher and steers under 700 lbs sold 14.00 higher, instances of sharply higher. Heifers under 600 lbs sold 10.00 higher to sharply higher. Heifers over 600 lbs not enough for market test. Breaker and Boning utility slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Lean utility slaughter cows sold steady to 12.00 higher. Low quality of slaughter cows offered. Very good demand for moderate to heavy supply.
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. 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	16	390 lb	$588.16	$2,296	+49.83	+55.33	—
400–499 lb	44	474 lb	$499.48	$2,368	+69.82	+11.95	$430.27 (20 hd)
500–599 lb	88	558 lb	$439.46	$2,453	+18.87	−16.38	$388.00 (33 hd)
600–699 lb	77	636 lb	$399.26	$2,540	+29.26	+10.26	$394.11 (95 hd)
700–799 lb	376	770 lb	$363.93	$2,801	+16.52	−12.20	—
800–899 lb	523	844 lb	$352.50	$2,975	+11.50	−4.75	—
900–999 lb	164	969 lb	$324.68	$3,146	+12.68	—	—

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). Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. No. 2 = lighter-muscled cattle, a separate grade line in the USDA report. These are kept out of the main price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Value added $/cwt	Unweaned $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	17	361 lb	$444.71	$1,606	−7.53	−19.96	—	—	—
400–499 lb	54	445 lb	$420.83	$1,875	+11.05	+6.90	$425.00 (21 hd)	$370.91 (58 hd)	$385.53 (10 hd)
500–599 lb	49	553 lb	$373.78	$2,067	−20.03	−6.05	—	$355.80 (49 hd)	$341.00 (5 hd)
600–699 lb	78	640 lb	$361.41	$2,313	+0.71	+10.72	—	—	—
700–799 lb	30	763 lb	$336.07	$2,566	−1.93	−11.60	—	—	—
800–899 lb	9	811 lb	$324.90	$2,635	+15.54	−3.62	—	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	1	1,385 lb	$157.00	$157.00–$157.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	190	1,274 lb	$138.89	$130.00–$155.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	46	1,177 lb	$123.37	$117.50–$128.00
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	12	1,091 lb	$107.48	$100.00–$112.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,605 lb	$163.00	$163.00–$163.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	58	1,534 lb	$136.71	$130.00–$147.00
Lean 85-90%	High	5	1,867 lb	$137.00	$137.00–$137.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	30	1,309 lb	$116.15	$110.00–$126.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	6	1,114 lb	$105.00	$105.00–$105.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	6	1,093 lb	$85.41	$82.50–$95.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $439.46/cwt
4-week average: $418.20
13-week average: $418.65
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $343.81high $497.04

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $363.93/cwt
4-week average: $356.35
13-week average: $351.27
4-week vs 13-week: +1.4%

52-wk low $330.60high $393.39

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $373.78/cwt
4-week average: $376.55
13-week average: $374.48
4-week vs 13-week: +0.6%

52-wk low $344.43high $458.54

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 Jul 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	+1.8%	86%	7
Feb	+2.4%	57%	7
Mar	+4.2%	100%	7
Apr	+1.9%	71%	7
May	+0.3%	29%	7
Jun	+1.1%	71%	7
Jul	+3.0%	62%	8
Aug	−0.8%	62%	8
Sep	−0.6%	43%	7
Oct	−4.3%	29%	7
Nov	−3.6%	0%	7
Dec	−0.5%	43%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Sep and lowest in May 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	+0.7%	57%	7
Feb	+0.7%	57%	7
Mar	−2.3%	29%	7
Apr	−2.2%	29%	7
May	−2.5%	29%	7
Jun	+1.1%	57%	7
Jul	+2.4%	62%	8
Aug	+4.6%	62%	8
Sep	+3.1%	86%	7
Oct	+1.5%	57%	7
Nov	−0.3%	43%	7
Dec	−1.6%	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	2,431	$439.46	$363.93	$373.78
Wed Oct 14	2,734	$420.59	$347.41	$393.81
Wed Oct 7	3,037	$406.91	$357.58	$371.43
Wed Sep 30	3,122	$405.84	$356.47	$367.19
Wed Sep 23	2,537	$434.34	$342.37	$391.65
Wed Sep 16	2,215	$429.33	$343.10	$351.82
Wed Sep 9	1,020	$415.77	$337.18	$374.65
Wed Sep 2	1,713	$384.60	$344.62	$344.43
Wed Aug 26	1,350	$410.64	$349.41	$360.40
Wed Aug 19	1,025	$491.59	—	$386.57
Wed Aug 12	977	$343.81	$342.77	$370.48
Wed Aug 5	938	$440.93	$379.14	$407.50†
Sat Jul 25	6,235	$437.76	$367.33	$411.09
Wed Jul 22	356	$403.00†	—	$370.00

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Kansas sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Winter Livestock, Pratt	69 mi	Oct 22	$452.35	$371.29
Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina	149 mi	Oct 22	$424.99	$356.25

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	2,431	52	AMS_1889

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Winter Livestock - Dodge City, KS” (AMS_1889). 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.