Winter Livestock market report — October 22, 2026

Pratt, KS · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

3,367

Last week 1,893 (+1474)
Last year 3,121

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$452.35 /cwt

$2,505 per head · 360 hd
vs last week +21.76

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$371.29 /cwt

$2,729 per head · 224 hd
vs last week +24.68

*** Final Report *** Compared to last week. feeder steers 800 lb to 925 lb sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher. Steers 550 lb to 800 lb sold 20.00 to 25.00 higher. No recent comparison on steers under 550 lb, however a definte higher trend was noted especially on fancy weaned and vaccinated steer calves. Feeder heifers 475 lb to 950 lb sold 7.00 to 14.00 higher, in places up to 20.00 higher. No recent comparison on heifer calves under 475 lb, however a higher trend was noted especially on weaned and vaccinated heifers. Demand was good. Over 2200 calves were traded today. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady, however 1 high yielding bull sold for 2.00
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.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	16	360 lb	$547.90	$1,970	—	+4.17
400–499 lb	166	457 lb	$510.69	$2,333	+42.12	+7.22
500–599 lb	360	554 lb	$452.35	$2,505	+21.76	+49.95
600–699 lb	377	643 lb	$395.46	$2,541	+7.93	+30.43
700–799 lb	224	735 lb	$371.29	$2,729	+24.68	+20.93
800–899 lb	50	848 lb	$327.61	$2,780	−5.62	−26.01
900–999 lb	56	918 lb	$327.62	$3,006	+3.76	+1.35

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. 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	31	368 lb	$467.48	$1,722	—	−25.94	$440.00 (4 hd)†
400–499 lb	130	461 lb	$426.11	$1,963	+22.56	+18.45	—
500–599 lb	380	542 lb	$379.23	$2,056	−4.95	+20.87	—
600–699 lb	224	645 lb	$347.66	$2,241	+6.18	+11.26	—
700–799 lb	180	768 lb	$336.01	$2,580	−5.94	+4.73	—
800–899 lb	224	874 lb	$317.69	$2,776	+9.69	−17.14	—
900–999 lb	72	927 lb	$303.04	$2,808	+21.25	−6.96	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	27	1,246 lb	$133.57	$130.00–$139.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	2	1,375 lb	$155.04	$152.00–$158.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	38	1,220 lb	$186.57	$140.00–$280.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	63	1,105 lb	$113.95	$100.00–$129.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $452.35/cwt
4-week average: $435.83
13-week average: $425.33
4-week vs 13-week: +2.5%

52-wk low $388.15high $527.69

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $371.29/cwt
4-week average: $355.80
13-week average: $351.88
4-week vs 13-week: +1.1%

52-wk low $317.02high $408.25

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $379.23/cwt
4-week average: $371.27
13-week average: $366.81
4-week vs 13-week: +1.2%

52-wk low $290.00high $470.00

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 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	+1.5%	71%	7
Feb	+4.7%	86%	7
Mar	+5.3%	100%	7
Apr	+2.8%	71%	7
May	−0.6%	29%	7
Jun	−1.6%	29%	7
Jul	+2.5%	88%	8
Aug	−0.5%	38%	8
Sep	−0.5%	43%	7
Oct	−5.0%	14%	7
Nov	−4.8%	0%	7
Dec	+1.1%	57%	7

7-weight steers

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

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%	43%	7
Feb	+0.6%	57%	7
Mar	−0.8%	43%	7
Apr	−0.3%	57%	7
May	−2.3%	29%	7
Jun	−1.4%	43%	7
Jul	+3.9%	100%	8
Aug	+3.6%	62%	8
Sep	+2.3%	57%	7
Oct	+0.6%	71%	7
Nov	−0.7%	57%	7
Dec	+0.1%	57%	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
Thu Oct 22	3,367	$452.35	$371.29	$379.23
Thu Oct 15	1,893	$430.59	$346.61	$384.18
Thu Oct 8	2,900	$415.58	$356.31	$355.58
Thu Oct 1	1,299	$444.81	$348.98	$366.08
Thu Sep 24	2,499	$428.87	$348.56	$380.97
Thu Sep 17	1,691	$420.20	$338.91	$352.00†
Thu Sep 10	1,135	$423.88	$355.68	$363.65
Thu Sep 3	859	$411.58	$351.07	$369.03
Thu Aug 27	1,063	$396.12	$342.01	$369.32
Thu Aug 20	516	$393.00†	$350.17	$380.83
Thu Aug 13	947	$420.00†	$358.56	$367.46
Thu Aug 6	2,360	$452.25	$354.36	$410.25
Thu Jul 30	202	$440.00†	—	$290.00†
Thu Jul 23	570	$429.50	$363.00	$364.26

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, Dodge City	69 mi	Oct 21	$439.46	$363.93
Farmers and Ranchers Livestock Commission Co., Salina	99 mi	Oct 22	$424.99	$356.25

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	3,367	46	AMS_1891

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Winter Livestock - Pratt, KS” (AMS_1891). 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.