Lake Cumberland Livestock market report — October 24, 2026

Somerset, KY · Saturday sale · USDA report published 10/24/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

850

Last week 770 (+80)
Last year 1,220

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$363.43 /cwt

$2,101 per head · 19 hd
vs last week −22.85

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$346.13† /cwt

$2,503 per head · 2 hd
vs last week +28.63

Compared to last Saturday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs sharply higher, over 500 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers steady to 5.00 higher, Very good demand for lite weight steers and good demand for middle weight and yearling steers, Good demand for feeder and yearling heifers, Slaughter cows and bulls 1.00-3.00 higher, Moderate demand for slaughter classes.
USDA Market News reporter, October 24, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 24

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 17. Last year = sale of Oct 25. 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	4	336 lb	$482.39†	$1,623	−12.63	+90.44	—	$425.00 (1 hd)†
400–499 lb	5	466 lb	$419.51	$1,956	+4.78	+22.82	—	$385.40 (3 hd)†
500–599 lb	19	578 lb	$363.43	$2,101	−22.85	−1.13	$406.44 (24 hd)	$333.92 (9 hd)
600–699 lb	4	684 lb	$343.33†	$2,348	−0.09	+5.72	$386.08 (102 hd)	$325.00 (3 hd)†
700–799 lb	2	723 lb	$346.13†	$2,503	+28.63	+19.69	$352.00 (7 hd)	—
900–999 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$320.25 (58 hd)	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 24

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 17. Last year = sale of Oct 25. 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	12	356 lb	$399.75	$1,422	−4.28	+28.62	—	$371.18 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	20	463 lb	$363.15	$1,681	+1.17	+8.58	—	$318.46 (3 hd)†
500–599 lb	29	547 lb	$336.96	$1,844	−5.16	−2.33	$369.80 (39 hd)	$313.03 (7 hd)
600–699 lb	5	629 lb	$318.76	$2,004	+11.42	−0.20	$340.00 (4 hd)†	$300.00 (2 hd)†
700–799 lb	9	745 lb	$304.83	$2,272	+13.56	+14.83	$336.50 (68 hd)	$284.00 (1 hd)†
800–899 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$316.50 (62 hd)	—
900–999 lb	1	975 lb	$270.00†	$2,632	—	+6.57	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 24

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	8	1,333 lb	$143.19	$134.00–$155.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	7	1,327 lb	$126.51	$122.00–$130.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	9	1,153 lb	$118.38	$113.00–$121.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,875 lb	$155.00	$155.00–$155.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	1	1,495 lb	$130.00	$130.00–$130.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,720 lb	$120.00	$120.00–$120.00
Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1	1,685 lb	$100.00	$100.00–$100.00
Lean 85-90%	High	3	1,073 lb	$142.38	$134.00–$147.50
Lean 85-90%	Average	4	1,059 lb	$128.50	$128.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	5	1,031 lb	$115.93	$111.00–$120.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	6	1,061 lb	$89.43	$75.00–$100.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $363.43/cwt
4-week average: $374.56
13-week average: $382.27
4-week vs 13-week: −2.0%

52-wk low $320.07high $481.32

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $346.13/cwt
4-week average: $334.38
13-week average: $337.52
4-week vs 13-week: −0.9%

52-wk low $309.45high $387.50

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $336.96/cwt
4-week average: $337.58
13-week average: $344.48
4-week vs 13-week: −2.0%

52-wk low $315.62high $411.55

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 Apr and Mar and lowest in Nov and Dec.

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	−0.5%	43%	7
Feb	+1.7%	57%	7
Mar	+5.4%	86%	7
Apr	+5.6%	86%	7
May	+4.7%	100%	7
Jun	+4.2%	71%	7
Jul	+2.1%	71%	7
Aug	+3.0%	71%	7
Sep	−1.8%	29%	7
Oct	−4.9%	0%	7
Nov	−6.4%	0%	7
Dec	−5.8%	0%	7

7-weight steers

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

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	−2.1%	14%	7
Feb	+0.2%	43%	7
Mar	+0.2%	57%	7
Apr	+1.1%	71%	7
May	+1.2%	57%	7
Jun	+3.6%	71%	7
Jul	+3.9%	86%	7
Aug	+5.4%	71%	7
Sep	+1.2%	71%	7
Oct	−1.6%	29%	7
Nov	−4.1%	14%	7
Dec	−2.8%	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
Sat Oct 24	850	$363.43	$346.13†	$336.96
Sat Oct 17	847	$386.27	$317.50†	$342.12
Sat Oct 10	872	$378.14	$335.91	$333.65
Sat Oct 3	1,006	$370.40	$337.98	$337.58
Sat Sep 26	1,072	$360.48	$345.22	$339.49
Sat Sep 19	653	$360.96	$325.00†	$327.84
Sat Sep 12	971	$361.77	$318.06	$335.15
Sat Sep 5	469	$365.00†	—	$331.56
Sat Aug 29	659	$377.50†	$317.50†	$333.18
Sat Aug 22	644	$421.07	$346.94†	$356.12
Sat Aug 15	782	$392.81	$328.57	$363.21
Sat Aug 8	797	$422.75	$363.29	$368.56
Sat Aug 1	662	$408.89	$368.11†	$372.83
Sat Jul 25	586	$421.25†	$345.75	$372.46

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Kentucky sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Russell Co. Stockyard, Russell Springs	27 mi	Oct 21	$401.43	$342.88
Blue Grass South Stockyards, Stanford	31 mi	Oct 22	$374.80	$335.01
Blue Grass Stockyards, Albany	40 mi	Oct 21	$390.11	$346.09
Blue Grass Stockyards, Campbellsville	44 mi	Oct 24	$390.97†	—
Blue Grass Stockyards, Richmond	49 mi	Oct 23	$400.23	$335.83†
Washington Co. Cattle Sale, Springfield	54 mi	Oct 20	$388.73	$335.77

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Saturday	October 24, 2026	850	48	AMS_2194

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Lake Cumberland Livestock - Somerset, KY” (AMS_2194). 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.