Paris Stockyards market report — October 22, 2026

Paris, KY · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

2,370

Last week 2,586 (−216)
Last year 2,799

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$397.97 /cwt

$2,160 per head · 113 hd
vs last week +17.57

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$340.39 /cwt

$2,560 per head · 53 hd
vs last week −1.27

Compared to last Thursday feeder steers sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher and feeder heifers over 600 lbs sold mostly steady. There was good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. There was moderate demand for slaughter classes.
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. 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	13	362 lb	$511.52	$1,851	+1.52	+11.42	—	$515.00 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	25	459 lb	$461.44	$2,116	−9.55	+7.57	—	$440.00 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	113	543 lb	$397.97	$2,160	+17.57	−16.81	$430.40 (109 hd)	—
600–699 lb	64	649 lb	$359.74	$2,333	+4.73	−2.36	$379.69 (46 hd)	—
700–799 lb	53	752 lb	$340.39	$2,560	−1.27	−13.27	$353.83 (24 hd)	—
800–899 lb	67	842 lb	$327.48	$2,758	+13.76	−12.47	$342.83 (170 hd)	—
900–999 lb	12	967 lb	$303.83	$2,937	−12.07	−36.17	$322.23 (175 hd)	—

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. Value added = lots USDA marks as value added (weaned and vaccinated programs). 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
300–399 lb	33	363 lb	$412.57	$1,499	+12.66	+5.36	—
400–499 lb	96	468 lb	$377.35	$1,767	+1.89	−4.67	—
500–599 lb	44	552 lb	$349.62	$1,931	+4.68	−12.91	$374.06 (13 hd)
600–699 lb	95	634 lb	$323.17	$2,049	−5.52	−13.17	$340.19 (21 hd)
700–799 lb	5	761 lb	$312.20	$2,375	−4.99	−28.20	$326.59 (72 hd)
800–899 lb	4	848 lb	$283.75†	$2,408	−24.25	−22.67	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	6	1,313 lb	$144.58	$140.00–$149.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	16	1,249 lb	$136.48	$133.00–$141.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	13	1,247 lb	$128.83	$125.00–$132.00
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	5	1,267 lb	$120.50	$117.00–$124.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,575 lb	$140.00	$140.00–$140.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	10	1,612 lb	$135.67	$132.00–$138.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	8	1,599 lb	$126.21	$122.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	3	948 lb	$125.81	$124.00–$129.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	2	970 lb	$107.00	$107.00–$107.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1	1,000 lb	$99.00	$99.00–$99.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $399.23/cwt
4-week average: $387.33
13-week average: $402.76
4-week vs 13-week: −3.8%

52-wk low $349.19high $502.02

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $339.67/cwt
4-week average: $340.11
13-week average: $342.14
4-week vs 13-week: −0.6%

52-wk low $313.40high $383.38

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $346.95/cwt
4-week average: $345.74
13-week average: $350.81
4-week vs 13-week: −1.4%

52-wk low $321.13high $426.07

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 May 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	−1.6%	43%	7
Feb	+1.7%	71%	7
Mar	+5.4%	100%	7
Apr	+6.2%	86%	7
May	+5.6%	100%	7
Jun	+3.7%	86%	7
Jul	+2.0%	57%	7
Aug	+2.3%	71%	7
Sep	−2.0%	29%	7
Oct	−3.8%	14%	7
Nov	−6.9%	0%	7
Dec	−5.9%	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 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	−1.8%	43%	7
Feb	−1.4%	29%	7
Mar	+0.1%	29%	7
Apr	+1.4%	71%	7
May	+0.8%	57%	7
Jun	+2.8%	71%	7
Jul	+3.7%	100%	7
Aug	+4.6%	71%	7
Sep	+2.8%	71%	7
Oct	0.0%	57%	7
Nov	−3.1%	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
Thu Oct 22	2,370	$397.97	$340.39	$349.62
Mon Oct 19	1,022	$408.72	$337.32	$341.36
Thu Oct 15	2,586	$380.40	$341.65	$344.94
Mon Oct 12	774	$382.44	$340.37	$334.69
Thu Oct 8	2,279	$386.58	$341.85	$343.08
Mon Oct 5	853	$377.49	$332.15	$336.97
Thu Oct 1	1,535	$386.25	$340.26	$350.82
Mon Sep 28	733	$381.97	$328.74†	$352.02
Thu Sep 24	2,510	$399.04	$339.51	$341.55
Mon Sep 21	209	$375.60	—	$331.85
Thu Sep 17	1,403	$391.36	$345.21	$347.15
Mon Sep 14	344	$359.25	$338.82	$338.79
Thu Sep 10	1,204	$406.11	$324.80	$328.97
Thu Sep 3	457	$374.83	$320.40†	$321.18
Mon Aug 31	143	$367.00†	—	$320.67†
Thu Aug 27	783	$404.46	$323.68	$339.51
Mon Aug 24	147	$384.69	$321.68†	$343.53†
Thu Aug 20	1,298	$423.81	$338.22	$350.10
Mon Aug 17	389	$396.67†	$339.94†	$340.23
Thu Aug 13	1,831	$443.60	$360.42	$388.19
Mon Aug 10	279	$420.00†	$370.00†	$369.35
Thu Aug 6	1,932	$447.45	$364.86	$388.18
Mon Aug 3	649	$419.72	$365.35	$384.70
Thu Jul 30	1,087	$419.11	$370.99	$385.12
Thu Jul 23	1,037	$423.30	$350.63	$386.82

Video sales

Paris Stockyards also sells cattle by video for delivery now or later. $/cwt, all delivery dates; the video page has prices by delivery month. Video sales are not in this page's weekly trend.
Video auction	Last sale	Head reported	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799	Heifers 500–599	Sales, 12 months
Paris Stockyards Livestock Video Auction	Oct 22	51	—	—	—	23

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
Blue Grass Stockyards, Lexington	18 mi	Oct 20	$366.78	$345.31
Bluegrass Stockyard, Mount Sterling	20 mi	Oct 21	$387.92	$331.31
Farmers Stockyards, Flemingsburg	32 mi	Oct 20	$367.42	$339.17
Blue Grass Stockyards, Richmond	32 mi	Oct 23	$400.23	$335.83†
United Producers, Inc., Owenton	39 mi	Oct 21	$369.14†	$321.00
Blue Grass South Stockyards, Stanford	52 mi	Oct 22	$374.80	$335.01

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	2,370	47	AMS_2204
Monday	October 19, 2026	1,022	30	AMS_3919

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Paris Stockyards - Paris, KY (Thursday)” (AMS_2204); “Paris Stockyards - Paris, KY (Monday)” (AMS_3919). 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.