Russell Co. Stockyard market report — October 21, 2026

Russell Springs, KY · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/21/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

612

Last week 716 (−104)
Last year 1,001

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$401.43 /cwt

$2,143 per head · 15 hd
vs last week +1.35

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$342.88 /cwt

$2,517 per head · 8 hd
vs last week −2.89

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. There was good demand for feeder classes. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. There was moderate to good demand for slaughter classes.
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. 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	4	369 lb	$520.15†	$1,919	—	+32.65	—
400–499 lb	10	453 lb	$486.46	$2,206	+68.26	+47.07	—
500–599 lb	15	534 lb	$401.43	$2,143	+1.35	−17.84	$429.48 (6 hd)
600–699 lb	12	648 lb	$370.49	$2,403	+5.54	−11.93	$387.86 (7 hd)
700–799 lb	8	734 lb	$342.88	$2,517	−2.89	−11.19	$364.84 (19 hd)
800–899 lb	3	848 lb	$333.33†	$2,828	+15.80	−2.17	—

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). 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	9	370 lb	$401.38	$1,483	−11.44	−19.86	—
400–499 lb	13	467 lb	$374.32	$1,748	+3.67	−6.94	—
500–599 lb	13	542 lb	$347.18	$1,880	+4.56	−21.41	$377.50 (6 hd)
600–699 lb	16	635 lb	$315.78	$2,006	+5.94	−28.28	$353.22 (81 hd)
700–799 lb	2	747 lb	$300.00†	$2,241	+0.49	−16.00	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	2	1,395 lb	$150.00	$150.00–$150.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	3	1,285 lb	$133.59	$131.00–$135.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	9	1,257 lb	$122.65	$121.00–$125.00
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1	1,100 lb	$113.00	$113.00–$113.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	1	1,520 lb	$143.00	$143.00–$143.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	2	1,485 lb	$124.00	$121.00–$127.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	880 lb	$126.11	$122.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	1	810 lb	$105.00	$105.00–$105.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $401.43/cwt
4-week average: $398.13
13-week average: $404.00
4-week vs 13-week: −1.5%

52-wk low $367.00high $517.34

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $342.88/cwt
4-week average: $346.48
13-week average: $346.74
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $324.07high $399.22

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $347.18/cwt
4-week average: $344.90
13-week average: $352.80
4-week vs 13-week: −2.2%

52-wk low $321.49high $448.81

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 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	−2.0%	14%	7
Feb	+2.4%	57%	7
Mar	+6.1%	100%	7
Apr	+4.1%	71%	7
May	+6.2%	100%	7
Jun	+5.2%	100%	7
Jul	+3.5%	86%	7
Aug	+1.7%	57%	7
Sep	−1.9%	29%	7
Oct	−5.0%	0%	7
Nov	−7.1%	0%	7
Dec	−6.4%	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	−2.2%	14%	7
Feb	0.0%	43%	7
Mar	+0.3%	43%	7
Apr	+0.3%	71%	7
May	+2.3%	57%	7
Jun	+2.6%	86%	7
Jul	+4.2%	86%	7
Aug	+5.9%	71%	7
Sep	+2.6%	57%	7
Oct	−1.9%	43%	7
Nov	−2.9%	14%	7
Dec	−5.0%	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
Wed Oct 21	612	$401.43	$342.88	$347.18
Wed Oct 14	716	$400.07	$345.77	$342.63
Wed Oct 7	844	$395.66	$346.47	$346.54
Wed Sep 30	657	$395.36	$350.81	$343.25
Wed Sep 23	757	$399.21	$342.33	$340.69
Wed Sep 16	613	$391.72	$339.09	$337.42
Wed Sep 9	1,012	$384.04	$324.07	$346.38
Wed Sep 2	130	$367.00†	—	$321.49
Wed Aug 26	242	$396.15	$330.00†	$363.70
Wed Aug 19	315	$418.34	$339.80	$360.59
Wed Aug 12	1,091	$459.83	$369.81	$384.37
Wed Aug 5	483	$421.74	$380.00†	$379.97
Wed Jul 29	530	$421.43	$349.80	$372.23
Wed Jul 22	415	$461.56	$353.00†	$373.51

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, Campbellsville	24 mi	Oct 24	$390.97†	—
Blue Grass Stockyards, Albany	26 mi	Oct 21	$390.11	$346.09
Lake Cumberland Livestock, Somerset	27 mi	Oct 24	$363.43	$346.13†
Blue Grass South Stockyards, Stanford	40 mi	Oct 22	$374.80	$335.01
Washington Co. Cattle Sale, Springfield	44 mi	Oct 20	$388.73	$335.77
Farmers Regional Livestock Market, Glasgow	45 mi	Oct 22	$395.88	$334.85

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	612	47	AMS_2208

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Russell Co. Stockyard - Russell Springs, KY” (AMS_2208). 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.