United Producers, Inc. market report — October 21, 2026

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

Head sold

428

Last week 219 (+209)
Last year 247

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$369.14† /cwt

$2,152 per head · 3 hd
vs last week +2.58

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$321.00 /cwt

$2,398 per head · 5 hd
vs last week −19.36

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs sharply higher, over 600 lbs 2.00-4.00 higher, Feeder heifers unevenly steady, Moderate to good demand for feeder classes, No comparison on yearlings, Slaughter cows and bulls steady, Moderate 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). 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
400–499 lb	8	462 lb	$433.23	$2,000	+28.88	+23.65	—	$395.00 (1 hd)†
500–599 lb	3	583 lb	$369.14†	$2,152	+2.58	−20.86	$392.48 (10 hd)	$317.50 (1 hd)†
600–699 lb	6	624 lb	$338.36	$2,112	−1.81	+13.36	$365.40 (53 hd)	—
700–799 lb	5	747 lb	$321.00	$2,398	−19.36	+6.00	$352.89 (61 hd)	$230.00 (1 hd)†
800–899 lb	4	860 lb	$336.50†	$2,894	+36.50	+21.50	—	—
900–999 lb	1	980 lb	$235.00†	$2,303	—	−28.75	—	—

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). 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	7	369 lb	$365.78	$1,348	−50.96	−44.22	—	$320.00 (2 hd)†
400–499 lb	13	460 lb	$352.24	$1,619	+1.11	−40.98	—	$324.98 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	13	534 lb	$335.39	$1,792	−1.74	−20.83	$367.58 (22 hd)	$297.50 (2 hd)†
600–699 lb	14	673 lb	$314.72	$2,118	+17.70	+9.72	—	$280.00 (1 hd)†
700–799 lb	5	715 lb	$317.00	$2,267	+32.00	—	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	1	1,385 lb	$144.00	$144.00–$144.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	10	1,330 lb	$125.34	$121.00–$132.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	2	1,315 lb	$116.05	$115.00–$117.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,540 lb	$133.00	$133.00–$133.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	2	1,575 lb	$124.96	$121.00–$129.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,560 lb	$119.00	$119.00–$119.00
Lean 85-90%	High	2	1,000 lb	$136.36	$135.00–$137.50
Lean 85-90%	Average	1	890 lb	$130.00	$130.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	1	905 lb	$101.00	$101.00–$101.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	3	1,065 lb	$81.32	$64.00–$91.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $369.14/cwt
4-week average: $363.91
13-week average: $369.85
4-week vs 13-week: −1.6%

52-wk low $332.67high $498.14

Sales in 9 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $321.00/cwt
4-week average: $334.22
13-week average: $329.68
4-week vs 13-week: +1.4%

52-wk low $281.70high $390.00

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $335.39/cwt
4-week average: $336.14
13-week average: $341.61
4-week vs 13-week: −1.6%

52-wk low $266.64high $427.64

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	−3.0%	29%	7
Feb	+2.5%	71%	7
Mar	+7.2%	100%	7
Apr	+6.7%	100%	7
May	+7.6%	100%	7
Jun	+3.6%	71%	7
Jul	+3.4%	86%	7
Aug	+1.6%	71%	7
Sep	−2.3%	43%	7
Oct	−4.3%	14%	7
Nov	−8.1%	0%	7
Dec	−7.8%	14%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Apr 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	−1.5%	57%	7
Feb	+1.4%	71%	7
Mar	+0.8%	29%	7
Apr	+2.7%	71%	7
May	+1.5%	57%	7
Jun	+1.6%	71%	7
Jul	+2.5%	57%	7
Aug	+3.5%	71%	7
Sep	+1.1%	43%	7
Oct	+1.8%	57%	7
Nov	−3.7%	0%	7
Dec	−5.1%	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	428	$369.14†	$321.00	$335.39
Wed Oct 14	219	$366.56	$340.36	$337.14
Wed Oct 7	307	$365.00†	—	$334.70
Wed Sep 30	374	$354.93†	$341.30	$337.32
Wed Sep 23	322	$367.14	$312.50†	$341.25†
Wed Sep 16	229	$395.61	$354.00	$348.06
Wed Sep 9	157	$339.00†	$327.71†	$337.02
Wed Sep 2	36	—	—	$309.91
Wed Aug 26	147	—	—	$349.93†
Wed Aug 19	172	$365.63	$341.25†	$352.78
Wed Aug 12	160	—	$325.00†	$372.55
Wed Aug 5	288	$405.60†	$323.70	$349.89
Wed Jul 29	99	—	$310.00†	$334.93†
Wed Jul 22	95	$404.35†	—	$353.03

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	39 mi	Oct 20	$366.78	$345.31
Paris Stockyards, Paris	39 mi	Oct 22	$397.97	$340.39
Bluegrass Stockyard, Mount Sterling	59 mi	Oct 21	$387.92	$331.31
Farmers Stockyards, Flemingsburg	61 mi	Oct 20	$367.42	$339.17
Washington Co. Cattle Sale, Springfield	62 mi	Oct 20	$388.73	$335.77
Blue Grass Stockyards, Richmond	62 mi	Oct 23	$400.23	$335.83†

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	428	49	AMS_2203

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “United Producers, Inc. - Owenton, KY” (AMS_2203). 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.