Washington Co. Cattle Sale market report — October 20, 2026

Springfield, KY · Tuesday sale · USDA report published 10/21/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,036

Last week 738 (+298)
Last year 571

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$388.73 /cwt

$2,101 per head · 28 hd
vs last week −6.48

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$335.77 /cwt

$2,517 per head · 27 hd
vs last week −4.65

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold mostly steady. Feeder heifers sold 4.00 to 8.00 higher. There was good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. No test on slaughter bulls due to no comparable receipts from last weeks sale. Moderate demand for slaughter classes.
USDA Market News reporter, October 20, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 20

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 13. Last year = sale of Oct 20. 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	369 lb	$528.94	$1,951	+56.54	+112.04	—	$500.00 (2 hd)†
400–499 lb	23	442 lb	$457.10	$2,020	+15.63	+21.70	—	—
500–599 lb	28	541 lb	$388.73	$2,101	−6.48	−13.83	$413.19 (38 hd)	$385.00 (2 hd)†
600–699 lb	28	656 lb	$352.82	$2,314	+11.44	+13.23	$372.22 (23 hd)	—
700–799 lb	27	750 lb	$335.77	$2,517	−4.65	+21.05	$357.50 (68 hd)	—
800–899 lb	3	831 lb	$321.33†	$2,671	+15.42	−19.69	$336.47 (127 hd)	—
900–999 lb	2	910 lb	$293.50†	$2,671	−3.50	−20.02	—	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 20

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 13. Last year = sale of Oct 20. 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	7	358 lb	$439.24	$1,571	+43.63	+35.57	—
400–499 lb	33	453 lb	$376.95	$1,707	−1.33	−21.61	—
500–599 lb	61	544 lb	$353.75	$1,926	+16.90	−9.78	$370.00 (3 hd)†
600–699 lb	46	641 lb	$325.93	$2,090	+11.64	−4.74	$354.50 (7 hd)
700–799 lb	6	738 lb	$307.68	$2,271	+19.43	+15.55	$319.75 (40 hd)

Slaughter cows — Oct 20

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	5	1,254 lb	$148.40	$144.00–$152.50
Boner 80-85%	Average	3	1,287 lb	$136.58	$134.00–$140.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	3	1,332 lb	$123.05	$119.00–$128.00
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	6	1,158 lb	$114.04	$110.00–$117.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,550 lb	$144.50	$144.50–$144.50
Breaker 75-80%	Average	6	1,528 lb	$136.79	$134.00–$139.50
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,510 lb	$130.00	$130.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	985 lb	$118.24	$117.50–$119.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	1	800 lb	$112.00	$112.00–$112.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $388.73/cwt
4-week average: $389.77
13-week average: $394.39
4-week vs 13-week: −1.2%

52-wk low $337.10high $502.76

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $335.77/cwt
4-week average: $336.82
13-week average: $334.92
4-week vs 13-week: +0.6%

52-wk low $296.00high $388.50

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $353.75/cwt
4-week average: $346.63
13-week average: $346.98
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $300.81high $433.07

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	−0.7%	57%	7
Feb	+3.1%	71%	7
Mar	+5.2%	100%	7
Apr	+6.1%	86%	7
May	+5.5%	71%	7
Jun	+4.6%	86%	7
Jul	+1.1%	71%	7
Aug	+1.4%	71%	7
Sep	−1.3%	71%	7
Oct	−5.6%	0%	7
Nov	−6.9%	0%	7
Dec	−5.7%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Sep 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	−0.7%	57%	7
Feb	−0.7%	43%	7
Mar	−0.9%	43%	7
Apr	+1.0%	71%	7
May	−0.3%	57%	7
Jun	+3.1%	57%	7
Jul	+3.1%	86%	7
Aug	+4.3%	71%	7
Sep	+3.2%	71%	7
Oct	−0.2%	71%	7
Nov	−2.5%	29%	7
Dec	−3.4%	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
Tue Oct 20	1,036	$388.73	$335.77	$353.75
Tue Oct 13	738	$395.21	$340.43	$336.86
Tue Oct 6	579	$374.42	$332.67	$358.03
Tue Sep 29	921	$400.73	$338.40	$337.87
Tue Sep 22	558	$383.99	$353.67	$350.06
Tue Sep 15	286	$369.79	$334.74	$333.72
Tue Sep 8	457	$371.00†	$315.67†	$320.28
Tue Sep 1	194	$365.23	$319.30	$319.88
Tue Aug 25	216	$387.52	$331.14	$340.02
Tue Aug 18	538	$429.52	$324.70	$353.57
Tue Aug 11	420	$425.15	$343.29	$397.15
Tue Aug 4	586	$418.08	$353.26	$367.77
Tue Jul 28	136	$417.66	$331.00†	$341.77
Tue Jul 21	265	$443.06†	$366.58	$380.15

Video sales

Washington Co. Cattle Sale 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
Washington County Livestock Video Auction	Oct 20	1,014	—	$344.00	—	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, Campbellsville	25 mi	Oct 24	$390.97†	—
Blue Grass South Stockyards, Stanford	33 mi	Oct 22	$374.80	$335.01
Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market, Upton	40 mi	Oct 20	$370.00	—
Russell Co. Stockyard, Russell Springs	44 mi	Oct 21	$401.43	$342.88
Blue Grass Stockyards, Lexington	46 mi	Oct 20	$366.78	$345.31
Blue Grass Stockyards, Richmond	51 mi	Oct 23	$400.23	$335.83†

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Tuesday	October 20, 2026	1,036	47	AMS_2209

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Washington Co. Cattle Sale - Springfield, KY” (AMS_2209). 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.