Meridian Stockyard market report — October 19, 2026

Meridian, MS · Monday sale · USDA report published 10/19/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

154

Last week 29 (+125)
Last year 21

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$399.56 /cwt

$2,067 per head · 5 hd
vs last week +32.06

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$321.47 /cwt

$2,425 per head · 9 hd
vs last week —

As compared to the last market: Feeder calves sold steady, as did slaughter cattle.
USDA Market News reporter, October 19, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 19

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 12. Last year = sale of Oct 20. 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	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	2	305 lb	$530.00†	$1,616	+18.45	+62.42	$505.58 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	2	440 lb	$437.59†	$1,925	+1.12	−13.60	$414.00 (2 hd)†
500–599 lb	5	517 lb	$399.56	$2,067	+32.06	−20.42	$360.00 (5 hd)
600–699 lb	19	654 lb	$334.99	$2,190	−6.40	−62.46	$325.00 (2 hd)†
700–799 lb	9	754 lb	$321.47	$2,425	—	−28.34	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 19

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 12. Last year = sale of Oct 20. 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	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	3	360 lb	$421.02†	$1,516	−23.27	—	$402.41 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	3	423 lb	$405.29†	$1,716	−2.20	+7.22	$379.48 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	4	510 lb	$352.00†	$1,795	−11.19	−22.65	$341.40 (7 hd)
600–699 lb	3	668 lb	$322.34†	$2,154	−27.66	−15.66	—
700–799 lb	2	748 lb	$294.00†	$2,198	—	−44.00	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 19

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	3	1,253 lb	$132.43	$130.00–$134.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	2	1,498 lb	$130.38	$128.00–$132.50
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	1,195 lb	$128.79	$128.00–$129.50
Lean 85-90%	Low	1	1,055 lb	$118.00	$118.00–$118.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1	1,105 lb	$111.00	$111.00–$111.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $399.56/cwt
4-week average: $399.17
13-week average: $387.00
4-week vs 13-week: +3.1%

52-wk low $356.67high $508.00

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $321.47/cwt
4-week average: $329.17
13-week average: $325.87
4-week vs 13-week: +1.0%

52-wk low $300.00high $420.00

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $352.00/cwt
4-week average: $365.18
13-week average: $361.12
4-week vs 13-week: +1.1%

52-wk low $325.00high $465.00

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 Feb and Mar and lowest in Oct 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	+1.7%	57%	7
Feb	+5.4%	86%	7
Mar	+5.2%	86%	7
Apr	+4.7%	71%	7
May	+0.5%	57%	7
Jun	+2.9%	57%	7
Jul	+2.2%	57%	7
Aug	−2.3%	57%	7
Sep	−3.3%	17%	6
Oct	−5.3%	17%	6
Nov	−4.3%	0%	6
Dec	−1.7%	50%	6

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jun 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	−0.5%	33%	6
Feb	+0.9%	50%	6
Mar	+0.2%	43%	7
Apr	+0.3%	71%	7
May	+1.0%	43%	7
Jun	+5.4%	100%	7
Jul	+3.7%	86%	7
Aug	+2.6%	71%	7
Sep	+2.6%	67%	6
Oct	−3.4%	33%	6
Nov	−4.8%	0%	5
Dec	−5.3%	0%	5

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
Mon Oct 19	154	$399.56	$321.47	$352.00†
Mon Oct 12	258	$367.50	—	$363.19†
Mon Oct 5	513	$414.89	$338.09	$357.51
Mon Sep 28	320	$414.74	$327.97†	$388.00†
Mon Sep 21	207	$413.14	$319.00†	$352.30
Mon Sep 14	207	$388.98†	$318.89	$351.15
Mon Sep 7	346	$356.67	$319.82	$325.00
Mon Aug 31	188	$375.67†	$309.00†	$357.07
Mon Aug 24	83	$364.17	—	$354.00†
Mon Aug 17	147	$377.22	$331.00†	$370.00†
Mon Aug 10	206	$373.38	$350.86	$397.00†
Mon Aug 3	265	$391.29	$338.50†	$364.91†
Mon Jul 27	182	$393.80	$310.00†	$362.38
Mon Jul 20	164	$425.00†	—	$373.99†

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Mississippi sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Philadelphia Stockyard, Philadelphia	37 mi	Oct 20	—	—
Tadlock Stockyards, Forest	46 mi	Oct 19	$351.62	$302.73
Macon Stockyard, Macon	52 mi	Oct 19	$362.48	$317.50†
Johnson Stockyard, Kosciusko	70 mi	Oct 21	$358.08	—
Southeast Mississippi Livestock, Hattiesburg	83 mi	Oct 19	$351.37	$323.53
Cattlemens Livestock, West Point	84 mi	Oct 19	$396.46	$321.97

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Monday	October 19, 2026	154	47	AMS_2112

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Meridian Stockyard - Meridian, MS” (AMS_2112). 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.