Four State Stockyards market report — October 20, 2026

Exeter, MO · Tuesday sale · USDA report published 10/20/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,158

Last week 1,112 (+46)
Last year 1,014

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$382.39 /cwt

$2,157 per head · 74 hd
vs last week −12.06

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$335.02 /cwt

$2,519 per head · 38 hd
vs last week −5.77

Compared to last week, feeder steers under 550 lbs sold 10.00 to 35.00 higher. 6 to up to 7 weights sold steady and the heavier weights were selling steady to 5.00 higher. On the heifer side, compared to last week they sold steady with a few spots up to 7.00 higher. Supply was moderate, with several loads of yearlings in the offering. Demand was very good. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher.
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 21. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. 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	Unweaned $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	8	342 lb	$506.86	$1,736	+66.09	−25.74	$437.00 (3 hd)†	$400.00 (3 hd)†
400–499 lb	29	443 lb	$414.94	$1,836	−5.92	−48.77	$405.94 (9 hd)	$374.26 (16 hd)
500–599 lb	74	564 lb	$382.39	$2,157	−12.06	−41.11	$387.00 (10 hd)	$358.87 (28 hd)
600–699 lb	129	650 lb	$363.06	$2,359	−6.99	−35.56	$381.41 (17 hd)	—
700–799 lb	38	752 lb	$335.02	$2,519	−5.77	−35.80	—	$310.00 (3 hd)†
800–899 lb	58	824 lb	$336.86	$2,776	+2.86	−12.14	—	—
900–999 lb	99	945 lb	$321.09	$3,035	+4.84	—	—	—

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 21. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. 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	Unweaned $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	8	366 lb	$411.00	$1,502	−9.25	−49.99	$392.00 (5 hd)	$386.00 (4 hd)†
400–499 lb	45	460 lb	$364.92	$1,678	−16.46	−40.37	$392.01 (6 hd)	$350.80 (15 hd)
500–599 lb	72	548 lb	$346.38	$1,899	+12.96	−41.34	$347.78 (17 hd)	$333.18 (9 hd)
600–699 lb	74	662 lb	$321.99	$2,131	+2.31	−37.59	$331.00 (2 hd)†	$311.00 (3 hd)†
700–799 lb	31	725 lb	$327.90	$2,378	+3.55	−5.19	—	$309.00 (3 hd)†
800–899 lb	21	850 lb	$282.18	$2,398	+2.18	−27.82	—	—
900–999 lb	3	935 lb	$260.00†	$2,431	—	—	—	$230.00 (9 hd)

Slaughter cows — Oct 20

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	3	1,087 lb	$147.02	$145.00–$148.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	27	1,192 lb	$133.43	$120.00–$144.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	4	1,270 lb	$117.51	$116.00–$119.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	3	1,387 lb	$148.00	$147.00–$149.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	25	1,472 lb	$134.16	$127.00–$143.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	2	1,490 lb	$122.58	$120.00–$125.00
Lean 85-90%	High	2	965 lb	$142.59	$140.00–$145.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	4	1,017 lb	$121.43	$120.00–$123.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	12	1,039 lb	$101.13	$80.00–$117.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $382.39/cwt
4-week average: $391.85
13-week average: $392.14
4-week vs 13-week: −0.1%

52-wk low $361.80high $508.93

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $335.02/cwt
4-week average: $341.10
13-week average: $338.71
4-week vs 13-week: +0.7%

52-wk low $321.00high $394.49

Sales in 9 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $346.38/cwt
4-week average: $344.11
13-week average: $350.58
4-week vs 13-week: −1.8%

52-wk low $327.47high $456.06

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

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 2025

Weekly average $/cwt

When to sell: the seasonal pattern

5-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

7-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

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
Sat Oct 24	306	—	—	—
Tue Oct 20	1,158	$382.39	$335.02	$346.38
Tue Oct 13	1,112	$394.44	$340.79	$333.42
Tue Oct 6	1,357	$396.69	$342.45	$342.25
Tue Sep 29	1,496	$393.89	$346.13	$354.40
Tue Sep 22	1,777	$398.76	$333.44	$340.37
Tue Sep 15	624	$396.02	$335.02	$358.78
Tue Sep 8	442	$362.89	—	$347.34
Tue Sep 1	292	$361.80	$321.00†	$327.47
Tue Aug 25	701	$369.26	$335.02	$342.32
Tue Aug 11	619	$425.12	—	$378.86
Tue Aug 4	622	$432.24	$359.51	$384.84
Tue Jul 21	313	$441.52	$382.02	$386.79

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Missouri sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage	39 mi	Oct 19	$402.37	$348.31
Springfield Livestock Marketing Center, Springfield	51 mi	Oct 21	$390.32	$346.55
Mid Missouri Stockyards,	88 mi	Oct 22	$396.95	$338.65
Wheeler Livestock Auction, Osceola	96 mi	Oct 22	$415.13	—
MO-Kan Livestock Market, Butler	112 mi	Oct 22	$397.84	—
Ozarks Regional Stockyards, West Plains	115 mi	Oct 20	$406.42	$338.76

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Tuesday	October 24, 2026	306	51	AMS_3916

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Four State Stockyards – Cattle Auction - Exeter, MO” (AMS_3916). 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.