Springfield Livestock Marketing Center market report — October 21, 2026

Springfield, MO · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/21/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,105

Last week 1,804 (−699)
Last year 746

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$390.32 /cwt

$2,161 per head · 82 hd
vs last week −2.49

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$346.55 /cwt

$2,587 per head · 94 hd
vs last week +0.05

Compared to last week, lightweight steer calves under 450lbs sold with a higher undertone, and steers over 450lbs sold unevenly steady from 2.00 higher to 4.00 lower. Heifers under 550lbs sold with a sharply higher undertone, while heifers over 550lbs were steady to 4.00 lower. Quality this week for the most part did not match last week's attractive yearling special, but still many small consignments of nice calves were met with good demand. Supply was moderate.
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. 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	25	370 lb	$503.35	$1,863	−7.73	+13.27	$530.00 (2 hd)†	$440.00 (3 hd)†
400–499 lb	39	442 lb	$454.97	$2,011	+5.25	+7.10	$486.36 (22 hd)	$360.59 (9 hd)
500–599 lb	82	554 lb	$390.32	$2,161	−2.49	−29.28	$397.31 (45 hd)	$364.96 (21 hd)
600–699 lb	84	642 lb	$367.30	$2,358	−2.20	−23.97	$345.00 (3 hd)†	$320.00 (2 hd)†
700–799 lb	94	746 lb	$346.55	$2,587	+0.05	−21.67	$320.00 (2 hd)†	—
800–899 lb	15	865 lb	$314.34	$2,719	−15.36	−2.30	—	$310.00 (2 hd)†
900–999 lb	5	939 lb	$310.00	$2,911	−4.33	—	—	—

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. 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	23	371 lb	$433.60	$1,607	−1.40	−1.04	$432.09 (18 hd)	$360.00 (3 hd)†
400–499 lb	39	460 lb	$403.13	$1,855	−0.74	−4.07	$400.15 (43 hd)	$357.80 (7 hd)
500–599 lb	36	559 lb	$362.62	$2,028	−2.78	−0.83	$369.92 (25 hd)	$339.02 (18 hd)
600–699 lb	55	644 lb	$330.80	$2,131	+1.22	−29.45	$321.00 (5 hd)	$290.06 (5 hd)
700–799 lb	31	751 lb	$316.84	$2,380	−1.18	−61.72	—	$275.00 (2 hd)†
800–899 lb	14	827 lb	$313.50	$2,593	+21.00	−16.50	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 19

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	3	1,242 lb	$137.94	$137.00–$139.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	41	1,245 lb	$130.25	$123.00–$136.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	8	1,285 lb	$117.02	$107.50–$121.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	5	1,735 lb	$141.90	$138.00–$145.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	25	1,523 lb	$129.07	$121.50–$136.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	12	1,528 lb	$118.50	$115.00–$121.00
Lean 85-90%	High	5	1,171 lb	$134.14	$132.00–$135.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	34	1,062 lb	$120.39	$111.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	21	1,033 lb	$100.02	$90.00–$107.50
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	10	1,022 lb	$79.42	$67.50–$85.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $390.32/cwt
4-week average: $397.18
13-week average: $405.91
4-week vs 13-week: −2.2%

52-wk low $368.73high $521.02

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $346.55/cwt
4-week average: $343.68
13-week average: $343.51
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $314.28high $417.46

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $362.62/cwt
4-week average: $360.96
13-week average: $371.54
4-week vs 13-week: −2.8%

52-wk low $323.41high $452.70

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 2018 ran highest against their yearly average in Apr and Mar and lowest in Nov and Oct.

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	−0.2%	57%	7
Feb	+4.6%	86%	7
Mar	+5.4%	100%	8
Apr	+6.1%	100%	8
May	+2.9%	100%	8
Jun	+1.1%	38%	8
Jul	+2.4%	62%	8
Aug	+1.5%	62%	8
Sep	−2.1%	43%	7
Oct	−6.1%	0%	7
Nov	−6.4%	0%	7
Dec	−4.6%	14%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2018 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Sep and lowest in Dec and May.

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	−1.2%	43%	7
Feb	+0.5%	57%	7
Mar	+0.5%	50%	8
Apr	+0.9%	62%	8
May	−2.0%	25%	8
Jun	−0.2%	38%	8
Jul	+2.5%	88%	8
Aug	+4.6%	75%	8
Sep	+3.1%	71%	7
Oct	+0.8%	71%	7
Nov	−1.2%	29%	7
Dec	−3.4%	43%	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	1,105	$390.32	$346.55	$362.62
Mon Oct 19	257	—	—	—
Wed Oct 14	1,804	$392.81	$346.49	$365.40
Mon Oct 12	319	—	—	—
Wed Oct 7	834	$400.25	$333.66	$351.64
Mon Oct 5	296	—	—	—
Wed Sep 30	1,269	$405.32	$348.00	$364.17
Mon Sep 28	265	—	—	—
Wed Sep 23	1,178	$405.80	$363.43	$367.32
Mon Sep 21	169	—	—	—
Wed Sep 16	655	$418.16	$333.63	$383.96
Mon Sep 14	259	—	—	—
Wed Sep 9	605	$377.97	$329.31	$354.79
Wed Sep 2	261	$375.80	$317.43	$355.64
Mon Aug 31	199	—	—	—
Wed Aug 26	599	$382.32	$338.63	$342.96
Mon Aug 24	232	—	—	—
Wed Aug 19	384	$429.16	$332.17	$389.85
Wed Aug 12	963	$418.04	$355.84	$397.89
Mon Aug 10	151	—	—	—
Wed Aug 5	534	$444.88	$365.51	$391.65
Mon Aug 3	303	—	—	—
Wed Jul 29	262	$436.02	$354.98	$402.10
Mon Jul 27	173	—	—	—
Wed Jul 22	282	$423.78	$330.00†	$403.64

Special and graded sales

The last 12 months of this barn's special and graded sales, $/cwt, Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 regular lots (value-added lots where a sale has only those). A sale counts in the weekly trend only when it is a regular feeder sale: a plain special where feeder steers and heifers are most of the head. Graded, replacement, cow-and-pair, preconditioned and Holstein sales stay out.
Sale	Type	Head	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799	Heifers 500–599	In trend
Oct 17, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	1,112	—	—	—	No
Sep 19, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	287	—	—	—	No
Jun 20, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	735	—	—	—	No
May 16, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	954	—	—	—	No
Apr 18, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	1,194	—	—	—	No
Mar 21, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	767	—	—	—	No
Feb 21, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	1,178	—	—	—	No
Jan 17, 2026	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	559	—	—	—	No
Dec 20, 2025	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	830	—	—	—	No
Nov 15, 2025	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	557	—	—	—	No
Oct 18, 2025	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	824	—	—	—	No
Sep 20, 2025	Replacement Cattle Specialspecial	756	—	—	—	No

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
Mid Missouri Stockyards,	37 mi	Oct 22	$396.95	$338.65
Four State Stockyards, Exeter	51 mi	Oct 20	$382.39	$335.02
Joplin Regional Stockyards, Carthage	57 mi	Oct 19	$402.37	$348.31
Wheeler Livestock Auction, Osceola	63 mi	Oct 22	$415.13	—
Ozarks Regional Stockyards, West Plains	85 mi	Oct 20	$406.42	$338.76
Windsor Livestock Auction, Windsor	93 mi	Oct 21	$411.88	$365.25

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Feeder Cattle	October 21, 2026	1,105	49	AMS_1255
Slaughter/Replacement Cattle	October 19, 2026	257	46	AMS_1788
Replacement Cattle Special special	October 17, 2026	1,112	12	AMS_1799

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Springfield Livestock Marketing Center Feeder Cattle - Springfield, MO” (AMS_1255); “Springfield Livestock Marketing Center Slaughter/Replacement Cattle - Springfield, MO” (AMS_1788); “Springfield Livestock Marketing Center Replacement Cattle Special - Springfield, MO” (AMS_1799). 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.