Ericson Livestock Market market report — October 24, 2026

Ericson, NE · Saturday sale · USDA report published 10/24/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

4,060

Last week 3,220 (+840)
Last year 2,360

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$457.20 /cwt

$2,547 per head · 615 hd
vs last week +2.67

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$355.41 /cwt

$2,751 per head · 53 hd
vs last week +2.91

Compared to last week steer calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher and heifers calves under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. The yearling feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 10.00 higher. Demand was good from larger than normal number of buyers in the crowd participating in the bidding and buying with an active internet also noticed throughout the day.
USDA Market News reporter, October 24, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 24

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 17. Last year = sale of Oct 25. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. These are kept out of the main price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Unweaned $/cwt
300–399 lb	52	371 lb	$538.61	$2,001	−32.02	−49.15	—
400–499 lb	295	468 lb	$521.47	$2,439	+0.69	+13.93	—
500–599 lb	615	557 lb	$457.20	$2,547	+2.67	−0.12	—
600–699 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$413.00 (289 hd)
700–799 lb	53	774 lb	$355.41	$2,751	+2.91	—	$361.00 (25 hd)
800–899 lb	139	878 lb	$355.50	$3,120	+4.55	−3.00	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 24

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 17. Last year = sale of Oct 25. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. These are kept out of the main price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Unweaned $/cwt
300–399 lb	30	380 lb	$485.21	$1,843	−21.58	−44.79	—
400–499 lb	167	481 lb	$436.86	$2,103	−18.55	−32.57	—
500–599 lb	398	542 lb	$418.21	$2,265	+2.96	+14.46	—
600–699 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$383.98 (40 hd)
700–799 lb	59	771 lb	$330.16	$2,546	—	−18.84	—
800–899 lb	341	846 lb	$336.46	$2,847	+18.51	—	—
900–999 lb	410	951 lb	$301.73	$2,869	+11.61	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 24

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $457.20/cwt
4-week average: $441.53
13-week average: $432.99
4-week vs 13-week: +2.0%

52-wk low $412.85high $527.23

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $355.41/cwt
4-week average: $355.58
13-week average: $361.04
4-week vs 13-week: −1.5%

52-wk low $335.98high $415.45

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $418.21/cwt
4-week average: $413.19
13-week average: $399.60
4-week vs 13-week: +3.4%

52-wk low $373.24high $500.00

Sales in 5 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 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 Jan and lowest in Aug and Jun.

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	+2.0%	71%	7
Feb	+4.3%	100%	7
Mar	+1.7%	86%	7
Apr	+1.3%	86%	7
May	+0.9%	71%	7
Jun	−2.1%	29%	7
Jul	+1.9%	62%	8
Aug	−2.7%	12%	8
Sep	−0.6%	43%	7
Oct	−1.4%	43%	7
Nov	−1.5%	43%	7
Dec	+1.5%	71%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jul and Aug and lowest in Mar 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	−0.7%	43%	7
Feb	+0.2%	57%	7
Mar	−3.1%	29%	7
Apr	0.0%	57%	7
May	−3.0%	33%	6
Jun	−1.4%	50%	6
Jul	+5.4%	100%	8
Aug	+4.5%	71%	7
Sep	+2.9%	86%	7
Oct	−1.4%	50%	6
Nov	+0.2%	71%	7
Dec	+1.9%	83%	6

Recent sales

Last 13 weeks. Download the weekly history as CSV.
Sale	Head sold	Steers 500–599 $/cwt	Steers 700–799 $/cwt	Heifers 500–599 $/cwt
Sat Oct 24	4,060	$457.20	$355.41	$418.21
Sat Oct 17	2,818	$454.53	$352.50	$415.26
Sat Oct 3	2,948	$412.85	$358.83	$406.08
Sat Sep 12	2,101	$422.50	$367.53	$381.00
Sat Aug 29	2,786	$417.88	$370.93	$377.46

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Nebraska sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell	23 mi	Oct 23	$467.63	$375.00
Huss Livestock Market, Kearney	77 mi	Oct 21	$452.32	$370.66
Lexington Livestock Market, Lexington	89 mi	Oct 23	$447.22	—
West Point Livestock, West Point	102 mi	Oct 19	$387.33	$360.66
North Platte Stockyards Livestock Auction,	116 mi	Oct 20	$463.66	$380.00
Valentine Livestock Auction, Valentine	122 mi	Oct 22	$462.82	$400.00

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Saturday	October 24, 2026	4,060	30	AMS_1853

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Ericson Livestock Market - Ericson, NE” (AMS_1853). 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.