Lexington Livestock Market market report — October 23, 2026

Lexington, NE · Friday sale · USDA report published 10/23/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,120

Last week 1,193 (−73)
Last year 2,687

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$447.22 /cwt

$2,527 per head · 205 hd
vs last week −5.01

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

— /cwt

None sold in this weight at the latest sale

Compared to last week steer calves under 550 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher and steer calves over 550 lbs sold unevenly steady with heifer calves 450-650 lbs selling 10.00 to 20.00 higher. Demand was good from the buyers in the crowd with internet activity noticed. All the consignments of bawling calves sold in packages and part loads with buyers bidding readily to fill their loads throughout the auction.
USDA Market News reporter, October 23, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 23

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 16. Last year = sale of Oct 24. 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	8	361 lb	$505.00	$1,823	—	−34.00	—
400–499 lb	62	467 lb	$498.74	$2,329	−13.81	−9.94	—
500–599 lb	205	565 lb	$447.22	$2,527	−5.01	−1.00	—
600–699 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$409.49 (162 hd)
700–799 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$365.78 (74 hd)

Feeder heifers — Oct 23

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 16. Last year = sale of Oct 24. 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
400–499 lb	93	470 lb	$449.32	$2,110	+14.76	−19.40	—
500–599 lb	205	547 lb	$402.51	$2,201	+21.93	−7.60	—
600–699 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$373.45 (79 hd)
800–899 lb	5	845 lb	$327.50	$2,767	—	−5.58	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 23

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $447.22/cwt
4-week average: $445.59
13-week average: $445.59
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $411.15high $522.69

Sales in 4 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 5, 2026): $356.06/cwt
4-week average: $349.02
13-week average: $357.55
4-week vs 13-week: −2.4%

52-wk low $321.00high $420.00

Sales in 4 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $402.51/cwt
4-week average: $387.74
13-week average: $392.66
4-week vs 13-week: −1.3%

52-wk low $358.84high $478.24

Sales in 6 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 Apr and lowest in Nov and Jul.

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	+1.9%	86%	7
Feb	+6.0%	86%	7
Mar	+4.0%	86%	7
Apr	+4.1%	86%	7
May	+0.1%	43%	7
Jun	−0.6%	29%	7
Jul	−4.5%	25%	4
Aug	+0.8%	60%	5
Sep	−2.5%	43%	7
Oct	−1.2%	29%	7
Nov	−4.6%	0%	7
Dec	−0.4%	43%	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 Jun 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	+0.8%	57%	7
Feb	+1.0%	71%	7
Mar	−0.8%	57%	7
Apr	+1.3%	71%	7
May	−1.3%	50%	6
Jun	−4.9%	20%	5
Jul	+2.0%	50%	4
Aug	+5.4%	83%	6
Sep	+4.3%	83%	6
Oct	−1.1%	29%	7
Nov	−0.9%	50%	6
Dec	+1.0%	71%	7

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
Fri Oct 23	1,120	$447.22	—	$402.51
Fri Oct 16	1,193	$452.23	—	$380.59
Fri Oct 9	2,108	$441.94	$356.06	$396.61
Fri Oct 2	657	$440.98	—	$371.26
Fri Sep 18	1,709	—	$341.97	$405.00
Fri Aug 21	2,281	—	$355.17	$400.00
Fri Aug 7	2,078	—	$377.00	—
Fri Jul 24	329	—	—	—

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
Huss Livestock Market, Kearney	35 mi	Oct 21	$452.32	$370.66
North Platte Stockyards Livestock Auction,	58 mi	Oct 20	$463.66	$380.00
Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell	76 mi	Oct 23	$467.63	$375.00
Ericson Livestock Market, Ericson	89 mi	Oct 24	$457.20	$355.41
Imperial Auction Market, Imperial	101 mi	Oct 23	$440.46	—
Ogallala Livestock Auction, Ogallala	106 mi	Oct 22	$459.28	$386.22

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Friday	October 23, 2026	1,120	33	AMS_1849

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Lexington Livestock Market - Lexington, NE” (AMS_1849). 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.