Canandaigua Stockyards Livestock Auction market report — October 17, 2026

Canandaigua, NY · Saturday sale · USDA report published 10/19/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

481

Last week 356 (+125)
Last year —

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$387.20 /cwt

$2,037 per head · 25 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$300.28 /cwt

$2,185 per head · 8 hd
vs last week —

Compared to last feeder sale 400 to 500lb feeder steers sold 15.00 to 37.50 lower. 500 to 600lb feeder steers sold 2.00 to 14.00 higher. 300-400lb feeder heifers sold 24.50 to 27.50 lower. 600 to 700lb feeder heifers sold 1.00 to 10.00 higher.
USDA Market News reporter, October 17, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 17

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. No sale last week to compare. Last year = sale of Oct 4. 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	9	321 lb	$426.69	$1,371	—	+39.05	$376.25 (2 hd)†
400–499 lb	22	459 lb	$385.55	$1,770	—	−3.83	$313.67 (15 hd)
500–599 lb	25	526 lb	$387.20	$2,037	—	+32.11	$354.03 (15 hd)
600–699 lb	24	613 lb	$342.56	$2,100	—	+12.88	$272.37 (9 hd)
700–799 lb	8	728 lb	$300.28	$2,185	—	+2.03	$253.50 (5 hd)
800–899 lb	13	864 lb	$261.38	$2,259	—	−7.65	$232.50 (2 hd)†
900–999 lb	2	932 lb	$256.27†	$2,388	—	+5.02	$240.66 (5 hd)

Feeder heifers — Oct 17

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. No sale last week to compare. Last year = sale of Oct 4. No. 2 = lighter-muscled cattle, a separate grade line in the USDA report. These are kept out of the main price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	10	363 lb	$363.60	$1,321	—	+21.25	$302.76 (19 hd)
400–499 lb	22	438 lb	$314.15	$1,375	—	−9.88	$263.03 (19 hd)
500–599 lb	19	546 lb	$344.16	$1,879	—	+34.29	$263.01 (8 hd)
600–699 lb	6	646 lb	$300.44	$1,940	—	+27.68	$245.38 (9 hd)
700–799 lb	16	762 lb	$255.79	$1,948	—	−16.90	—
800–899 lb	8	837 lb	$242.01	$2,025	—	−30.49	—
900–999 lb	7	922 lb	$256.00	$2,360	—	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	3	1,340 lb	$123.55	$119.00–$126.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	1	1,175 lb	$113.00	$113.00–$113.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,863 lb	$129.00	$129.00–$129.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	1,188 lb	$112.96	$109.00–$117.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $387.20/cwt
4-week average: $382.61
13-week average: $375.84
4-week vs 13-week: +1.8%

52-wk low $330.88high $492.49

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $300.28/cwt
4-week average: $306.15
13-week average: $313.74
4-week vs 13-week: −2.4%

52-wk low $262.00high $422.98

Sales in 5 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 12, 2026): $344.16/cwt
4-week average: $347.22
13-week average: $354.42
4-week vs 13-week: −2.0%

52-wk low $243.82high $467.88

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 Jun and May and lowest in Aug 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	+0.6%	67%	6
Feb	+0.4%	60%	5
Mar	+1.6%	67%	6
Apr	+3.1%	50%	6
May	+4.9%	83%	6
Jun	+15.8%	100%	3
Jul	+3.0%	75%	4
Aug	−8.5%	0%	4
Sep	+4.5%	60%	5
Oct	−2.6%	40%	5
Nov	−5.4%	0%	6
Dec	−3.5%	33%	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	+0.2%	33%	6
Feb	+0.3%	40%	5
Mar	+2.5%	67%	6
Apr	+3.1%	50%	6
May	+3.2%	83%	6
Jun	+12.7%	100%	3
Jul	+9.7%	75%	4
Aug	+0.7%	75%	4
Sep	−0.8%	40%	5
Oct	−4.4%	20%	5
Nov	−4.7%	17%	6
Dec	−6.1%	33%	6

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	183	—	—	—
Sat Oct 17	481	$387.20	$300.28	$344.16
Wed Oct 14	219	—	—	—
Wed Oct 7	228	—	—	—
Sat Oct 3	356	$378.03	$312.02	$350.28
Wed Sep 30	182	—	—	—
Wed Sep 23	199	—	—	—
Sat Sep 19	498	$372.40	$339.21	$336.69
Wed Sep 16	249	—	—	—
Wed Sep 9	169	—	—	—
Sat Sep 5	328	$351.01	$279.36†	$344.78
Wed Sep 2	182	—	—	—
Wed Aug 26	246	—	—	—
Wed Aug 19	211	—	—	—
Wed Aug 12	238	—	—	—
Sat Aug 8	502	$390.57	$337.81	$396.19
Wed Aug 5	214	—	—	—
Wed Jul 29	281	—	—	—
Wed Jul 22	194	—	—	—

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every New York sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Empire Livestock Sale, Bath	38 mi	Oct 22	—	—

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	183	50	AMS_1974
Feeder And Replacement Cattle Sale	October 17, 2026	481	19	AMS_1980

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Canandaigua Stockyards Livestock Auction - Canandaigua, NY” (AMS_1974); “Canandaigua Stockyards Feeder and Replacement Cattle Sale - Canandaigua, NY” (AMS_1980). 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.