Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction market report — October 23, 2026

Staley, NC · Friday sale · USDA report published 10/23/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

900

Last week 584 (+316)
Last year 890

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$355.79 /cwt

$1,921 per head · 9 hd
vs last week −7.53

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$299.38 /cwt

$2,206 per head · 9 hd
vs last week —

Slaughter cattle were 2.00 lower this week compared to last week . Feeder cattle were steady compared to last week . Demand was moderate ; market activity and buyer interest were moderate . Offerings moderate with quality average . 24 head of hogs
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. 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	1	320 lb	$460.00†	$1,472	+24.58	+34.87	—
400–499 lb	12	450 lb	$398.54	$1,793	+18.63	−13.76	$250.00 (1 hd)†
500–599 lb	9	540 lb	$355.79	$1,921	−7.53	+1.01	—
600–699 lb	16	635 lb	$327.94	$2,081	−4.69	+4.65	—
700–799 lb	9	737 lb	$299.38	$2,206	—	+40.48	—
800–899 lb	2	800 lb	$250.00†	$2,000	−23.50	+25.11	—

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. 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	26	348 lb	$384.25	$1,335	−8.86	+28.98	$247.85 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	42	450 lb	$354.27	$1,594	−1.35	+25.14	$281.03 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	39	541 lb	$321.79	$1,740	−9.68	+13.69	$235.25 (4 hd)†
600–699 lb	22	662 lb	$296.22	$1,960	−6.58	+11.61	$213.25 (3 hd)†
700–799 lb	4	727 lb	$251.29†	$1,828	−12.35	−14.82	—
800–899 lb	1	820 lb	$185.00†	$1,517	−64.99	−45.00	—
900–999 lb	2	975 lb	$220.10†	$2,146	—	+5.10	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 23

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	5	1,259 lb	$139.26	$136.00–$143.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	23	1,373 lb	$130.41	$125.00–$135.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	6	1,268 lb	$114.31	$100.00–$124.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,860 lb	$139.00	$139.00–$139.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	3	1,910 lb	$133.75	$129.00–$137.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	1	935 lb	$115.00	$115.00–$115.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	2	1,108 lb	$113.95	$110.00–$117.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $349.37/cwt
4-week average: $352.72
13-week average: $361.19
4-week vs 13-week: −2.3%

52-wk low $318.37high $474.66

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $294.94/cwt
4-week average: $309.47
13-week average: $299.11
4-week vs 13-week: +3.5%

52-wk low $228.32high $381.34

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $320.43/cwt
4-week average: $324.97
13-week average: $326.75
4-week vs 13-week: −0.5%

52-wk low $224.92high $408.30

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 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	+0.3%	57%	7
Feb	+5.5%	86%	7
Mar	+6.3%	100%	7
Apr	+7.8%	100%	7
May	+5.7%	71%	7
Jun	+6.0%	86%	7
Jul	+1.2%	57%	7
Aug	−0.1%	71%	7
Sep	−2.1%	33%	6
Oct	−7.8%	0%	6
Nov	−9.7%	0%	6
Dec	−6.9%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and Jun and lowest in Nov and Dec.

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%	43%	7
Feb	+0.9%	57%	7
Mar	+1.8%	71%	7
Apr	+3.4%	86%	7
May	+3.7%	57%	7
Jun	+4.1%	86%	7
Jul	+2.6%	71%	7
Aug	+5.0%	71%	7
Sep	+3.4%	83%	6
Oct	−3.6%	17%	6
Nov	−8.9%	0%	6
Dec	−7.5%	29%	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
Fri Oct 23	900	$355.79	$299.38	$321.79
Mon Oct 19	131	$330.12†	$255.00†	$311.55
Fri Oct 16	584	$363.32	—	$331.47
Mon Oct 12	90	—	—	$320.00†
Fri Oct 9	992	$348.91	—	$323.70
Mon Oct 5	107	$320.00†	—	$316.53†
Fri Oct 2	683	$349.91	$324.00	$324.62
Mon Sep 28	102	—	—	$332.50†
Fri Sep 25	758	$368.21	$304.68	$326.45
Mon Sep 21	114	—	—	$302.36†
Fri Sep 18	660	$328.65	$315.00†	$327.24
Mon Sep 14	83	—	—	$296.25†
Fri Sep 11	777	$366.32	$291.69†	$320.26
Mon Sep 7	60	—	$220.00†	—
Fri Sep 4	320	$345.00†	$295.00†	$314.48
Mon Aug 31	85	—	—	$290.05†
Fri Aug 28	670	$351.66	$313.18	$331.79
Mon Aug 24	81	—	$285.00†	$296.55†
Fri Aug 21	621	$347.75	$280.60	$343.81
Mon Aug 17	133	—	—	$315.00†
Fri Aug 14	619	$365.00	$282.50†	$302.79
Mon Aug 10	114	—	$308.50†	$333.33
Fri Aug 7	690	$416.97	$311.85	$349.50
Mon Aug 3	118	—	$305.00†	$280.00†
Fri Jul 31	856	$404.09	$282.93	$348.02
Mon Jul 27	92	$305.00†	—	$309.97†
Fri Jul 24	628	$395.71	$320.00†	$343.22

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every North Carolina sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Stanly County Livestock Market, Norwood	50 mi	Oct 21	$359.89	$303.65
Harward Brothers Livestock Market, Turnersburg	70 mi	Oct 19	$371.96	$309.63
Powell Livestock Market, Smithfield	70 mi	Oct 22	$343.35	$324.34
Wilkes Livestock Exchange, North Wilkesboro	92 mi	Oct 19	$332.39†	$311.47
Southeastern Auction Co Inc, Chadbourn	110 mi	Oct 19	$350.00†	—
Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange, Shelby	117 mi	Oct 20	$357.41	$308.15

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Friday	October 23, 2026	900	49	AMS_2087
Monday	October 19, 2026	131	47	AMS_2095

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction (Friday) - Siler City, NC” (AMS_2087); “Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction (Monday) - Siler City, NC” (AMS_2095). 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.