Stanly County Livestock Market market report — October 21, 2026

Norwood, NC · Wednesday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

632

Last week 628 (+4)
Last year 622

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$359.89 /cwt

$2,037 per head · 29 hd
vs last week +14.25

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$303.65 /cwt

$2,265 per head · 21 hd
vs last week −11.25

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 1.00 to 2.00 higher, while feeder cattle were mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average. 37 head Goats: 30.00- 255.00; 4 head Sheep: 120.00 - 215.00; 1 head Baby Calves:350.00; 3 head Hogs
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. Value added = lots USDA marks as value added (weaned and vaccinated programs). 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	Value added $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	2	363 lb	$452.45†	$1,642	+41.57	+0.55	—	—
400–499 lb	8	432 lb	$407.02	$1,760	+33.72	−5.49	—	$341.55 (3 hd)†
500–599 lb	29	566 lb	$359.89	$2,037	+14.25	−22.22	—	$317.47 (2 hd)†
600–699 lb	13	672 lb	$318.94	$2,144	−16.18	−25.98	$336.80 (5 hd)	$258.97 (5 hd)
700–799 lb	21	746 lb	$303.65	$2,265	−11.25	−8.04	—	$250.00 (1 hd)†
800–899 lb	5	852 lb	$287.60	$2,452	−2.31	−18.05	—	—

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. Value added = lots USDA marks as value added (weaned and vaccinated programs). 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	Value added $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	27	363 lb	$395.45	$1,435	+5.85	+9.77	—	$329.33 (5 hd)
400–499 lb	28	463 lb	$355.72	$1,646	−11.18	+1.45	—	$311.81 (7 hd)
500–599 lb	60	552 lb	$322.93	$1,783	−12.51	−11.42	—	$283.15 (8 hd)
600–699 lb	30	645 lb	$298.48	$1,926	−9.09	−22.77	$330.51 (12 hd)	$237.84 (7 hd)
700–799 lb	16	744 lb	$269.17	$2,001	+4.07	−24.18	—	$214.76 (3 hd)†
800–899 lb	9	841 lb	$280.21	$2,356	+53.54	—	—	—
900–999 lb	2	950 lb	$195.00†	$1,852	−1.69	−30.00	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 21

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	1	1,140 lb	$162.50	$162.50–$162.50
Boner 80-85%	Average	24	1,301 lb	$136.31	$130.00–$147.50
Breaker 75-80%	Average	2	1,640 lb	$130.97	$130.00–$132.00
Lean 85-90%	High	2	1,015 lb	$130.00	$130.00–$130.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	11	1,110 lb	$121.30	$112.50–$128.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	3	897 lb	$96.13	$90.00–$100.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $359.89/cwt
4-week average: $357.87
13-week average: $362.51
4-week vs 13-week: −1.3%

52-wk low $344.56high $461.54

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $303.65/cwt
4-week average: $306.40
13-week average: $307.96
4-week vs 13-week: −0.5%

52-wk low $232.56high $373.18

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $322.93/cwt
4-week average: $333.92
13-week average: $331.28
4-week vs 13-week: +0.8%

52-wk low $303.97high $396.20

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	−0.7%	43%	7
Feb	+4.6%	86%	7
Mar	+7.8%	100%	7
Apr	+8.5%	100%	7
May	+5.7%	71%	7
Jun	+2.9%	71%	7
Jul	+0.1%	57%	7
Aug	−0.4%	71%	7
Sep	−3.0%	17%	6
Oct	−5.6%	0%	7
Nov	−7.0%	0%	7
Dec	−5.2%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in May and Feb 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	−2.4%	17%	6
Feb	+3.1%	71%	7
Mar	+2.0%	50%	6
Apr	+2.9%	86%	7
May	+3.3%	71%	7
Jun	+2.8%	57%	7
Jul	+2.2%	57%	7
Aug	+2.8%	71%	7
Sep	+1.0%	67%	6
Oct	−2.5%	33%	6
Nov	−4.7%	17%	6
Dec	−6.4%	17%	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	632	$359.89	$303.65	$322.93
Wed Oct 14	628	$345.64	$314.90	$335.44
Wed Oct 7	499	$366.95	$290.05†	$338.86
Wed Sep 30	539	$359.01	$317.00†	$338.45
Wed Sep 23	464	$377.37	$329.97	$343.73
Wed Sep 16	415	$353.09	$319.08	$318.92
Wed Sep 9	229	$356.67†	$295.00†	$305.66
Wed Sep 2	353	$347.57†	—	$314.08
Wed Aug 26	452	$344.56	$325.00†	$326.77
Wed Aug 19	395	$353.60	$285.00†	$329.19
Wed Aug 12	499	$370.12	$279.87†	$344.27
Wed Aug 5	632	$396.29	$323.87	$347.97
Wed Jul 29	446	$381.92	$312.15	$340.37
Wed Jul 22	384	$397.55	$316.00†	$345.57

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
Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction, Staley	50 mi	Oct 23	$355.79	$299.38
Harward Brothers Livestock Market, Turnersburg	61 mi	Oct 19	$371.96	$309.63
Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange, Shelby	81 mi	Oct 20	$357.41	$308.15
Wilkes Livestock Exchange, North Wilkesboro	87 mi	Oct 19	$332.39†	$311.47
Southeastern Auction Co Inc, Chadbourn	96 mi	Oct 19	$350.00†	—
Powell Livestock Market, Smithfield	101 mi	Oct 22	$343.35	$324.34

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 21, 2026	632	45	AMS_2093

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Stanly County Livestock Market - Norwood, NC” (AMS_2093). 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.