Wilkes Livestock Exchange market report — October 19, 2026

North Wilkesboro, NC · Monday sale · USDA report published 10/19/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

180

Last week 234 (−54)
Last year —

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$332.39† /cwt

$1,948 per head · 4 hd
vs last week −45.09

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$311.47 /cwt

$2,308 per head · 7 hd
vs last week —

Slaughter Cattle 8.00 To 11.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 3.00 To 10.00 Lower Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Average To Attractive 2 Goats Head Calves 625.00 To 775.00
USDA Market News reporter, October 19, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 19

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. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	1	345 lb	$400.00†	$1,380	−75.00	—
400–499 lb	3	445 lb	$416.65†	$1,854	−24.92	+11.65
500–599 lb	4	586 lb	$332.39†	$1,948	−45.09	−32.61
600–699 lb	3	652 lb	$303.33†	$1,977	−11.67	—
700–799 lb	7	741 lb	$311.47	$2,308	—	—
800–899 lb	5	858 lb	$311.07	$2,669	+49.07	+74.07

Feeder heifers — Oct 19

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. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	1	355 lb	$400.00†	$1,420	−34.55	+17.50
400–499 lb	8	440 lb	$356.81	$1,568	−3.36	−14.12
500–599 lb	10	536 lb	$298.93	$1,602	−53.77	−23.11
600–699 lb	6	650 lb	$279.93	$1,820	−47.04	−0.65
900–999 lb	1	980 lb	$195.00†	$1,911	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 19

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	4	1,073 lb	$167.72	$160.00–$180.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	3	1,063 lb	$144.79	$135.00–$156.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	6	1,330 lb	$121.95	$115.00–$127.50
Boner 80-85%	Very Low	4	1,253 lb	$107.48	$105.00–$110.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,340 lb	$192.50	$192.50–$192.50
Breaker 75-80%	Average	3	1,682 lb	$136.71	$132.00–$145.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	3	1,625 lb	$123.59	$120.00–$126.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1	765 lb	$115.00	$115.00–$115.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $332.39/cwt
4-week average: $367.46
13-week average: $385.53
4-week vs 13-week: −4.7%

52-wk low $300.00high $513.26

Sales in 12 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $311.47/cwt
4-week average: $314.99
13-week average: $329.16
4-week vs 13-week: −4.3%

52-wk low $272.46high $387.00

Sales in 7 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $298.93/cwt
4-week average: $327.16
13-week average: $349.93
4-week vs 13-week: −6.5%

52-wk low $293.03high $515.01

Sales in 12 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 Mar and Apr 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	+1.4%	71%	7
Feb	+2.6%	71%	7
Mar	+9.6%	86%	7
Apr	+7.9%	83%	6
May	+7.6%	57%	7
Jun	+1.5%	67%	6
Jul	+1.1%	71%	7
Aug	+1.4%	67%	6
Sep	−1.4%	33%	6
Oct	−7.1%	33%	6
Nov	−8.6%	0%	6
Dec	−5.9%	29%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Feb and Apr 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
Feb	+5.9%	67%	3
Mar	—	—	2
Apr	+2.6%	67%	3
May	—	—	2
Jun	+2.2%	50%	4
Jul	—	—	2
Aug	−2.0%	33%	3
Sep	—	—	1
Oct	—	—	2
Nov	—	—	1
Dec	—	—	1

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
Mon Oct 19	180	$332.39†	$311.47	$298.93
Wed Oct 14	234	$377.48	—	$352.70
Wed Sep 30	147	$392.50	$318.52	$329.85
Wed Sep 23	350	$375.67	—	$373.12
Wed Sep 16	157	$375.73†	$326.00†	$341.30
Wed Sep 9	147	$365.45	$322.00†	$350.00†
Wed Sep 2	154	$377.42	—	$348.50†
Wed Aug 26	333	$377.14	$328.28	$353.51
Wed Aug 19	370	$414.22	$325.88	$380.68
Wed Aug 12	91	$391.40	$372.00†	$356.70
Wed Aug 5	86	$417.00†	—	$366.94
Wed Jul 29	153	$430.00	—	$346.94†
Wed Jul 22	104	$429.85	$339.60	$387.68

Special and graded sales

The last 12 months of this barn's special and graded sales, $/cwt, Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 regular lots (value-added lots where a sale has only those). A sale counts in the weekly trend only when it is a regular feeder sale: a plain special where feeder steers and heifers are most of the head. Graded, replacement, cow-and-pair, preconditioned and Holstein sales stay out.
Sale	Type	Head	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799	Heifers 500–599	In trend
Apr 4, 2026	Replacement Cattle Salespecial	145	—	—	—	No
Mar 14, 2026	Replacement Cattle Salespecial	201	—	—	—	No

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
Harward Brothers Livestock Market, Turnersburg	26 mi	Oct 19	$371.96	$309.63
Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange, Shelby	65 mi	Oct 20	$357.41	$308.15
Stanly County Livestock Market, Norwood	87 mi	Oct 21	$359.89	$303.65
Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction, Staley	92 mi	Oct 23	$355.79	$299.38
WNC Regional Livestock Center, Canton	105 mi	Oct 19	$332.39†	$311.47
Powell Livestock Market, Smithfield	162 mi	Oct 22	$343.35	$324.34

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Wednesday	October 19, 2026	180	45	AMS_2089
Replacement Cattle Sale special	April 4, 2026	145	2	AMS_3920

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Wilkes Livestock Exchange - North Wilkesboro, NC” (AMS_2089); “Wilkes Livestock Exchange Replacement Cattle Sale - North Wilkesboro, NC (Seasonal)” (AMS_3920). 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.