WNC Regional Livestock Center market report — October 19, 2026

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

Head sold

176

Last week 20 (+156)
Last year 40

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$332.39† /cwt

$1,948 per head · 4 hd
vs last week +7.39

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 12. Last year = sale of Oct 20. † 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	−32.50	−22.50
400–499 lb	3	445 lb	$416.65†	$1,854	+48.73	+51.65
500–599 lb	4	586 lb	$332.39†	$1,948	+7.39	−17.61
600–699 lb	3	652 lb	$303.33†	$1,977	+12.97	−33.29
700–799 lb	7	741 lb	$311.47	$2,308	—	−10.17
800–899 lb	5	858 lb	$311.07	$2,669	+31.07	−26.93

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 12. Last year = sale of Oct 20. † 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	+30.00	+23.73
400–499 lb	8	440 lb	$356.81	$1,568	+0.28	+14.78
500–599 lb	10	536 lb	$298.93	$1,602	−11.07	−28.15
600–699 lb	6	650 lb	$279.93	$1,820	−0.07	−22.19
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: $347.24
13-week average: $359.41
4-week vs 13-week: −3.4%

52-wk low $314.90high $460.98

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: $300.49
13-week average: $316.00
4-week vs 13-week: −4.9%

52-wk low $240.00high $360.00

Sales in 9 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $298.93/cwt
4-week average: $331.90
13-week average: $328.97
4-week vs 13-week: +0.9%

52-wk low $288.05high $412.98

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 May and Apr 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	+0.7%	71%	7
Feb	+0.8%	43%	7
Mar	+6.6%	100%	7
Apr	+6.9%	86%	7
May	+7.9%	71%	7
Jun	+5.9%	86%	7
Jul	+0.2%	57%	7
Aug	+0.6%	71%	7
Sep	−2.4%	50%	6
Oct	−6.4%	0%	6
Nov	−8.3%	0%	6
Dec	−6.4%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Apr and Mar 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	−0.5%	33%	6
Feb	+2.6%	71%	7
Mar	+3.3%	83%	6
Apr	+5.3%	86%	7
May	+1.3%	71%	7
Jun	+3.0%	71%	7
Jul	+3.1%	86%	7
Aug	+3.3%	71%	7
Sep	+0.8%	67%	6
Oct	−1.3%	33%	6
Nov	−5.4%	17%	6
Dec	−8.6%	0%	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
Mon Oct 19	176	$332.39†	$311.47	$298.93
Mon Oct 12	115	$325.00†	—	$309.99
Mon Oct 5	162	$353.21	$300.00†	$346.67†
Mon Sep 28	207	$378.35†	$290.00†	$372.01
Mon Sep 21	215	$375.66	$326.00†	$351.44
Mon Sep 14	150	$378.98	$317.50†	$305.28
Mon Aug 31	132	$350.00†	—	$314.38†
Mon Aug 24	116	$346.24†	$335.00†	$318.17†
Mon Aug 17	131	$352.45	—	$304.18
Mon Aug 10	165	$376.77†	$320.00†	$375.00†
Mon Aug 3	170	$388.87	$330.00†	$333.09†
Mon Jul 27	116	$355.00	$314.00	$318.54
Mon Jul 20	180	$425.00†	—	$333.14

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
Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange, Shelby	74 mi	Oct 20	$357.41	$308.15
Wilkes Livestock Exchange, North Wilkesboro	105 mi	Oct 19	$332.39†	$311.47
Harward Brothers Livestock Market, Turnersburg	117 mi	Oct 19	$371.96	$309.63
Stanly County Livestock Market, Norwood	155 mi	Oct 21	$359.89	$303.65
Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction, Staley	185 mi	Oct 23	$355.79	$299.38
Southeastern Auction Co Inc, Chadbourn	242 mi	Oct 19	$350.00†	—

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Monday	October 19, 2026	176	44	AMS_2090

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “WNC Regional Livestock Center - Canton, NC” (AMS_2090). 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.