Napoleon Livestock Auction market report — October 22, 2026

Napoleon, ND · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

1,026

Last week 2,567 (−1541)
Last year 1,381

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$423.24 /cwt

$2,284 per head · 78 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$351.12 /cwt

$2,598 per head · 38 hd
vs last week —

The last feeder sale was three weeks ago and numbers were low this week so no comparison will be made. Today's sale consisted of yearlings steers and heifers and a few drafts of spring calves. The weather has been so nice that calves are being left on the cow for later sales. Most calves were in light to moderate flesh condition. Buyer demand was good for today's offering.
USDA Market News reporter, October 22, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 22

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 23.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
400–499 lb	80	465 lb	$491.47	$2,284	—	+0.71
500–599 lb	78	540 lb	$423.24	$2,284	—	−48.11
600–699 lb	18	636 lb	$400.00	$2,544	—	−21.30
700–799 lb	38	740 lb	$351.12	$2,598	—	−25.92
800–899 lb	85	832 lb	$345.02	$2,872	—	−34.76
900–999 lb	20	901 lb	$319.00	$2,874	—	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 22

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 23.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	9	373 lb	$450.00	$1,678	—	−42.00
400–499 lb	31	484 lb	$393.70	$1,906	—	−47.30
500–599 lb	32	565 lb	$364.51	$2,060	—	−37.03
600–699 lb	42	686 lb	$323.16	$2,217	—	−32.00
700–799 lb	5	757 lb	$265.00	$2,006	—	−80.08
800–899 lb	137	865 lb	$307.35	$2,659	—	—
900–999 lb	62	964 lb	$293.74	$2,831	—	−33.37

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $423.24/cwt
4-week average: $427.19
13-week average: $427.19
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $413.64high $538.00

Sales in 2 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $351.12/cwt
4-week average: $355.21
13-week average: $357.15
4-week vs 13-week: −0.5%

52-wk low $351.12high $421.12

Sales in 3 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $364.51/cwt
4-week average: $368.25
13-week average: $368.25
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $364.51high $483.60

Sales in 2 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 Feb and lowest in Sep 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%	86%	7
Feb	+5.2%	86%	7
Mar	+4.4%	100%	6
Apr	+4.3%	86%	7
May	+6.0%	83%	6
Jun	+4.1%	80%	5
Jul	—	—	0
Aug	—	—	1
Sep	−7.3%	0%	5
Oct	−3.1%	17%	6
Nov	−4.5%	0%	6
Dec	−3.1%	14%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jun and Sep 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	−1.3%	43%	7
Feb	+1.0%	71%	7
Mar	+0.8%	33%	6
Apr	+2.0%	71%	7
May	+3.9%	71%	7
Jun	+6.2%	100%	5
Jul	—	—	0
Aug	—	—	1
Sep	+4.3%	80%	5
Oct	−1.9%	17%	6
Nov	−3.6%	17%	6
Dec	−3.1%	43%	7

Recent sales

Last 13 weeks. Download the weekly history as CSV.
Sale	Head sold	Steers 500–599 $/cwt	Steers 700–799 $/cwt	Heifers 500–599 $/cwt
Thu Oct 22	1,026	$423.24	$351.12	$364.51
Thu Oct 1	2,567	$431.13	$359.29	$372.00
Thu Sep 17	895	—	$361.03	—

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every North Dakota sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Kist Livestock Auction, Mandan	58 mi	Oct 21	$436.17	$385.00
Stockmen's Livestock Exchange, Dickinson	146 mi	Oct 22	$446.69	$351.00

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	1,026	26	AMS_2098

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Napoleon Livestock Auction - Napoleon, ND” (AMS_2098). 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.