Saluda Livestock Exchange market report — October 19, 2026

Saluda, SC · Monday sale · USDA report published 10/19/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

927

Last week 578 (+349)
Last year 819

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$366.89 /cwt

$1,979 per head · 41 hd
vs last week +15.12

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$291.93 /cwt

$2,222 per head · 24 hd
vs last week −10.62

Compared to last week: Feeder steers 4.00 higher, feeder heifers 2.00 higher, feeder bulls 8.00 lower, slaughter cows 1.00 higher, slaughter bulls steady. Moderate offering of plain to average quality cattle with active buyer participation.
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. 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	7	368 lb	$423.03	$1,557	−6.97	−40.41	—	$395.00 (3 hd)†
400–499 lb	18	451 lb	$415.88	$1,875	+22.00	−31.62	—	$371.19 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	41	540 lb	$366.89	$1,979	+15.12	—	—	$337.46 (6 hd)
600–699 lb	33	641 lb	$329.30	$2,112	+10.19	−48.20	$335.00 (9 hd)	$288.24 (6 hd)
700–799 lb	24	761 lb	$291.93	$2,222	−10.62	—	$310.00 (5 hd)	$278.33 (3 hd)†
800–899 lb	2	815 lb	$305.00†	$2,486	—	—	$305.00 (16 hd)	$240.00 (1 hd)†

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. 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	11	356 lb	$410.76	$1,464	−4.18	−16.50	$373.74 (8 hd)
400–499 lb	37	440 lb	$369.20	$1,624	−0.24	—	$336.64 (19 hd)
500–599 lb	60	542 lb	$329.62	$1,788	+2.30	—	$291.90 (14 hd)
600–699 lb	13	631 lb	$298.32	$1,883	−13.76	—	$285.42 (12 hd)
700–799 lb	8	739 lb	$283.13	$2,093	−5.63	—	$270.00 (1 hd)†
800–899 lb	2	860 lb	$262.50†	$2,258	—	—	$255.00 (1 hd)†

Slaughter cows — Oct 19

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	9	1,189 lb	$144.69	$141.00–$150.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	19	1,252 lb	$133.50	$126.00–$138.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	10	1,312 lb	$145.60	$141.00–$152.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	8	1,386 lb	$135.36	$130.00–$138.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	6	1,201 lb	$134.86	$129.00–$138.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	16	1,060 lb	$114.50	$105.00–$125.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $366.89/cwt
4-week average: $357.66
13-week average: $356.96
4-week vs 13-week: +0.2%

52-wk low $340.65high $453.52

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $291.93/cwt
4-week average: $300.62
13-week average: $304.95
4-week vs 13-week: −1.4%

52-wk low $291.93high $385.00

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $329.62/cwt
4-week average: $325.96
13-week average: $325.32
4-week vs 13-week: +0.2%

52-wk low $304.40high $428.38

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 2024

Weekly average $/cwt

When to sell: the seasonal pattern

5-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

7-weight steers

Not enough history yet for a seasonal pattern.

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	927	$366.89	$291.93	$329.62
Mon Oct 12	578	$351.76	$302.54	$327.32
Mon Oct 5	700	$351.70	$310.00†	$325.24
Mon Sep 28	964	$360.27	$298.03	$321.66
Mon Sep 21	936	$354.71	$310.82	$330.83
Mon Sep 14	645	$347.95	$306.00	$322.19
Mon Sep 7	643	$340.65	$306.19	$310.61
Mon Aug 31	808	$356.65	—	$304.40
Mon Aug 24	763	$351.69	$304.64	$318.45
Mon Aug 17	433	$364.34	$302.50†	$322.80
Mon Aug 10	895	$363.28	$315.53	$353.59
Mon Aug 3	877	$380.86	$306.22	$336.49
Mon Jul 27	767	$349.69	—	$326.01
Mon Jul 20	840	$370.29	$310.00†	$364.28

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every South Carolina sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Saluda Stockyards, Saluda	0 mi	Oct 19	$363.45†	$310.00†
Laurens Livestock Exchange, Laurens	37 mi	Oct 21	$368.89	—
Upstate Livestock Exchange, Williamston	59 mi	Oct 19	$383.12	$315.98
Orangeburg Stockyards, Orangeburg	63 mi	Oct 21	$348.37	—
Low Country Livestock Exchange, Darlington	111 mi	Oct 20	—	—

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Monday	October 19, 2026	927	42	AMS_3790

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Saluda Livestock Exchange - Saluda, SC” (AMS_3790). 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.