Upstate Livestock Exchange market report — October 19, 2026

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

Head sold

439

Last week 77 (+362)
Last year —

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$383.12 /cwt

$2,046 per head · 20 hd
vs last week —

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$315.98 /cwt

$2,298 per head · 5 hd
vs last week +33.48

No comparisons made this week due to limited comparable sales. Moderate offering of 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 13. 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	2	378 lb	$444.97†	$1,682	—	−10.21	$415.00 (1 hd)†
400–499 lb	11	465 lb	$410.81	$1,909	—	−24.19	$386.86 (4 hd)†
500–599 lb	20	534 lb	$383.12	$2,046	—	+6.50	$349.27 (9 hd)
600–699 lb	17	637 lb	$333.94	$2,127	—	+2.30	$307.56 (4 hd)†
700–799 lb	5	727 lb	$315.98	$2,298	+33.48	−12.02	—
800–899 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$290.00 (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 13. 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	12	359 lb	$404.52	$1,451	+4.52	−7.06	$374.97 (4 hd)†
400–499 lb	9	430 lb	$382.34	$1,644	−7.66	−32.60	$354.91 (30 hd)
500–599 lb	6	514 lb	$333.36	$1,713	—	−11.64	$312.18 (33 hd)
600–699 lb	2	600 lb	$310.00†	$1,860	—	—	$286.63 (10 hd)
700–799 lb	2	732 lb	$282.50†	$2,069	—	—	$262.50 (3 hd)†
800–899 lb	—	—	—	—	—	—	$257.50 (1 hd)†

Slaughter cows — Oct 19

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	Average	12	1,178 lb	$139.04	$134.00–$148.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	7	1,211 lb	$129.02	$124.00–$132.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	1	1,390 lb	$150.00	$150.00–$150.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	3	1,562 lb	$138.89	$135.00–$144.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,555 lb	$128.00	$128.00–$128.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	1,160 lb	$129.21	$127.50–$131.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	8	1,101 lb	$116.38	$112.50–$122.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $383.12/cwt
4-week average: $371.93
13-week average: $364.18
4-week vs 13-week: +2.1%

52-wk low $317.50high $477.50

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $315.98/cwt
4-week average: $303.66
13-week average: $307.70
4-week vs 13-week: −1.3%

52-wk low $282.50high $400.00

Sales in 7 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $333.36/cwt
4-week average: $334.52
13-week average: $329.93
4-week vs 13-week: +1.4%

52-wk low $315.00high $410.73

Sales in 10 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 Feb and lowest in Oct 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	+1.1%	71%	7
Feb	+5.9%	83%	6
Mar	+7.7%	100%	7
Apr	+5.9%	86%	7
May	+3.7%	86%	7
Jun	+1.2%	71%	7
Jul	−0.8%	43%	7
Aug	−1.3%	50%	8
Sep	−1.7%	29%	7
Oct	−6.6%	14%	7
Nov	−3.7%	0%	7
Dec	−4.6%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in May and Jun and lowest in Dec 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	−1.5%	50%	4
Feb	+2.7%	60%	5
Mar	+1.0%	75%	4
Apr	+2.8%	100%	3
May	+10.6%	100%	3
Jun	+3.8%	75%	4
Jul	+1.1%	60%	5
Aug	−0.5%	50%	4
Sep	—	—	2
Oct	−3.6%	25%	4
Nov	−2.9%	25%	4
Dec	−5.3%	20%	5

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	439	$383.12	$315.98	$333.36
Mon Oct 12	131	—	$282.50†	—
Mon Sep 28	426	$360.73	$312.50†	$335.69
Mon Sep 21	264	$366.23	—	$327.96
Mon Sep 14	238	$369.45	$318.75†	$322.50†
Mon Sep 7	218	$317.50†	$307.00†	$315.85†
Mon Aug 31	212	—	—	$315.00†
Mon Aug 24	273	$360.56	$307.50†	$338.61
Mon Aug 17	150	$360.73†	—	$324.15
Mon Aug 10	243	$380.46	—	$332.21
Mon Aug 3	353	$380.53	$309.67	$353.98
Mon Jul 27	266	$362.50†	—	—
Mon Jul 20	279	$375.00†	$312.50†	$374.12

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
Laurens Livestock Exchange, Laurens	27 mi	Oct 21	$368.89	—
Saluda Stockyards, Saluda	59 mi	Oct 19	$363.45†	$310.00†
Saluda Livestock Exchange, Saluda	59 mi	Oct 19	$366.89	$291.93
Orangeburg Stockyards, Orangeburg	121 mi	Oct 21	$348.37	—
Low Country Livestock Exchange, Darlington	150 mi	Oct 20	—	—

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Monday	October 19, 2026	439	41	AMS_1958

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Upstate Livestock Exchange - Williamston, SC” (AMS_1958). 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.