Philip Livestock Auction market report — October 20, 2026

Philip, SD · Tuesday sale · USDA report published 10/20/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

4,590

Last week 8,119 (−3529)
Last year 4,897

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$465.30 /cwt

$2,574 per head · 1,447 hd
vs last week +8.77

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$402.00 /cwt

$2,822 per head · 92 hd
vs last week +13.50

Compared to last week Feeder Steers under 500 Steady, 500 to 550 8.00 to 10.00 higher, 550 to 600 5.00 higher, 600 to 650 8.00 to 10.00 higher, 650 to 700 5.00 to 8.00 higher, Feeder Heifers 400 to 450 Steady, 450 to 500 5.00 to 8.00 higher, 450 to 650 5.00 to 8.00 lower. Good Demand in the seats and on the Internet for Many Load Lots, Part Loads, and Packages which sold on a Moderate to Active Market. The entire Offering was Home Raised, had Spring and Fall vaccinations, and came straight off the cow. Presentation was attractive with calves featuring clean, shiny hair with no tagg, mostly Light to Moderate Flesh, and a favorable weigh-up. The Next Sale is October 21, Weigh-Up Cow Special; Next Feeder Cattle Sale October 27 Spring Calf and Yearling Special with 7,000 Spring Calves on the books.
USDA Market News reporter, October 20, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 20

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 13. Last year = sale of Oct 21.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	61	387 lb	$596.73	$2,309	−0.42	−1.30
400–499 lb	363	471 lb	$510.06	$2,403	−9.14	−40.15
500–599 lb	1,447	553 lb	$465.30	$2,574	+8.77	−28.37
600–699 lb	1,202	627 lb	$430.88	$2,699	+18.42	−32.00
700–799 lb	92	702 lb	$402.00	$2,822	+13.50	−26.00

Feeder heifers — Oct 20

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 13. Last year = sale of Oct 21.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year
300–399 lb	47	334 lb	$546.17	$1,825	+8.92	+6.09
400–499 lb	397	480 lb	$462.27	$2,217	+2.50	−30.03
500–599 lb	415	546 lb	$412.51	$2,254	−5.75	−30.40
600–699 lb	126	639 lb	$375.90	$2,401	−7.89	−13.69

Slaughter cows — Oct 20

No slaughter cows reported at the latest sale.

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $465.30/cwt
4-week average: $461.43
13-week average: $447.05
4-week vs 13-week: +3.2%

52-wk low $386.56high $496.22

Sales in 6 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $402.00/cwt
4-week average: $395.25
13-week average: $395.25
4-week vs 13-week: 0.0%

52-wk low $362.50high $408.38

Sales in 2 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $412.51/cwt
4-week average: $412.92
13-week average: $393.77
4-week vs 13-week: +4.9%

52-wk low $350.00high $455.98

Sales in 6 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 Feb and Mar and lowest in Apr 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	+2.0%	100%	4
Feb	+6.9%	100%	3
Mar	+3.5%	100%	3
Apr	−4.5%	33%	3
May	+0.3%	33%	3
Jun	—	—	1
Jul	+0.5%	33%	3
Aug	—	—	1
Sep	−0.8%	67%	3
Oct	−2.2%	33%	3
Nov	−3.5%	0%	4
Dec	+0.3%	50%	4

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Jul and Oct and lowest in May and Jan.

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	−1.7%	25%	4
Feb	+1.2%	50%	4
Mar	+0.2%	50%	4
Apr	−0.5%	25%	4
May	−5.5%	0%	4
Jun	—	—	1
Jul	+6.5%	100%	4
Aug	—	—	1
Sep	+1.6%	67%	3
Oct	+3.6%	100%	4
Nov	+1.1%	75%	4
Dec	−0.9%	25%	4

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
Tue Oct 20	4,590	$465.30	$402.00	$412.51
Tue Oct 13	8,119	$456.53	$388.50	$418.26
Tue Oct 6	5,204	$462.48	—	$408.00
Tue Sep 29	1,242	—	—	—
Tue Sep 15	1,389	$471.75	—	$350.00
Tue Sep 1	1,075	$439.70	—	$380.82
Tue Jul 28	1,028	$386.56	—	$393.00

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every South Dakota sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Ft. Pierre Livestock Auction, Fort Pierre	67 mi	Oct 23	$467.96	$348.87
St. Onge Livestock Auction, Saint Onge	107 mi	Oct 23	$458.22	$361.27
Mobridge Livestock Exchange, Mobridge	120 mi	Oct 22	$470.74	—
Herreid Livestock Market, Herreid	146 mi	Oct 23	$466.00	$365.50
Mitchell Livestock Auction, Mitchell	182 mi	Oct 22	$442.56	$358.82
Hub City Livestock Auction, Aberdeen	185 mi	Oct 21	$469.67	$380.26

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Tuesday	October 20, 2026	4,590	16	AMS_2023

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Philip Livestock Auction - Philip, SD” (AMS_2023). 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.