Cattlemen's Livestock Auction market report — October 22, 2026

Dalhart, TX · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

2,308

Last week 2,586 (−278)
Last year 2,157

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$414.30 /cwt

$2,229 per head · 67 hd
vs last week −26.73

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$356.01 /cwt

$2,721 per head · 186 hd
vs last week +2.94

Compared to last week: Sale results were largely mixed. Sentiment toward steer calves was largely to the lower side on few comparable sales. Healthy, weaned, thin fleshed calves exhibited the highest demand over fresh cattle. Feeder steers from 600-800 lbs. brought 6.00-7.00 higher. Heifer calves weighing 380-480 lbs. seemed to be in higher demand this week. Though there were few comparable sales, a decidedly higher undertone was noted. Feeders heifers, however; did not fare as well. Slaughter cattle continued to slip downward as average to high yielding boner cows were roughly 8.00-10.00 lower. Trade was largely mixed on moderate demand.
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. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. 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	Unweaned $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	8	364 lb	$520.00	$1,893	+12.47	—	$447.88 (13 hd)	—
400–499 lb	16	472 lb	$447.51	$2,110	−64.39	−31.06	$414.62 (33 hd)	—
500–599 lb	67	538 lb	$414.30	$2,229	−26.73	−1.28	$407.50 (9 hd)	—
600–699 lb	47	619 lb	$383.81	$2,378	+8.52	+6.10	—	$307.50 (4 hd)†
700–799 lb	186	764 lb	$356.01	$2,721	+2.94	−37.50	—	$271.00 (10 hd)
800–899 lb	151	817 lb	$350.88	$2,867	+15.61	+0.47	—	$275.00 (2 hd)†
900–999 lb	83	967 lb	$322.04	$3,113	−10.46	—	—	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 22

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. Unweaned = calves sold straight off the cow. 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	Unweaned $/cwt	No. 2 $/cwt
300–399 lb	18	366 lb	$425.00	$1,554	−15.51	—	$356.82 (33 hd)	—
400–499 lb	39	436 lb	$429.36	$1,871	+25.63	+19.90	$412.50 (7 hd)	$325.00 (7 hd)
500–599 lb	47	563 lb	$354.84	$1,997	−11.18	−25.36	$335.00 (3 hd)†	$290.00 (4 hd)†
600–699 lb	99	657 lb	$341.09	$2,241	−6.81	−3.91	—	$282.50 (7 hd)
800–899 lb	9	837 lb	$276.67	$2,316	−36.95	−47.10	—	—
900–999 lb	5	957 lb	$273.50	$2,618	−11.50	−36.50	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	103	1,143 lb	$147.90	$134.00–$220.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	46	1,297 lb	$125.05	$121.00–$132.00
Boner 80-85%	Low	24	1,068 lb	$117.56	$110.00–$119.00
Lean 85-90%	High	14	1,009 lb	$139.10	$136.00–$145.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	2	943 lb	$121.00	$121.00–$121.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	23	1,024 lb	$93.28	$85.00–$107.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $414.30/cwt
4-week average: $403.53
13-week average: $396.07
4-week vs 13-week: +1.9%

52-wk low $328.76high $513.75

Sales in 11 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $356.01/cwt
4-week average: $347.83
13-week average: $343.57
4-week vs 13-week: +1.2%

52-wk low $317.07high $414.59

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $354.84/cwt
4-week average: $359.42
13-week average: $353.16
4-week vs 13-week: +1.8%

52-wk low $303.53high $457.89

Sales in 11 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 Apr and Feb and lowest in Nov 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	+2.9%	71%	7
Feb	+4.2%	86%	7
Mar	+2.3%	71%	7
Apr	+5.3%	86%	7
May	+0.2%	43%	7
Jun	+2.4%	71%	7
Jul	+3.2%	71%	7
Aug	−0.2%	38%	8
Sep	−2.3%	29%	7
Oct	−4.7%	14%	7
Nov	−5.5%	0%	7
Dec	−1.8%	57%	7

7-weight steers

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

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	−0.3%	43%	7
Feb	−0.9%	43%	7
Mar	−1.4%	43%	7
Apr	−2.0%	43%	7
May	−2.3%	29%	7
Jun	+0.8%	57%	7
Jul	+4.7%	86%	7
Aug	+3.5%	62%	8
Sep	+5.2%	86%	7
Oct	+3.9%	86%	7
Nov	−3.4%	29%	7
Dec	−2.2%	43%	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
Thu Oct 22	2,308	$414.30	$356.01	$354.84
Thu Oct 15	2,586	$441.04	$353.07	$366.02
Thu Oct 8	2,200	$396.29	$339.23	$357.39
Thu Oct 1	907	$362.50†	$343.00	—
Thu Sep 24	1,409	$390.45	$349.50	$342.32
Thu Sep 17	2,024	$403.77	$345.71	$352.20
Thu Sep 3	1,653	$392.50	$339.18	$330.26
Thu Aug 27	1,624	$371.95	$317.07	$328.09
Thu Aug 20	1,445	$379.42	—	$360.00
Thu Aug 13	1,827	—	$340.35	$330.00†
Thu Aug 6	1,201	$417.31	$352.55	$377.99
Thu Jul 30	989	$387.19	—	$385.62
Thu Jul 23	1,131	$442.54	$354.66	$397.14

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Texas sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Lonestar Stockyards, Wildorado	61 mi	Oct 20	$373.95	$340.00
Tulia Livestock Auction, Tulia	113 mi	Oct 22	$389.41	$351.08
Producers Livestock, San Angelo	340 mi	Oct 22	$361.82	$316.46
Giddings Livestock Auction, Giddings	519 mi	Oct 19	$362.13	$323.32

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	2,308	47	AMS_1953

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Cattlemen's Livestock Auction - Dalhart, TX” (AMS_1953). 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.