Winter Livestock Auction market report — October 20, 2026

Riverton, WY · Tuesday sale · USDA report published 10/22/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

4,376

Last week 3,508 (+868)
Last year 5,046

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$444.12 /cwt

$2,466 per head · 716 hd
vs last week −12.01

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$350.86 /cwt

$2,588 per head · 94 hd
vs last week +2.86

Compared to last week, steer calves less than 600 lbs sold unevenly steady. Calves over 600 lbs sold 5.00 higher. Heifers calves sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower in some spots. Demand was moderate to good for the heavy supply of mostly bawling spring calves. Some offering had two rounds of vaccinations.
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	116	373 lb	$620.29	$2,317	+9.53	−9.60
400–499 lb	461	474 lb	$516.90	$2,449	−2.43	−40.45
500–599 lb	716	555 lb	$444.12	$2,466	−12.01	−44.61
600–699 lb	300	636 lb	$394.37	$2,508	+1.80	−16.03
700–799 lb	94	738 lb	$350.86	$2,588	+2.86	−9.09
800–899 lb	8	889 lb	$334.50	$2,974	−5.50	−29.33
900–999 lb	20	918 lb	$330.50	$3,034	+1.00	—

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	151	360 lb	$539.05	$1,939	−19.61	−27.79
400–499 lb	427	446 lb	$477.25	$2,127	−2.67	+1.40
500–599 lb	449	543 lb	$394.68	$2,144	−19.14	−14.58
600–699 lb	77	632 lb	$352.92	$2,229	+4.06	−10.67
700–799 lb	17	775 lb	$324.21	$2,512	−7.36	−16.97

Slaughter cows — Sep 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Breaker 75-80%	High	2	1,508 lb	$148.52	$148.00–$149.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	17	1,613 lb	$131.35	$128.50–$138.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $444.12/cwt
4-week average: $443.24
13-week average: $438.51
4-week vs 13-week: +1.1%

52-wk low $406.00high $533.45

Sales in 8 of the last 13 weeks.

Steers 700–799 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $350.86/cwt
4-week average: $360.01
13-week average: $349.86
4-week vs 13-week: +2.9%

52-wk low $322.50high $412.21

Sales in 8 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Rising

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $394.68/cwt
4-week average: $398.72
13-week average: $388.29
4-week vs 13-week: +2.7%

52-wk low $160.00high $494.60

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 Mar and Apr and lowest in Dec 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	+3.7%	86%	7
Feb	+3.1%	86%	7
Mar	+5.1%	86%	7
Apr	+4.8%	86%	7
May	+2.0%	71%	7
Jun	—	—	2
Jul	+2.4%	67%	3
Aug	—	—	1
Sep	−2.8%	33%	6
Oct	−2.7%	29%	7
Nov	−3.2%	0%	7
Dec	−3.4%	57%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Sep and Apr and lowest in Dec 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	+0.7%	67%	6
Feb	+0.2%	67%	6
Mar	+1.7%	83%	6
Apr	+3.1%	86%	7
May	+1.0%	50%	6
Jun	+1.0%	50%	4
Jul	+1.7%	75%	4
Aug	+2.4%	67%	3
Sep	+3.9%	71%	7
Oct	−0.5%	43%	7
Nov	−2.7%	14%	7
Dec	−4.1%	17%	6

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	4,376	$444.12	$350.86	$394.68
Tue Oct 13	3,508	$456.13	$348.00	$413.83
Tue Oct 6	4,364	$446.38	$381.17	$401.24
Tue Sep 29	611	$426.33	—	$385.15
Tue Sep 22	909	$439.14	$364.20	$366.00
Tue Sep 15	105	$406.00	$350.00	—
Tue Sep 8	509	—	$358.15	—
Tue Sep 1	275	$437.50	$322.50	$368.85
Tue Aug 18	383	$452.50	$324.00	—

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every Wyoming sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Torrington Livestock Auction, Torrington	224 mi	Oct 21	$474.12	$373.00

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Tuesday	October 20, 2026	4,376	37	AMS_2104

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Winter Livestock Auction - Riverton, WY” (AMS_2104). 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.