USDA Cattle Report Shows Mixed Auction Prices, Lower Futures
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service released its National Daily Feeder and Stocker Summary Report for September 29, 2026. The report provides a snapshot of auction activity and futures settlements across key cattle markets.
According to the AMS MyMarketNews report, feeder cattle prices varied by weight class and location, with the heaviest animals generally commanding lower per-hundredweight values. At Joplin Regional Stockyards in Carthage, Missouri, feeder steers weighing 500-600 pounds traded between $399-$445 per hundredweight, while comparable heifers sold for $390-$430.
In futures trading, live cattle contracts settled lower on Monday, with the October contract settling at $217.140, down $1.425 from the previous day's settlement. Feeder cattle futures also declined, with the October contract at $331.900, down $3.025 from the previous day.
Grain futures settled lower across the board, with December corn settling at $5.2300, down $0.0525 from the previous day's settlement. Estimated daily cattle slaughter was 95,000 head on Monday, compared to 105,000 head a week earlier and 112,000 head a year earlier.