The Morning Wire / Sat Oct 31, 2026

The Morning Wire

The trading day in one page — Sat, Oct 31

● Written from USDA reportsEvery figure as filed

← Oct 30Oct 31Nov 2 →

Summary

Sat, Oct 31

Choice cutout closed $2.62 lower at $364.66. 12 barns across 7 states reported 762 priced lots.

Feeder steers

National, week of Oct 26 USDA

Weighted across every reported lot, by weight class. Weekly rather than daily — one day's barns are too thin a base for a national figure.

Weight	Price	vs prior week	Head	Barns
300-399 lb	538.32/cwt	$6.24 lower	4,944	171
400-499 lb	489.99/cwt	$1.53 higher	17,603	187
500-599 lb	435.85/cwt	$3.20 lower	34,086	189
600-699 lb	390.54/cwt	$1.39 lower	22,135	186
700-799 lb	354.36/cwt	$3.76 higher	10,035	167
800-899 lb	342.66/cwt	$2.47 higher	9,879	122

Barn by barn, 500–599 lb steers

Same day, same class USDA

Every barn that sold at least 20 head of this class on Sat, Oct 31, weighted by head. Spread of $101.80 between the top and bottom of 6 barns. An average moves with the cattle that showed up as much as with the buyers in the seats — a yard with better grade will average higher on the same demand. This is where the money landed, not a verdict on the barn.

Barn	State	Average	Head
Ericson	NE	450.68/cwt	541
Somerset Livestock Auction	KY	384.86/cwt	85
Carthage Livestock Auction	TN	365.53/cwt	35
Shenandoah Valley Livestock	VA	360.43/cwt	60
Weston Livestock Marketing	WV	354.66/cwt	35
Finger Lakes Livestock Auction	NY	348.88/cwt	84

Boxed beef

PM close · Oct 30 USDA

Choice $364.66, $2.62 lower. Select $351.98, $0.35 higher. The Choice–Select spread stands at $12.68. 126 loads traded.

Fed cattle

Negotiated cash, week to date USDA

20,615 head traded Oct 24–Oct 30.

Region	Basis	Price	Head
Iowa-Minnesota	Dressed Delivered	354.75	2,433
Iowa-Minnesota	Dressed FOB	355.00	256
Iowa-Minnesota	Live Delivered	224.25	42
Iowa-Minnesota	Live FOB	223.10	7,537
Nebraska	Dressed Delivered	350.34	5,800
Nebraska	Dressed FOB	352.57	1,130

At the barns

USDA market reporters, as filed USDA

One barn per state, largest first — more states file than fit here. Your own state is linked below.

Compared to last week steer calves over 400 lbs sold 10.00 to 20.00 lower except 550-600 lbs steer calves selling steady to 10.00 higher and heifer calves over 450 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower.
Ericson · Nebraska

Compared to last Saturday: Feeder steers under 400 lbs sharply lower, over 400 lbs unevenly steady to 5.00 lower, Feeder and yearling heifers steady, Feeder and yearling classes sold with moderate to good demand. Slaughter cows and bulls 5.00-8.00 lower, Moderate demand for slaughter classes.
Somerset Livestock Auction · Kentucky

Compared to the last feeder sale 400-500lb feeder steers sold 4.00 to 11.00 higher. 500-600lb feeder steer sold 3.00 to 15.00 lower. 400-500lb feeder heifers sold 52.00 to 60.00 higher. 500-600lb feeder heifers sold 21.00 to 37.00 lower.
Finger Lakes Livestock Auction · New York

Compared to last week all classes of Feeder Cattle 10.00 to 20.00 lower; Slaughter Cows/ Bulls 5.00 lower.
Carthage Livestock Auction · Tennessee

Heavier run than last reported, nigh on double the Feeder offering with gains in Slaughter and Replacement Cattle as well, somewhat less than average attendance. Steers and Heifers both significantly lower than compared to last, while demand stronger for four to five weight Bulls.
Weston Livestock Marketing · West Virginia

No trends established due to lack of comparable sales. However lower undertone noted on all classes of Cattle.
Crossville Livestock Auction · Tennessee

Compared to last Saturday: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower.
Campbellsville Livestock Auction · Kentucky

Compared to last week, feeder bulls weighing up to 450 lbs. sold 12.00 lower and those weighing over 450 lbs. 6.00 higher, with no comparisons available for feeder steers and heifers due to limited comparable receipts.
Greenville Livestock Auction - Greenville, TN · Tennessee

Cows and bulls

National direct, dressed USDA

Class	Price	Direction	Head
Breaker (75% lean)	247.82/cwt	$4.04 lower	707
Boner (85% lean)	246.30/cwt	$0.59 lower	1,856
Cutter (90% lean)	252.74/cwt	$1.95 higher	3,607
Premium White	260.74/cwt	$2.10 lower	1,166
Bull (92% lean)	307.56/cwt	$2.65 higher	472

Reports published

See every report →

13 USDA reports carried this date — sale barns, state summaries, video and board sales, grain, hay and the national desks.

Source: USDA AMS. Every figure is USDA's as filed, and the direction words — higher, lower, steady— follow the arithmetic rather than an opinion. Quoted comment is the work of USDA market reporters, credited to the sale it came from. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of USDA data, not a copy of USDA's document and not endorsed by USDA.