Cattle Market Pulse

Four State Stockyards Market Report

Exeter, Missouri · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 12, 2026

2,726 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Four State Stockyards report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $453.22/cwt +8.34 vs last sale · ≈ $2,766/hd at 610 lb · 234 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $415.46/cwt -44.77 vs last sale · ≈ $2,227/hd at 536 lb · 192 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $523.66/cwt -14.42 vs last sale · ≈ $2,712/hd at 518 lb · 188 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,726 1,969 0
Feeder cattle 2,442 1,642 0
Slaughter cattle 204 177 0
Replacement cattle 80 150 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 lower with some spots 10.00 lower on the less attractive calves. Slaughter cows and bulls traded mostly steady. Demand was good on a good to heavy supply.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–265 260 6 710.00–730.00 $720.19 $1,872 —
310 unweaned 310 3 695.00 $695.00 $2,154 +6.63
352–388 368 23 602.00–675.00 $633.78 $2,332 -21.86
403–445 426 79 548.00–615.00 $585.00 $2,492 -33.36
463–478 unweaned 470 10 507.00–542.00 $526.87 $2,476 -25.51
452–497 480 81 527.00–550.00 $533.19 $2,559 -26.70
512 unweaned 512 6 500.00 $500.00 $2,560 -37.00
503–549 518 182 491.00–560.00 $524.44 $2,717 -13.74
550–585 570 91 472.00–501.00 $483.47 $2,756 -10.11
601–645 610 231 426.00–471.00 $453.39 $2,766 -3.95
633 unweaned 633 3 440.00 $440.00 $2,785 +5.51
651–688 667 102 414.00–418.75 $417.67 $2,786 -10.28
867–871 868 22 342.00–357.00 $352.90 $3,063 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328 328 3 600.00 $600.00 $1,968 -39.17
365–394 382 15 550.00–597.00 $581.66 $2,222 -25.50
413–442 431 28 502.00–548.00 $526.41 $2,269 -55.00
458–473 467 22 470.00–522.00 $490.87 $2,292 -34.06
476 unweaned 476 4 520.00 $520.00 $2,475 +15.00
512–548 532 49 419.00–500.00 $464.59 $2,472 -33.34
562–598 575 99 395.00–470.00 $446.51 $2,567 -25.07
580 unweaned 580 3 441.00 $441.00 $2,558 -23.45
610–638 631 83 379.00–426.00 $407.41 $2,571 -19.57
658–694 684 55 376.50–393.00 $378.66 $2,590 -20.68
713 unweaned 713 13 369.50 $369.50 $2,635 —
704–734 731 84 383.00–385.50 $385.27 $2,816 +29.63
792 792 15 351.50 $351.50 $2,784 -18.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476 476 4 450.00 $450.00 $2,142 -50.00
579–598 581 28 400.00 $400.00 $2,324 -22.48
646 646 5 364.00 $364.00 $2,351 -28.96
742 742 3 330.00 $330.00 $2,449 -5.07
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 358 5 570.00 $570.00 $2,041 —
615 unweaned 615 28 430.50 $430.50 $2,648 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
487 487 4 400.00 $400.00 $1,948 —
697 697 5 351.00 $351.00 $2,446 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
291 291 4 550.00 $550.00 $1,600 —
309–334 324 17 530.00–550.00 $536.78 $1,739 -27.69
392 392 6 512.00 $512.00 $2,007 -68.62
401–449 421 97 431.00–490.00 $457.43 $1,926 -50.29
458–487 466 82 410.00–461.00 $433.59 $2,021 -45.47
481–484 unweaned 482 19 410.00–445.00 $422.95 $2,039 -39.05
512–548 536 192 388.00–434.00 $415.46 $2,227 -44.77
560–580 565 22 380.00–391.00 $388.43 $2,195 -25.93
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–332 319 15 545.00–595.00 $567.24 $1,809 -59.91
379 379 10 555.00–557.00 $556.20 $2,108 -72.34
400–444 423 31 497.00–525.00 $505.09 $2,137 -65.54
450–480 470 12 472.00–493.00 $484.05 $2,275 -21.80
489 489 10 457.00 $457.00 $2,235 -48.85
504–528 517 58 436.00–452.00 $444.34 $2,297 -51.33
562 562 14 401.00 $401.00 $2,254 -30.45
550–582 573 18 400.00–420.00 $408.64 $2,342 -22.81
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327 327 13 461.00 $461.00 $1,507 —
484 484 4 391.00 $391.00 $1,892 -48.27
544 544 14 365.00 $365.00 $1,986 -53.33
726 726 10 326.00 $326.00 $2,367 +6.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 6 645.00 $645.00 $1,870 —
352–394 376 7 535.00–580.00 $561.95 $2,113 -52.77
407–448 419 11 450.00–530.00 $494.31 $2,071 -38.33
468 468 5 517.00 $517.00 $2,420 +14.99
513–523 518 6 492.00–515.00 $503.39 $2,608 +21.88
552 unweaned 552 6 451.00 $451.00 $2,490 —
551–572 559 8 420.00–465.00 $447.73 $2,503 +9.13
644 644 6 407.00 $407.00 $2,621 —
658–668 665 12 393.00–409.00 $403.72 $2,685 —
780 780 5 331.00 $331.00 $2,582 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 11 589.00 $589.00 $2,356 +19.00
450–476 466 8 532.00–540.00 $534.90 $2,493 -20.10
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1505 1505 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)N/A 1 3,700.00 $3,700.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1340 1168 80-85% 39 162.00–184.00 $176.10 $2,057 —
1195–1277 1270 80-85% 11 185.00–185.50 $185.46 $2,355 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–1015 926 85-90% 8 120.00–139.00 $132.78 $1,230 —
955 955 85-90% 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,719 —
860–1095 998 85-90% 23 141.00–174.00 $156.93 $1,566 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1318–1415 1355 75-80% 6 185.00–186.00 $185.83 $2,518 —
1310–1550 1408 75-80% 19 175.00–185.00 $181.70 $2,558 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1225 1173 2 203.00–241.00 $221.15 $2,594 —
1325–1840 1583 2 189.00–190.00 $189.42 $2,999 —
1410–2165 1799 12 204.00–241.00 $227.93 $4,100 —
1840–2040 1917 3 243.00–254.00 $250.48 $4,802 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00
930–1145 1043 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 2,800.00–3,350.00 $3,157.38
980–1274 1194 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 2,250.00–2,600.00 $2,411.35
1145–1235 1196 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 7 2,600.00–3,050.00 $2,854.42
1263–1275 1267 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 3,600.00 $3,600.00
1274–1282 1278 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 13 3,050.00–3,300.00 $3,184.23
Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1360–1578 1411 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 15 2,800.00–3,800.00 $3,416.88
1335–1590 1457 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 3,200.00–3,575.00 $3,449.40

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040 1040 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00
1060 1060 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1300 1300 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 4,250.00 $4,250.00 —
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,600.00 $3,600.00 —
1300–1500 1333 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 4,600.00–5,950.00 $4,825.00 —
1400 1400 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 4,450.00 $4,450.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1100 1100 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,600.00 $3,600.00 +83.33
1200 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 4,150.00 $4,150.00 -316.67
1300 1300 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 4,150.00 $4,150.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,550.00 $4,550.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.