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400–500 lb steer prices this week

National sale barn average, head-weighted, from USDA reports

MARKET REPORT - WEEK OF AUGUST 17, 2026

By state this week

StateAvg price ($/cwt)On (head)
Alabama$457.4211
Arkansas$451.9751
Florida$425.83122
Georgia$431.3210
Missouri$470.9987
Mississippi$436.3232
Montana$457.9240
North Carolina$416.2235
Nebraska$492.4129
New Mexico$461.70154
Oklahoma$465.05491
South Carolina$413.279
Tennessee$417.7330
Texas$445.1466
Utah$452.4963
Virginia$421.6827

Recent weeks

$450$455$459$463$467$454August 9, 2026: $451August 16, 2026: $466August 23, 2026: $454
400–500 lb M&L 1 steers, national head-weighted average by week.

Common questions

How much is a 450 lb steer worth right now?

At this week's national sale barn average of $454.58/cwt, a 450 lb Medium & Large 1 steer brings about $2,046 before commission and yardage. Your local barn's average may differ; check the state table on this page.

Why do lighter cattle bring more per pound?

Because the buyer is paying for the pounds still to be added: a 450 lb calf has more cheap gain ahead of it than an 850 lb feeder. Price per cwt slides down as weight goes up even while total dollars per head go up.

What is this average based on?

Every 400-500 lb Medium & Large 1 steer line in the USDA reports of our 81 tracked barns, weighted by the head count of each line. Small, untested runs move the number less than big runs, by design.

Other classes: 500–600 lb · 600–700 lb · 700–800 lb · 800–900 lb · all weights · cull cows

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