Sale reports / Texas / Lonestar Stockyards / 2026-03-31

Lonestar Stockyards

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Wildorado, Texas · Tue, Mar 31
● Final68 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 3365
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,592 head
79 vs last sale 1,513 1,053 vs year ago 539 · +195.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
25 head
9 vs last sale 16 44 vs year ago 69 · 63.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
160 head
31 vs last sale 129 101 vs year ago 59 · +171.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers traded 2.00 to 7.00 higher, in line with stronger futures, which have closed well into the green the past two days. Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested last week for a market trend, but a much higher undertone was noted. Trading activity was active on very good buyer demand. Quality was mixed, with the bulk of the offering consisting of yearlings coming off the short wheat or out of backgrounding yards. Slaughter cows and bulls traded 1.00 to 3.00 higher on a light test.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $504.03/cwt on 33 head, up $68.15 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 27 of 28 comparable sales and sits +57.26 against this barn's trailing median of $446.77.
Average price
$504.03
68.15 vs prior sale
33 head · 515 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,596
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$165
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$47.26/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+34.18
vs TX average
+20.85 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1521522.262,72119thin
Medium and Large 2502480.002,41012thin
Medium and Large 1-2538475.002,5562thin
One grade step is worth $47.26/cwt here — about $165 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

28 sales
531480430380median 446.7712/1602/2404/1406/1608/18
Steers 500–600 lb: high $516.73, low $393.85, median $446.77 across 28 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale33 hd
504.03
TX average5 barns · 415 hd
469.85
+34.18
National average169 barns · 10,003 hd
483.18
+20.85
This barn, trailing median28 sales
446.77
+57.26
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,440202.002,9091thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,207163.231,96910
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,440161.002,3181thin
CowsLean 85-90%High1,027160.401,64711

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,183$3,79315
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,166$3,35135
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,213$3,2532thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,207$2,3388
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,090$2,22520
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,153$3,8513thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)925$3,2745
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,230$4,1001thin
BullsN/A(<2 yrs)1,113$3,4747
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,100$3,3698
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,080$3,05012

Every lot, as filed

68 lots · USDA AMS · Lonestar Stockyards - Wildorado, TX
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500453592.20/cwt570.00–593.002,68358
SteersMedium and Large 1Fleshy500–550549460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,5256
SteersMedium and Large 1-21050–11001,079273.00/cwt273.00–273.002,94613
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750722375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,70861
SteersMedium and Large 1-2900–950904332.00/cwt332.00–332.003,00156
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850815321.00/cwt321.00–321.002,61610
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800798333.00/cwt333.00–333.002,65769
SteersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000963304.00/cwt304.00–304.002,9282
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700676345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,33212
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450409540.00/cwt540.00–540.002,20922
SteersMedium and Large 1900–950904335.00/cwt335.00–335.003,02831
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650622415.12/cwt380.00–417.002,58279
SteersMedium and Large 1-2850–900885335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,96512
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550538475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,5562
SteersMedium and Large 2500–550502480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,41012
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800779354.58/cwt349.00–359.002,762109
SteersMedium and Large 1950–1000968314.00/cwt314.00–314.003,0405
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450418575.00/cwt575.00–575.002,4043
SteersMedium and Large 1-2800–850824340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,8028
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550508551.00/cwt551.00–551.002,79913
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500474527.69/cwt505.00–550.002,5014
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750732381.00/cwt381.00–381.002,78933
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800785367.76/cwt365.00–369.002,88790
SteersMedium and Large 1300–350313670.00/cwt670.00–670.002,0972
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700687408.97/cwt407.00–419.002,81051
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650622434.87/cwt432.00–436.002,70524
SteersMedium and Large 1800–850825355.54/cwt353.50–359.002,93316
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700670401.98/cwt397.00–405.002,69330
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700687357.42/cwt357.00–358.502,45532
HeifersMedium and Large 1800–850826327.86/cwt326.00–329.002,70847
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800766344.05/cwt339.00–345.502,635202
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400394531.11/cwt515.00–535.002,09310
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750712365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,59964
BullsMedium and Large 1750–800773325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,5124
CowsLean 85-90%1,115174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,9401
CowsBoner 80-85%1,500140.00/cwt140.00–140.002,1001
CowsBoner 80-85%1,170165.25/cwt162.00–168.001,9335
CowsBoner 80-85%1,220159.01/cwt157.50–161.001,9402
CowsBoner 80-85%1,138174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,9802
CowsLean 85-90%1,131163.93/cwt160.00–171.001,8544
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,440161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,3181
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight923146.94/cwt142.00–152.501,3563
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight963164.63/cwt159.00–168.001,5853
Bulls1,440202.00/cwt202.00–202.002,9091
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1963291.09/cwt285.00–305.002,8033
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,055189.91/cwt187.50–192.002,0042
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2133,253.20/head3,200.00–3,300.003,2532
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,0803,050.00/head3,050.00–3,050.003,05012
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,2994,250.00/head4,250.00–4,250.004,2505
Cow-Calf PairsMedium 2-37681,901.74/head1,850.00–2,000.001,9023
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0732,836.65/head2,700.00–2,900.002,83712
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0902,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,22520
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1833,793.45/head3,700.00–4,000.003,79315
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0272,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3003
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,1533,851.45/head3,700.00–4,100.003,8513
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 19253,274.01/head2,950.00–3,500.003,2745
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2143,619.83/head3,450.00–4,200.003,62023
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3152,361.29/head2,350.00–2,400.002,3615
BullsMedium and Large 11,2304,100.00/head4,100.00–4,100.004,1001
BullsMedium and Large 11,1133,473.75/head3,100.00–3,750.003,4747
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500459500.00/cwt486.00–502.002,29542
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750735346.12/cwt335.00–350.002,54431
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement650–700661380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,51225
HeifersMedium and Large 1Replacement750–800791364.00/cwt364.00–364.002,87919
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600591372.00/cwt372.00–372.002,1995
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550544400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,1764
HeifersMedium and Large 1900–950921302.00/cwt302.00–302.002,78124
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650636362.26/cwt361.00–363.002,30411

How this sale compares

Texas weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Texas auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.