Records book

The highest USDA has ever reported · and where the market sits today

Where the market stands

7 series

Nothing is at a record this week. The closest is feeder steers, 800–900 lb at 92.0% of its high, set Oct 13, 2025.

Every record, and today against it

Closest to its own high first
SeriesRecord highWhenLatest% of highRecords from
Feeder steers, 800–900 lb369.40Oct 13, 2025339.7692.0%Aug 28, 2017
Feeder steers, 500–600 lbThe weight the trade quotes. Weekly, every reported auction.490.83Apr 6434.6888.6%Aug 28, 2017
Feeder heifers, 500–600 lb437.65Jan 26371.5284.9%Aug 28, 2017
Cow cutoutWhat the grinding beef in a cull cow is worth.364.97May 20307.1284.2%May 9, 2022
Choice boxed beef cutoutThe afternoon close, which is the one the trade quotes.475.39May 12, 2020369.4777.7%Jan 5, 2004
Select boxed beef cutout452.97May 11, 2020350.4177.4%Jan 5, 2004
Choice–Select spreadWhat grading is worth on the whole carcass — it pays in the middle meats.39.74Jun 21, 202119.0648.0%Jan 5, 2004
"Record" means as far back as USDA's series goes, and they do not all start together — the last column says when each one begins. Boxed beef runs to 2001; the feeder rollup only to 2017. A 2017-deep record is a real record and a much shorter memory, and the page will not blur the two. All figures are $/cwt as USDA reported them USDA.

And the lows

Same windows
SeriesRecord lowWhenLatest is above it by
Feeder steers, 800–900 lb112.87Apr 6, 2020201%
Feeder steers, 500–600 lb138.27Sep 9, 2019214%
Feeder heifers, 500–600 lb122.47Sep 9, 2019203%
Cow cutout186.77Dec 8, 202264%
Choice boxed beef cutout123.92Feb 12, 2004198%
Select boxed beef cutout117.23Feb 12, 2004199%
Choice–Select spread−3.80Mar 25−602%

About these records

These are nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. A 2001 record and a 2026 one are not the same money, and the gap matters most on boxed beef, where the window is twenty-five years. Adjusting would need CPI, which is not USDA data, and this site keeps to USDA sources — so the figures stand as reported and the caveat stands with them.

Fed cattle is deliberately absent. USDA files more than one row per day for a single class and selling basis, and until it is settled which of them is the quoted series, a maximum over them would be an arbitrary number sitting under the word "record". The fed cattle desk handles that properly. Related: boxed beef, feeder prices by state and cull cows. Source: USDA AMS. This site is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the USDA.