The Morning Wire / North Carolina / Mon Oct 26, 2026

North Carolina cattle market

The trading day in one page — Mon, Oct 26

● 4 barns reportedEvery figure as filedNational wire →

← Oct 24Oct 26Oct 27 →

The market in a line

Mon, Oct 26

Choice cutout closed $3.65 higher at $369.44. 4 North Carolina barns reported 327 priced lots.

Feeder steers

North Carolina, 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 state figure. Watch the barn count: a weight class carried by one or two barns is a thin figure, not a market.

Weight	Price	vs prior week	Head	Barns
300-399 lb	405.94/cwt	$20.72 lower	27	7
400-499 lb	377.56/cwt	$13.87 lower	59	7
500-599 lb	354.79/cwt	$4.52 higher	84	7
600-699 lb	320.53/cwt	$7.63 higher	59	7
700-799 lb	301.11/cwt	$2.55 lower	31	6
800-899 lb	282.76/cwt	$11.21 lower	19	4

Boxed beef

National · PM close · Oct 26 USDA

Choice $369.44, $3.65 higher. Select $357.56, $4.87 higher. The Choice–Select spread stands at $11.88. 89 loads traded.

Fed cattle

National · Negotiated cash, week to date USDA

391 head traded Oct 17–Oct 23.

Region	Basis	Price	Head
Iowa-Minnesota	Dressed Delivered	354.50	152
Iowa-Minnesota	Live FOB	225.66	239

At the North Carolina barns

USDA market reporters, as filed USDA

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady, while feeder cattle were mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average. 22 head Sheep: 160.00 - 370.00; 78 head Goats: 50.00 - 325.00
Turnersburg Livestock Auction · North Carolina

Slaughter Cattle14.00 Yo 17.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 9.00 To 14.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Average To Attractive 2 Hogs
Canton Livestock Auction · North Carolina

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were mostly steady. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.
Southeastern Livestock Auction · North Carolina

Slaughter cattle were 2.00 lower this week compared to last week . Feeder cattle were steady this week compared to last week . Demand was moderate ; market activity and buyer interest were moderate . Offerings light with quality average .
Siler City Livestock Auction · North Carolina

Cows and bulls

National direct, dressed USDA

Class	Price	Direction	Head
Breaker (75% lean)	243.48/cwt	$2.44 lower	628
Boner (85% lean)	250.13/cwt	$1.17 lower	1,980
Cutter (90% lean)	253.64/cwt	$1.94 lower	4,027
Premium White	261.10/cwt	$3.64 lower	1,492
Bull (92% lean)	315.79/cwt	$2.96 lower	474

What published

See every report →

Every USDA report carried this date is listed in the archive.

Source: USDA AMS. Feeder prices and barn comment are North Carolina only; boxed beef, fed cattle and the cow market are national, because those markets are. 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.