Cattle Prices Today: Live & Dressed Fed Cattle Prices (5-Area)
Today’s fed cattle prices from the USDA’s 5-area report: the weighted average price packers paid for live and dressed steers and heifers in negotiated cash trades. The five areas are Texas/Oklahoma/New Mexico, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado and Iowa/Minnesota, where most US fed cattle are sold.
Last updated: September 28, 2026
A price trend chart will appear here as daily data builds up.
5-area negotiated cash cattle (all grades)
| Type | Head | Price range ($/cwt) | Avg. price ($/cwt) | Avg. weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dressed steers | 503 | $350.00 – $350.00 | $350.00 | 1,006 lb |
| Dressed heifers | 196 | $350.00 – $350.00 | $350.00 | 890 lb |
$/cwt = dollars per hundredweight (100 lb). A live price of $220/cwt means $2.20 per pound of live weight.
Source: USDA AMS Market News, 5 Area Daily Weighted Average Direct Slaughter Cattle – Negotiated, report for September 28, 2026. Prices are end-of-day USDA figures, not live quotes, and can differ from what your local buyer pays. Updated every weekday evening. Not financial advice.
Looking for older prices? See cattle price history: yearly and monthly USDA prices with long-term charts.
Understanding Cattle Prices
- Live price: the price per hundredweight (cwt, 100 lb) of the animal’s live weight at the feedlot.
- Dressed price: the price per cwt of the carcass weight after slaughter. Dressed prices are higher per pound because a carcass is roughly 62–64% of live weight.
- Fed cattle vs feeder cattle: fed (slaughter) cattle are finished animals ready for processing. Feeder cattle are younger calves sold to feedlots, and are priced separately at auctions.
- Negotiated cash: prices agreed on the spot, as opposed to formula or contract sales.
Example: What Is a Steer Worth?
At a live price of $220/cwt, a 1,500 lb (680 kg) fed steer is worth about 15 × $220 = $3,300 before any premiums, discounts or fees.
What Moves Cattle Prices
- The size of the US cattle herd, which rebuilds slowly after droughts
- Feed costs, especially corn and hay
- Consumer beef demand and boxed beef prices
- Seasonal patterns in grilling season and holiday demand
- Imports, exports and animal disease news
Thinking about a small herd? Read our guide to the most profitable farm animals, and see all farm market prices.
FAQ
What is the price of cattle per pound today?
Divide the live price per cwt by 100. For example, $220/cwt is $2.20 per pound of live weight.
What does cwt mean?
Hundredweight: 100 pounds (45.4 kg). Livestock is traded in dollars per cwt.
Why are there sometimes no prices for a day?
If packers and feedlots made no reportable negotiated trades that day, USDA reports “no reportable trades”. The latest available prices stay on the page.
Is this financial advice?
No. These are public USDA prices for information only.