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McDonald County, MO

Cattle prices near McDonald County, Missouri. The closest sale barn with a recent report is Exeter in Exeter, MO, about 23 miles away. On Nov 10, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $397.71 per hundredweight on 134 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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CRP emergency haying & grazing: McDonald County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought ExtremeD3 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 5 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county Exeter 5-wt steers $398▲ $25 since last sale

McDonald County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of McDonald County, MO was in extreme drought (D3), with 46% at exceptional drought (D4); week 12 in a row with some severe drought (D2) or worse. Rain has run 21% of normal over the last 30 days (well below normal); the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain) and the NWS forecast peaks at a 40% rain chance on Saturday (high 69°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes McDonald County with up to 5 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is Exeter, 23 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 21% of normal
  • Last 60 days 57% of normal
  • Last 90 days not read yet

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans wetter than normal (50% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans toward near-normal rain

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Sunny, high 57°, low 30°, 0% rain, wind 5–7 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 60°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 1–5 mph
  3. Tuesday Sunny, high 63°, low 40°, 0% rain, wind 3–7 mph
  4. Wednesday Sunny, high 66°, low 51°, 10% rain, wind 6–13 mph
  5. Thursday Partly Sunny, high 68°, low 52°, 12% rain, wind 6–7 mph
  6. Friday Mostly Sunny, high 72°, low 55°, 7% rain, wind 6–15 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 69°, low 43°, 40% rain, wind 5–16 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026

The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for McDonald County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.

How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool

Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.

McDonald County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in McDonald County grew about 3,419 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 101% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 3,375 pounds per acre. That was the 14th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2007 at 3,813 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,292.

Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.

Open loss windows

No open loss windows in McDonald County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

McDonald County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (severe or worse drought, Sep 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026).

Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.

Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
Exeter 23 miNov 10$398
Siloam Springs 32 miNov 12$402
Joplin 32 miNov 9$386
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

Exeter 23 mi

Exeter, MO
Sale of Nov 10, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb142372.64$1,680
Heifers 500-599 lb204345.23$1,900
Heifers 600-699 lb160321.80$2,090
Heifers 700-799 lb10290.50$2,180
Steers 400-499 lb107415.04$1,870
Steers 500-599 lb134397.71$2,190
Steers 600-699 lb103370.84$2,410
Steers 700-799 lb9330.62$2,480

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Siloam Springs 32 mi

Siloam Springs, AR
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb95389.98$1,750
Heifers 500-599 lb93338.01$1,860
Heifers 600-699 lb44300.20$1,950
Heifers 700-799 lb1287.00$2,150
Steers 400-499 lb50445.49$2,000
Steers 500-599 lb79401.51$2,210
Steers 600-699 lb59353.67$2,300
Steers 700-799 lb16325.75$2,440

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Joplin 32 mi

Carthage, MO
Sale of Nov 9, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb101385.60$1,740
Heifers 500-599 lb92342.14$1,880
Heifers 600-699 lb92324.71$2,110
Heifers 700-799 lb63306.96$2,300
Steers 400-499 lb47433.15$1,950
Steers 500-599 lb159386.08$2,120
Steers 600-699 lb177360.16$2,340
Steers 700-799 lb173333.96$2,500

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

18 more within 200 mi: Green Forest AR (55 mi), Springfield MO (70 mi), Ozark AR (83 mi), Tulsa (93 mi), Ratcliff (95 mi), Osceola MO (104 mi), Phillipsburg MO (107 mi), Butler MO (113 mi), West Plains MO (137 mi), Windsor MO (139 mi), McAlester (142 mi), Kingsville MO (147 mi), Heber Springs AR (151 mi), Ash Flat AR (155 mi), Vienna MO (170 mi), Searcy AR (175 mi), Ada (183 mi), Cuba MO (190 mi).

Text me McDonald County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. Four State Stockyards Exeter, MO 23 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 10, 2026
  2. Benton County Sale Barn Siloam Springs, AR 32 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  3. Joplin Regional Stockyards (feeder cattle) Carthage, MO 32 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  4. Green Forest Stockyards Green Forest, AR 55 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026
  5. Springfield Livestock Market (feeder cattle) Springfield, MO 70 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Other barns nearby (not USDA-reported)

These barns are not in a USDA AMS report, so Cownty shows no prices for them. Sale days and phones come from the barns' own sites or public listings; call the barn to confirm. More barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Missouri

Common questions and nearby counties

Is McDonald County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. McDonald County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 5 monthly payments for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in McDonald County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of McDonald County was in extreme drought (D3), and the worst part was exceptional drought (D4) on 46% of the county. 12 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in McDonald County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Missouri; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near McDonald County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: Exeter (23 mi), last report Nov 10, 2026; Siloam Springs (32 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Green Forest AR (55 mi), last report Nov 11, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.

Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)

Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.