Name: North Wilkesboro Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-02-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-02-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter Cattle 9.00 To 14.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 35.00 To 84.00 Higher Demand Very Good Activity Active Offerings Average Quality Average To Attractive

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $458.97/cwt on 52 head, up $88.61 from the prior sale (only 11 head in that comparison). That ranks 23 of 23 comparable sales and sits +73.40 against this barn's trailing median of $385.57.

Average price

$458.97

▲ 88.61 vs prior sale

52 head · 559 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,564

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$602

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$115.26/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+68.45

vs NC average

+29.80 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	552	515.01	2,845	17thin
Medium and Large 2	562	444.56	2,497	25
Medium 2	561	399.75	2,243	10thin

One grade step is worth $115.26/cwt here — about $602 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

23 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $458.97, low $348.08, median $385.57 across 23 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 sale52 hd

458.97

—

NC average9 barns · 340 hd

390.52

+68.45

National average184 barns · 15,729 hd

429.17

+29.80

This barn, trailing median23 sales

385.57

+73.40

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,463	205.19	3,002	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,440	167.50	2,412	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	830	152.50	1,266	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,137	148.81	1,692	7thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	950	$2,800	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,050	$2,200	1thin

Every lot, as filed

62 lots · USDA AMS · Wilkes Livestock Exchange - North Wilkesboro, NC

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	547	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	3,227	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	450	486.75/cwt	480.00–489.00	2,190	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	347.00/cwt	347.00–347.00	2,533	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	2,719	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	270	430.83/cwt	415.00–445.00	1,163	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	240	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,056	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	423	521.03/cwt	500.00–524.00	2,204	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	325	667.98/cwt	667.00–670.00	2,171	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	357	550.05/cwt	540.00–560.00	1,964	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	291	640.00/cwt	640.00–640.00	1,862	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	400	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	2,380	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	595	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,231	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	950	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	420	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	2,310	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	567	427.33/cwt	424.00–431.00	2,423	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	240	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,260	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,050	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	382	506.46/cwt	480.00–530.00	1,935	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	335	471.47/cwt	445.00–495.00	1,579	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	377	574.38/cwt	535.00–600.00	2,165	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	488	421.13/cwt	405.00–435.00	2,055	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	320	533.59/cwt	525.00–540.00	1,707	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	253	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,328	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	450	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,800	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	487	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,435	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,500	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	2,355	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,048	114.53/cwt	110.00–120.00	1,200	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,140	172.87/cwt	162.00–183.00	1,971	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,195	155.63/cwt	155.00–156.00	1,860	3
Bulls	—	—	1,250	194.86/cwt	190.00–200.00	2,436	2
Bulls	—	—	1,605	212.07/cwt	205.00–216.00	3,404	3
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	510	408.10/cwt	385.00–420.00	2,081	3
Bulls	Medium 2	300–350	305	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,678	1
Bulls	Medium 2	600–650	610	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,830	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	770	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,070	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	890	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,477	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,380	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	2,456	1
Bulls	Medium 2	500–550	518	481.55/cwt	449.00–500.00	2,494	13
Bulls	Medium 2	450–500	493	429.90/cwt	410.00–450.00	2,119	2
Bulls	Medium 2	400–450	435	462.00/cwt	462.00–462.00	2,010	1
Heifers	Medium 2	600–650	600	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,800	1
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	583	396.17/cwt	390.00–406.00	2,310	7
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	413	422.53/cwt	410.00–427.00	1,745	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	416	508.83/cwt	495.00–525.00	2,117	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	520	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	3,068	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	610	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,257	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	534	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	2,857	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	423	471.31/cwt	450.00–495.00	1,994	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	310	635.00/cwt	635.00–635.00	1,969	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	328	672.56/cwt	670.00–675.00	2,206	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	850	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,975	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	630	400.98/cwt	399.00–402.00	2,526	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	359	645.39/cwt	635.00–649.00	2,317	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	675.00/cwt	675.00–675.00	3,544	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	434.34/cwt	430.00–445.00	2,489	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	510	502.00/cwt	502.00–502.00	2,560	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	405	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	2,471	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	150–200	190	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	846	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	680	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,822	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	464	527.42/cwt	522.00–529.00	2,447	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	395	615.00/cwt	615.00–615.00	2,429	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	554	491.93/cwt	449.00–500.00	2,725	13

How this sale compares

North Carolina weighted averages

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

North Carolina feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Wilkes Livestock Exchange - North Wilkesboro, NC

Wed Feb 18, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Raleigh, NC (RA-LS)

Feeder CattleReceipts 219Last week 105Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 16Last week 22Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 2Last week 4Year ago 0

Slaughter Cattle 9.00 To 14.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 35.00 To 84.00 Higher Demand Very Good Activity Active Offerings Average Quality Average To Attractive

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	190	445.00	445.00
1	200–250	240	440.00	440.00
2	250–300	270	415.00–445.00	430.83
3	300–350	320	525.00–540.00	533.59
3	350–400	357	540.00–560.00	550.05
21	400–450	423	500.00–524.00	521.03
4	450–500	450	480.00–489.00	486.75
4	500–550	547	590.00	590.00
13	550–600	554	449.00–500.00	491.93
3	700–750	730	347.00	347.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	335	445.00–495.00	471.47
3	350–400	382	480.00–530.00	506.46
7	400–450	423	450.00–495.00	471.31
5	450–500	488	405.00–435.00	421.13
4	500–550	534	535.00	535.00
21	550–600	567	424.00–431.00	427.33
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	413	410.00–427.00	422.53
3	500–550	510	385.00–420.00	408.10
7	550–600	583	390.00–406.00	396.17
1	600–650	600	300.00	300.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	240	525.00	525.00
4	250–300	291	640.00	640.00
3	300–350	325	667.00–670.00	667.98
4	350–400	359	635.00–649.00	645.39
1	400–450	400	595.00	595.00
7	450–500	464	522.00–529.00	527.42
1	500–550	525	675.00	675.00
8	550–600	573	430.00–445.00	434.34
3	600–650	630	399.00–402.00	400.98
1	650–700	685	397.00	397.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	253	525.00	525.00
1	300–350	310	635.00	635.00
9	350–400	377	535.00–600.00	574.38
5	400–450	416	495.00–525.00	508.83
5	450–500	487	500.00	500.00
2	500–550	520	590.00	590.00
1	550–600	595	375.00	375.00
1	600–650	610	370.00	370.00
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	305	550.00	550.00
1	400–450	435	462.00	462.00
2	450–500	493	410.00–450.00	429.90
13	500–550	518	449.00–500.00	481.55
1	600–650	610	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	420	550.00	550.00
1	450–500	450	400.00	400.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	328	670.00–675.00	672.56
1	350–400	395	615.00	615.00
1	400–450	405	610.00	610.00
1	500–550	510	502.00	502.00
5	650–700	680	415.00	415.00
1	850–900	850	350.00	350.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	950	2,800.00	2,800.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,050	2,200.00	2,200.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,500	157.00	157.00
1	—	1,380	178.00	178.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,048	110.00–120.00	114.53
2	—	1,140	162.00–183.00	172.87
3	—	1,195	155.00–156.00	155.63
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	770	139.00	139.00
1	—	890	166.00	166.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,250	190.00–200.00	194.86
3	—	1,605	205.00–216.00	212.07

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

North Wilkesboro Livestock Auction

Reporter comment USDA

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Wilkes Livestock Exchange - North Wilkesboro, NC

Feeder Cattle

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle