Name: North Wilkesboro Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-03-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter Cattle Mostly Steady Feeder Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Very Good Activity Active Offerings Heavy Quality Attractive Head Calf 800.00

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $411.20/cwt on 21 head, up $53.68 from the prior sale (only 13 head in that comparison). That ranks 17 of 23 comparable sales and sits +25.63 against this barn's trailing median of $385.57.

Average price

$411.20

▲ 53.68 vs prior sale

21 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,263

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$534

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$83.69/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+55.57

vs NC average

−4.92 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	547	433.69	2,371	12thin
Medium and Large 2	568	399.67	2,271	3thin
Medium 1	553	376.40	2,082	5thin
Medium 2	525	350.00	1,838	1thin

One grade step is worth $83.69/cwt here — about $534 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale21 hd

411.20

—

NC average7 barns · 171 hd

355.63

+55.57

National average164 barns · 8,069 hd

416.12

−4.92

This barn, trailing median23 sales

385.57

+25.63

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
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	895	182.00	1,629	1thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,470	160.95	2,366	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,051	142.05	1,494	15

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	705	$1,700	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	905	$2,900	1thin

Every lot, as filed

65 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
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,158	167.69/cwt	154.00–179.00	1,942	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	895	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	1,629	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,470	160.95/cwt	155.00–169.00	2,366	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	951	105.26/cwt	102.00–108.00	1,001	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,004	140.71/cwt	136.00–148.00	1,413	5
Bulls	Medium 1	700–750	700	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,995	1
Bulls	Medium 1	300–350	340	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,649	1
Bulls	Medium 1	500–550	525	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,838	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,300	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	503	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	1,871	3
Bulls	Medium 1	350–400	350	499.00/cwt	499.00–499.00	1,747	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	305	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,586	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	870	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	3,045	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	471.73/cwt	465.00–479.00	2,477	2
Steers	Medium 2	500–550	510	417.00/cwt	417.00–417.00	2,127	4
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	682	358.30/cwt	355.00–360.00	2,444	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	705	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,693	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	600	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	2,670	2
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	417	464.66/cwt	460.00–467.00	1,938	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	425	484.71/cwt	480.00–489.00	2,060	6
Steers	Medium 1	300–350	335	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,658	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	825	352.00/cwt	352.00–352.00	2,904	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	560	434.46/cwt	432.00–437.00	2,433	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,021	1
Steers	Medium 2	750–800	785	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	2,292	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	665	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,540	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	305	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	1,647	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	200	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	700	1
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	491	433.05/cwt	429.00–435.00	2,126	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	568	439.00/cwt	439.00–439.00	2,494	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	650–700	665	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,108	1
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	625	386.00/cwt	386.00–386.00	2,413	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	378	468.41/cwt	465.00–470.00	1,771	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	424	468.17/cwt	460.00–475.00	1,985	8
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	570	379.04/cwt	375.00–385.00	2,161	3
Bred Cows	Medium 2	—	705	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	905	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bulls	Medium 2	300–350	325	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,414	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	343	514.93/cwt	505.00–525.00	1,766	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	200	575.00/cwt	575.00–575.00	1,150	1
Bulls	Medium 2	650–700	650	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,113	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	652	367.00/cwt	367.00–367.00	2,393	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	607	414.85/cwt	412.00–432.00	2,518	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	517	426.26/cwt	422.00–429.00	2,204	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	290	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,436	2
Bulls	Medium 2	600–650	625	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,188	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	360	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	1,854	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	421	441.09/cwt	437.00–447.00	1,857	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	791	367.00/cwt	367.00–367.00	2,903	3
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	528	372.44/cwt	370.00–375.00	1,966	2
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	420	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,764	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	620	402.00/cwt	402.00–402.00	2,492	1
Heifers	Medium 2	650–700	668	272.87/cwt	242.00–315.00	1,823	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	525	399.00/cwt	399.00–399.00	2,095	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	575	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,197	2
Heifers	Medium 2	350–400	383	397.58/cwt	395.00–400.00	1,523	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	590	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,360	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	450	457.00/cwt	457.00–457.00	2,057	1
Heifers	Medium 2	300–350	340	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,615	2
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	525	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,838	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	678	349.51/cwt	349.00–350.00	2,370	2
Heifers	Medium 2	250–300	265	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,020	1
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	350	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,558	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	811	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,676	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	717	334.89/cwt	327.00–339.00	2,401	4

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 Mar 18, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 141Last week 202Year ago 38

Slaughter CattleReceipts 22Last week 32Year ago 12

Replacement CattleReceipts 2Last week 4Year ago 0

Slaughter Cattle Mostly Steady Feeder Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Very Good Activity Active Offerings Heavy Quality Attractive Head Calf 800.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,158	154.00–179.00	167.69
4	—	951	102.00–108.00	105.26
5	—	1,004	136.00–148.00	140.71
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	895	182.00	182.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,470	155.00–169.00	160.95

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	340	485.00	485.00
1	350–400	350	499.00	499.00
1	500–550	525	350.00	350.00
1	700–750	700	285.00	285.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	575.00	575.00
2	300–350	343	505.00–525.00	514.93
1	350–400	360	515.00	515.00
4	400–450	421	437.00–447.00	441.09
3	500–550	503	372.00	372.00
2	550–600	575	382.00	382.00
7	600–650	607	412.00–432.00	414.85
2	650–700	652	367.00	367.00
1	700–750	730	315.00	315.00
3	750–800	791	367.00	367.00
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	325	435.00	435.00
1	600–650	625	350.00	350.00
1	650–700	650	325.00	325.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	305	520.00	520.00
6	400–450	425	480.00–489.00	484.71
1	450–500	470	430.00	430.00
2	500–550	525	465.00–479.00	471.73
2	550–600	560	432.00–437.00	434.46
2	600–650	600	445.00	445.00
1	650–700	665	382.00	382.00
1	700–750	705	382.00	382.00
2	800–850	825	352.00	352.00
1	850–900	870	350.00	350.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	510	417.00	417.00
1	750–800	785	292.00	292.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	335	495.00	495.00
6	400–450	417	460.00–467.00	464.66
1	600–650	625	386.00	386.00
3	650–700	682	355.00–360.00	358.30
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	665	317.00	317.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	350.00	350.00
2	250–300	290	495.00	495.00
1	300–350	305	540.00	540.00
3	350–400	378	465.00–470.00	468.41
8	400–450	424	460.00–475.00	468.17
1	450–500	450	457.00	457.00
5	500–550	517	422.00–429.00	426.26
7	550–600	568	439.00	439.00
1	600–650	620	402.00	402.00
2	650–700	678	349.00–350.00	349.51
4	700–750	717	327.00–339.00	334.89
8	800–850	811	330.00	330.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	350	445.00	445.00
6	450–500	491	429.00–435.00	433.05
2	500–550	528	370.00–375.00	372.44
3	550–600	570	375.00–385.00	379.04
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	265	385.00	385.00
2	300–350	340	475.00	475.00
2	350–400	383	395.00–400.00	397.58
1	400–450	420	420.00	420.00
1	500–550	525	350.00	350.00
3	650–700	668	242.00–315.00	272.87
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	525	399.00	399.00
2	550–600	590	400.00	400.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	705	1,700.00	1,700.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	905	2,900.00	2,900.00

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

Slaughter Cattle

Feeder Cattle

Replacement Cattle