Name: North Wilkesboro Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter Cattle Mostly Steady Feeder Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Heavy Quality Average To Attractive Head Calves 420.00 To 700.00

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $428.32/cwt on 47 head, up $58.18 from the prior sale. That ranks 21 of 23 comparable sales and sits +42.75 against this barn's trailing median of $385.57.

Average price

$428.32

▲ 58.18 vs prior sale

47 head · 516 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,212

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$173

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$62.54/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+56.40

vs NC average

+0.42 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	513	433.64	2,225	43
Medium and Large 2	553	371.10	2,051	4thin

One grade step is worth $62.54/cwt here — about $173 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale47 hd

428.32

—

NC average9 barns · 365 hd

371.92

+56.40

National average182 barns · 12,459 hd

427.90

+0.42

This barn, trailing median23 sales

385.57

+42.75

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	—	Low	1,403	183.97	2,580	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,345	159.56	2,146	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,104	147.94	1,633	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	824	106.85	881	5thin

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)	1,195	$2,164	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	980	$2,150	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,115	$1,950	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,030	$1,775	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	995	$1,288	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	837	$2,662	9

Every lot, as filed

75 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	900–950	945	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,693	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	245	605.00/cwt	605.00–605.00	1,482	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	750	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,738	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	660	422.00/cwt	422.00–422.00	2,785	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	920	1,924.46/head	1,900.00–1,950.00	1,924	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	605	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,990	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	474	469.89/cwt	415.00–485.00	2,227	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	522	476.99/cwt	474.00–508.00	2,490	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	695	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,085	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	505	457.00/cwt	457.00–457.00	2,308	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,140	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,195	2,163.78/head	1,850.00–2,500.00	2,164	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,380	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	567	434.46/cwt	427.00–470.00	2,463	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	631	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	2,284	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	945	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	295	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,165	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	498	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,892	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	525	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	1,953	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	273	615.30/cwt	610.00–625.00	1,680	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	900	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,565	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	455.20/cwt	425.00–485.00	1,721	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	388	484.71/cwt	470.00–500.00	1,881	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	400–450	420	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,491	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	300–350	330	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	990	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,030	1,775.00/head	1,775.00–1,775.00	1,775	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	980	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,763	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	568	422.47/cwt	420.00–425.00	2,400	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	415.92/cwt	412.00–420.00	2,142	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	562	370.80/cwt	360.00–382.00	2,084	3
Bulls	—	—	1,215	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,640	1
Bulls	—	—	1,410	188.93/cwt	188.00–190.00	2,664	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	883	113.41/cwt	107.00–120.00	1,001	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	830	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,079	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,028	163.92/cwt	160.00–170.00	1,685	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,187	152.68/cwt	143.00–158.00	1,812	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,000	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,350	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	720	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,268	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	512	433.85/cwt	410.00–455.00	2,221	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	940	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	2,651	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	558	473.53/cwt	467.00–480.00	2,642	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	880	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,860	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	700	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	2,534	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	290	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,378	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	755	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,227	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	325	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,495	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	383	424.56/cwt	412.00–450.00	1,626	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	433	527.00/cwt	527.00–527.00	2,282	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	503.71/cwt	495.00–508.00	2,362	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	416	448.39/cwt	400.00–460.00	1,865	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	323	571.82/cwt	555.00–590.00	1,847	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	460	437.91/cwt	432.00–449.00	2,014	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	435	467.00/cwt	467.00–467.00	2,031	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	555	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,359	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	295	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	1,800	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	390	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,106	2
Steers	Medium and Large 3	450–500	450	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,463	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	347.00/cwt	347.00–347.00	2,394	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	542	414.05/cwt	375.00–427.00	2,244	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,486	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	468	440.82/cwt	430.00–452.00	2,063	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	373	524.53/cwt	490.00–550.00	1,956	4
Dairy Steers	Large 3	700–750	735	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,352	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 2	—	787	2,915.47/head	2,475.00–3,600.00	2,915	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 2	—	795	2,905.56/head	1,850.00–3,600.00	2,906	3
Bred Cows	Medium 2	—	850	900.00/head	900.00–900.00	900	1
Bred Cows	Medium 2	—	850	1,750.00/head	1,750.00–1,750.00	1,750	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	550–600	568	275.33/cwt	250.00–300.00	1,564	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	763	88.72/cwt	80.00–100.00	677	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	920	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,049	1
Bulls	—	—	1,575	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	3,512	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	925	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	740	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,275	170.86/cwt	167.00–175.00	2,178	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,392	152.03/cwt	150.00–153.00	2,116	3

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 May 6, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 165Last week 167Year ago 57

Slaughter CattleReceipts 28Last week 32Year ago 1

Replacement CattleReceipts 19Last week 0Year ago 4

Slaughter Cattle Mostly Steady Feeder Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Heavy Quality Average To Attractive Head Calves 420.00 To 700.00

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	475.00	475.00
1	300–350	325	460.00	460.00
3	350–400	383	412.00–450.00	424.56
8	400–450	416	400.00–460.00	448.39
3	450–500	460	432.00–449.00	437.91
42	500–550	512	410.00–455.00	433.85
1	550–600	555	425.00	425.00
7	600–650	631	362.00	362.00
1	650–700	695	300.00	300.00
1	750–800	755	295.00	295.00
1	900–950	945	285.00	285.00
1	1000–1050	1,000	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	395.00	395.00
4	450–500	498	380.00	380.00
1	500–550	525	372.00	372.00
3	550–600	562	360.00–382.00	370.80
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	605.00	605.00
1	250–300	295	610.00	610.00
2	350–400	390	540.00	540.00
4	400–450	433	527.00	527.00
5	450–500	469	495.00–508.00	503.71
11	500–550	522	474.00–508.00	476.99
2	550–600	558	467.00–480.00	473.53
1	650–700	660	422.00	422.00
1	700–750	700	362.00	362.00
1	750–800	750	365.00	365.00
1	850–900	880	325.00	325.00
1	900–950	940	282.00	282.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	388	470.00–500.00	484.71
1	400–450	410	430.00	430.00
4	450–500	468	430.00–452.00	440.82
4	500–550	542	375.00–427.00	414.05
1	550–600	585	425.00	425.00
1	650–700	690	347.00	347.00
Steers — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	450	325.00	325.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	273	610.00–625.00	615.30
4	300–350	323	555.00–590.00	571.82
4	350–400	373	490.00–550.00	524.53
1	400–450	435	467.00	467.00
8	450–500	474	415.00–485.00	469.89
1	500–550	505	457.00	457.00
6	550–600	567	427.00–470.00	434.46
1	600–650	605	329.00	329.00
1	700–750	720	315.00	315.00
1	900–950	900	285.00	285.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	378	425.00–485.00	455.20
2	500–550	515	412.00–420.00	415.92
2	550–600	568	420.00–425.00	422.47
Bulls — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	330	300.00	300.00
1	400–450	420	355.00	355.00
2	550–600	568	250.00–300.00	275.33
Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	735	320.00	320.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	920	1,900.00–1,950.00	1,924.46
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	945	2,650.00	2,650.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	787	2,475.00–3,600.00	2,915.47
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	795	1,850.00–3,600.00	2,905.56
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,140	1,675.00	1,675.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	—	1,195	1,850.00–2,500.00	2,163.78
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,380	2,150.00	2,150.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,030	1,775.00	1,775.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	980	2,150.00	2,150.00
Bred Cows — Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	850	900.00	900.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	850	1,750.00	1,750.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,215	135.00	135.00
2	—	1,410	188.00–190.00	188.93
1	—	1,575	223.00	223.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	883	107.00–120.00	113.41
1	—	830	130.00	130.00
2	—	763	80.00–100.00	88.72
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,028	160.00–170.00	163.92
8	—	1,187	143.00–158.00	152.68
1	—	920	114.00	114.00
1	—	925	80.00	80.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,275	167.00–175.00	170.86
3	—	1,392	150.00–153.00	152.03

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