Name: North Wilkesboro Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-09-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 10.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Attractive

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $323.22/cwt on 14 head, up $3.69 from the prior sale (only 15 head in that comparison). That ranks 2 of 27 comparable sales and sits −56.49 against this barn's trailing median of $379.72.

Average price

$323.22

▲ 3.69 vs prior sale

14 head · 559 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,808

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$343

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$49.96/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+13.61

vs NC average

−31.09 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	570	341.30	1,946	7thin
Medium 1	548	315.49	1,727	4thin
Medium 2	550	291.34	1,603	3thin

One grade step is worth $49.96/cwt here — about $343 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

27 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $458.97, low $319.53, median $379.72 across 27 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 sale14 hd

323.22

—

NC average8 barns · 224 hd

309.61

+13.61

National average171 barns · 9,246 hd

354.31

−31.09

This barn, trailing median27 sales

379.72

−56.49

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	1,750	179.28	3,136	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	770	158.50	1,220	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,484	143.93	2,136	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,046	138.14	1,445	6thin
Steers	Choice and Prime	High	1,290	199.00	2,567	1thin

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	783	$1,553	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	945	$1,950	1thin

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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	865	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,946	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	589	336.74/cwt	332.00–345.00	1,983	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	710	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	2,038	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	945	1,950.00/head	1,950.00–1,950.00	1,950	1
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	410	347.22/cwt	340.00–357.00	1,424	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	560	352.46/cwt	350.00–355.00	1,974	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	610	318.84/cwt	314.00–327.00	1,945	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,906	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	340	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	1,717	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	420	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,890	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	436	372.57/cwt	364.00–382.00	1,624	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	445	439.00/cwt	439.00–439.00	1,954	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	2,050	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	625	336.00/cwt	334.00–340.00	2,100	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	245	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,054	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	682	319.50/cwt	318.00–324.00	2,179	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	290	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,073	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	340	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,258	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	295	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,313	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	723	332.00/cwt	332.00–332.00	2,400	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	378.84/cwt	370.00–387.00	1,777	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	523	399.00/cwt	399.00–399.00	2,087	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	345	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,622	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	382.08/cwt	379.00–385.00	1,471	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	520	365.72/cwt	360.00–372.00	1,902	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	368	476.65/cwt	475.00–480.00	1,754	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	755	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	2,371	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	429.00/cwt	429.00–429.00	2,003	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	800	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	2,416	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	538	367.49/cwt	366.00–369.00	1,977	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	583	330.83/cwt	322.00–333.00	1,929	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	820	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,230	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,480	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,480	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,550	157.05/cwt	154.00–160.00	2,434	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,060	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,060	1
Steers	Choice and Prime	—	1,290	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	2,567	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,110	139.77/cwt	132.00–147.00	1,551	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	475	397.42/cwt	395.00–400.00	1,888	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	668	288.51/cwt	285.00–292.00	1,927	2
Bulls	Medium 2	550–600	570	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,419	1
Bulls	Medium 1	650–700	690	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,725	1
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	710	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,718	1
Bulls	Medium 1	400–450	418	428.53/cwt	427.00–430.00	1,791	2
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	395	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,264	1
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	490	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,691	1
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	568	299.51/cwt	299.00–300.00	1,701	2
Bulls	Medium 1	550–600	590	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,888	1
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	577	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,789	2
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	690	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,980	1
Steers	Medium 2	400–450	425	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,488	1
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	585	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	1,971	1
Bulls	Medium 2	400–450	440	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	1,703	1
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	695	299.00/cwt	299.00–299.00	2,078	2
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	500	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,875	1
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	515	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,416	1
Steers	Medium 2	500–550	540	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,620	1
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	433	322.46/cwt	320.00–325.00	1,396	2
Bulls	Medium 1	500–550	530	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,744	1
Bulls	Medium 1	450–500	475	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,758	4
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	490	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,593	1
Bulls	Medium 2	450–500	485	331.23/cwt	320.00–342.00	1,606	2
Bulls	Medium 2	350–400	385	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,617	1
Bulls	Medium 2	300–350	340	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,428	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3	600–650	600	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,050	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	350–400	395	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	790	1
Bulls	Medium 1	250–300	275	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,100	1
Bred Cows	Medium 2	—	783	1,553.35/head	1,350.00–1,825.00	1,553	2
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	518	320.97/cwt	320.00–322.00	1,663	2
Bulls	Medium 1	350–400	395	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,797	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	720	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,202	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	943	154.77/cwt	150.00–160.00	1,459	2
Bulls	—	—	1,857	171.32/cwt	168.00–175.00	3,181	3
Bulls	—	—	1,642	187.23/cwt	180.00–196.00	3,074	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,397	141.08/cwt	135.00–148.00	1,971	3
Dairy Steers	Large 3	450–500	470	225.00/cwt	200.00–250.00	1,058	2

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 Sep 16, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 131Last week 124Year ago 66

Slaughter CattleReceipts 23Last week 22Year ago 3

Replacement CattleReceipts 3Last week 1Year ago 0

Slaughter Cattle 6.00 To 12.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 10.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Attractive

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	445.00	445.00
1	300–350	345	470.00	470.00
3	350–400	368	475.00–480.00	476.65
1	400–450	420	450.00	450.00
2	450–500	475	395.00–400.00	397.42
4	500–550	520	360.00–372.00	365.72
4	550–600	589	332.00–345.00	336.74
2	650–700	668	285.00–292.00	288.51
1	800–850	800	302.00	302.00
1	850–900	865	225.00	225.00
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	340	420.00	420.00
1	350–400	385	420.00	420.00
1	400–450	440	387.00	387.00
2	450–500	485	320.00–342.00	331.23
1	550–600	570	249.00	249.00
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	275	400.00	400.00
1	350–400	395	455.00	455.00
2	400–450	418	427.00–430.00	428.53
4	450–500	475	370.00	370.00
1	500–550	530	329.00	329.00
1	550–600	590	320.00	320.00
1	650–700	690	250.00	250.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	370.00	370.00
2	300–350	340	370.00	370.00
2	350–400	385	379.00–385.00	382.08
9	400–450	436	364.00–382.00	372.57
6	450–500	469	370.00–387.00	378.84
2	500–550	538	366.00–369.00	367.49
5	550–600	583	322.00–333.00	330.83
13	600–650	610	314.00–327.00	318.84
1	650–700	670	306.00	306.00
1	700–750	710	287.00	287.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	395	320.00	320.00
3	400–450	410	340.00–357.00	347.22
1	450–500	490	345.00	345.00
2	500–550	518	320.00–322.00	320.97
2	550–600	577	310.00	310.00
1	650–700	690	287.00	287.00
1	700–750	710	242.00	242.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	433	320.00–325.00	322.46
1	450–500	490	325.00	325.00
1	500–550	515	275.00	275.00
2	550–600	568	299.00–300.00	299.51
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	430.00	430.00
1	300–350	340	505.00	505.00
2	350–400	385	495.00	495.00
1	400–450	445	439.00	439.00
3	450–500	467	429.00	429.00
2	500–550	523	399.00	399.00
2	550–600	560	350.00–355.00	352.46
3	600–650	625	334.00–340.00	336.00
4	650–700	682	318.00–324.00	319.50
2	700–750	723	332.00	332.00
1	750–800	755	314.00	314.00
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	425	350.00	350.00
1	500–550	540	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	500	375.00	375.00
1	550–600	585	337.00	337.00
2	650–700	695	299.00	299.00
Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	470	200.00–250.00	225.00
1	600–650	600	175.00	175.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	395	200.00	200.00

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)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	945	1,950.00	1,950.00
Bred Cows — Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	783	1,350.00–1,825.00	1,553.35

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	820	150.00	150.00
1	—	720	167.00	167.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,480	100.00	100.00
4	—	1,550	154.00–160.00	157.05
3	—	1,397	135.00–148.00	141.08
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,060	100.00	100.00
3	—	1,110	132.00–147.00	139.77
2	—	943	150.00–160.00	154.77
Steers — Choice and Prime$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,290	199.00	199.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,857	168.00–175.00	171.32
3	—	1,642	180.00–196.00	187.23

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