Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2023-05-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-05-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Very Acive trade on a light test of slaughter cows and Bulls

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $161.35/cwt on 20 head.

Average price

$161.35

20 head · 621 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,002

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$52

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium and Large 3

$34.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−25.56

vs WV average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	523	173.00	904	2thin
Medium and Large 1-2	648	168.95	1,095	12thin
Medium and Large 2-3	525	161.00	845	1thin
Medium and Large 3	615	138.50	852	5thin

One grade step is worth $34.50/cwt here — about $52 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale20 hd

161.35

—

WV average5 barns · 225 hd

186.91

−25.56

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	1,881	128.03	2,408	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,775	113.00	2,006	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,314	109.21	1,435	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,082	94.92	1,027	9thin

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,425	$1,500	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,280	$1,425	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,108	$1,353	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	850	$975	1thin

Every lot, as filed

29 lots · USDA AMS · Preston Farmers Market - Terra Alta, WV

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	Lean 85-90%	—	1,056	99.29/cwt	90.00–106.00	1,049	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,102	91.43/cwt	81.00–104.00	1,008	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,775	113.00/cwt	113.00–113.00	2,006	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,473	116.46/cwt	115.00–118.00	1,715	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,208	104.38/cwt	94.00–112.00	1,261	3
Bulls	—	—	1,881	128.03/cwt	110.00–138.00	2,408	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,280	1,425.00/head	1,425.00–1,425.00	1,425	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,425	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,108	1,353.34/head	1,235.00–1,460.00	1,353	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	850	975.00/head	975.00–975.00	975	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	—	525	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	748	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	550	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	935	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	—	775	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,046	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	420	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	760	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	—	575	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	762	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	—	675	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	945	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	—	525	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	845	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	604	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	1,039	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,050	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,512	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	763	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,251	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	—	570	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	941	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	670	167.43/cwt	165.00–170.00	1,122	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	1,125	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	1,378	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	—	625	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,031	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	628	157.66/cwt	150.00–166.00	990	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	525	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	840	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	660	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,129	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	478	178.57/cwt	167.50–190.00	854	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	435	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	903	1

How this sale compares

West Virginia weighted averages

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

West Virginia feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →