Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2024-03-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-22

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $225.52/cwt on 8 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −189.85 against this barn's trailing median of $415.36.

Average price

$225.52

8 head · 561 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,266

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$384

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

$71.55/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−20.34

vs WV average

−51.70 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	575	251.55	1,446	3thin
Medium 2	544	217.38	1,183	4thin
Small and Medium 1	590	180.00	1,062	1thin

One grade step is worth $71.55/cwt here — about $384 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

4 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $426.30, low $383.94, median $415.36 across 4 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 sale8 hd

225.52

—

WV average3 barns · 42 hd

245.85

−20.34

National average179 barns · 15,589 hd

277.22

−51.70

This barn, trailing median4 sales

415.36

−189.85

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	—	High	2,212	137.99	3,052	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,380	116.10	1,603	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,753	114.52	2,008	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,114	92.43	1,030	6thin

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	Boner 80-85%	—	1,389	111.34/cwt	105.00–115.00	1,547	4
Bulls	—	—	2,340	153.00/cwt	151.00–155.00	3,580	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,753	114.52/cwt	109.00–119.00	2,008	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	105.44/cwt	104.00–107.00	1,249	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	930	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	725	1
Heifers	Small and Medium 1	550–600	590	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,062	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	635	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,937	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	533	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,599	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	625	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,656	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	715	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,359	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	705	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,569	1
Heifers	Small and Medium 1	450–500	470	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	964	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	588	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	1,776	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	243.96/cwt	235.00–250.00	1,661	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	667	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,968	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	470	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,175	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	608	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,398	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	575	251.55/cwt	245.00–260.00	1,446	3
Bulls	Medium 2	350–400	375	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	900	1
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	510	212.52/cwt	210.00–215.00	1,084	2
Steers	Medium 2	700–750	700	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,260	1
Bulls	Medium 2	550–600	555	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,166	1
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	495	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,163	1
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	578	222.23/cwt	210.00–235.00	1,284	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,128	88.56/cwt	87.00–90.00	999	3
Bulls	Medium 1	500–550	500	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,275	1
Bulls	Medium 1	400–450	430	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	946	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,363	125.62/cwt	121.00–131.00	1,712	2
Bulls	—	—	2,083	122.97/cwt	120.00–129.00	2,561	2

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 →