Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2024-07-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-07-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Several return to feed cows due to one farm dispersal due to no water or grass.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $169.75/cwt on 2 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −245.61 against this barn's trailing median of $415.36.

Average price

$169.75

2 head · 510 lb average

Value per head Derived

$866

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$164

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 3

$35.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−72.84

vs WV average

−94.88 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	505	187.50	947	1thin
Medium and Large 3	515	152.00	783	1thin

One grade step is worth $35.50/cwt here — about $164 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 sale2 hd

169.75

—

WV average5 barns · 48 hd

242.59

−72.84

National average157 barns · 8,958 hd

264.63

−94.88

This barn, trailing median4 sales

415.36

−245.61

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	1,245	131.33	1,635	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,346	135.24	1,820	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,638	127.30	2,085	4thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	986	107.87	1,064	25

Every lot, as filed

31 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
Bulls	—	—	1,165	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,375	1
Bulls	—	—	1,725	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,950	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	540	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,121	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	779	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	460	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	989	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	700–750	715	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,609	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	200–250	205	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	349	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	250–300	275	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	509	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	770	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,733	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	300	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	885	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	450	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,035	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	750–800	780	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	1,502	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,054	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	830	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,494	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3Thin Fleshed	500–550	515	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	783	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,894	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	800–850	800	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	1,540	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,404	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	770	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,713	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,808	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed	650–700	688	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,290	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	700	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,582	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	300–350	335	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	611	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,382	132.17/cwt	118.00–143.00	1,827	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	890	70.25/cwt	67.00–73.00	625	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	900	113.88/cwt	99.00–130.00	1,025	14
Bulls	—	—	845	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	887	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	500–550	505	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	947	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,262	142.39/cwt	132.00–150.00	1,797	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,638	127.30/cwt	114.00–143.00	2,085	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,142	106.88/cwt	83.00–128.00	1,221	9

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 →