Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2024-09-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-09-06

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $218.38/cwt on 4 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −250.61 against this barn's trailing median of $468.99.

Average price

$218.38

4 head · 529 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,155

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$157

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2

$49.25/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−41.49

vs WV average

−51.02 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	505	243.00	1,227	2thin
Medium 2	553	193.75	1,070	2thin

One grade step is worth $49.25/cwt here — about $157 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale4 hd

218.38

—

WV average3 barns · 54 hd

259.87

−41.49

National average147 barns · 6,928 hd

269.40

−51.02

This barn, trailing median2 sales

468.99

−250.61

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	1,925	150.32	2,894	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,437	132.17	1,899	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,161	121.49	1,411	15
Steers	Select and Choice	Average	1,265	148.06	1,873	2thin

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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,185	$2,150	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	985	$1,700	1thin

Every lot, as filed

35 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	Medium 2	450–500	462	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	993	2
Bulls	Medium 2	650–700	665	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,264	1
Bulls	Medium 1Value Added	350–400	383	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,172	2
Bulls	Medium 1	450–500	485	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,188	1
Bulls	Medium 1	350–400	373	254.97/cwt	250.00–260.00	951	2
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	450	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	833	1
Steers	Small and Medium 1	400–450	430	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	753	1
Steers	Medium 1	300–350	320	292.03/cwt	285.00–300.00	934	2
Steers	Medium 1	800–850	840	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,554	1
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	360	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	929	2
Steers	Medium 2	500–550	520	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,053	1
Steers	Medium 1	700–750	736	196.57/cwt	187.50–201.00	1,447	3
Steers	Medium 2	550–600	585	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,082	1
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	505	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,162	1
Heifers	Medium 1	150–200	185	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	389	1
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	370	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,129	1
Steers	Small and Medium 1	300–350	325	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	731	1
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	670	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,357	1
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	505	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,227	2
Heifers	Small and Medium 1	650–700	650	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,105	1
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	465	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,128	1
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	331	243.66/cwt	242.50–246.00	807	3
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	433	238.82/cwt	230.00–246.00	1,034	3
Bulls	Medium 1	200–250	220	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	495	1
Heifers	Small and Medium 1	600–650	600	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,050	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,185	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	985	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	1
Bulls	—	—	1,925	150.32/cwt	146.00–156.00	2,894	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,240	103.87/cwt	97.00–118.00	1,288	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	760	77.00/cwt	77.00–77.00	585	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,414	128.94/cwt	124.00–134.00	1,823	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,497	140.77/cwt	139.00–145.00	2,107	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	128.38/cwt	121.00–136.00	1,532	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,010	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,515	1
Steers	Select and Choice	—	1,265	148.06/cwt	146.00–150.00	1,873	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 →