Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2024-10-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Results for this week's Feeder Cleanup sale along with Regular sale results. Good attendance despite lower run than the previous Feeder Special but comparatively good quality in the offering pursued by active trade. Feeder Steers lower by $5-$9 per cwt; Feeder Heifers steady to $5-$10 per cwt on the heavier end of the run. Slaughter Cows steady to $4 per cwt higher compared to last week; no market test on Bulls. Calves $575-$610 per head; heiferettes up to $136 per cwt. Red white face type cattle designated below as Medium 2.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $250.76/cwt on 24 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −218.23 against this barn's trailing median of $468.99.

Average price

$250.76

24 head · 546 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,368

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$120

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 2

$42.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−17.40

vs WV average

−48.57 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	503	257.50	1,295	7thin
Medium and Large 1	567	255.05	1,445	14thin
Medium 2	547	215.00	1,175	3thin

One grade step is worth $42.50/cwt here — about $120 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale24 hd

250.76

—

WV average3 barns · 511 hd

268.16

−17.40

National average188 barns · 32,793 hd

299.33

−48.57

This barn, trailing median2 sales

468.99

−218.23

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	—	Low	1,480	128.50	1,902	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,470	127.11	1,869	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,271	118.96	1,512	20
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,190	116.67	1,388	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,072	97.26	1,043	6thin

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 Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	935	$1,475	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,060	$1,775	1thin

Every lot, as filed

82 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
Heifers	Medium 2	350–400	375	162.57/cwt	160.00–165.00	610	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	433	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,028	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	987	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	665	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,131	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	260.62/cwt	260.00–262.50	1,371	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	985	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,970	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	360	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,098	1
Steers	Medium 2	550–600	560	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,232	1
Steers	Medium and Large 3	450–500	450	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	923	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	637	220.11/cwt	212.50–228.00	1,402	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	583	252.82/cwt	248.00–254.00	1,474	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	772	219.84/cwt	190.00–235.00	1,697	3
Steers	Medium 2	450–500	465	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	953	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	278	262.43/cwt	255.00–270.00	730	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1100–1150	1,113	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,592	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	503	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,295	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	445	262.48/cwt	260.00–290.00	1,168	11
Steers	Medium 2	500–550	540	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,148	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	727	229.06/cwt	205.00–235.00	1,665	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	486	287.74/cwt	277.50–295.00	1,398	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	210.22/cwt	180.00–220.00	1,827	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	361	216.18/cwt	207.50–222.50	780	7
Steers	Medium and Large 3	400–450	420	180.00/cwt	125.00–235.00	756	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	617	226.85/cwt	219.00–235.00	1,400	4
Steers	Medium and Large 3	300–350	348	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	766	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	455	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,240	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	295	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	738	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	723	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,706	6
Beef/Dairy Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	520	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,196	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Medium and Large 1Gaunt	550–600	575	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,193	2
Dairy Steers	Large 3	350–400	355	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	462	2
Dairy Steers	Large 3	750–800	770	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,001	2
Dairy Heifers	Medium and Large 3	650–700	655	122.50/cwt	122.50–122.50	802	1
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	406	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	711	2
Beef/Dairy Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	415	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	965	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	530	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,235	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	445	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,179	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	535	244.09/cwt	227.50–252.50	1,306	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Gaunt	600–650	615	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	923	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Gaunt	550–600	557	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,381	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Gaunt	900–950	940	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	1,777	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Gaunt	700–750	725	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	1,109	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,079	108.92/cwt	101.00–114.00	1,175	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,470	127.11/cwt	119.00–134.00	1,869	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,223	108.57/cwt	99.00–116.00	1,328	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,324	129.73/cwt	127.00–135.00	1,718	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,284	122.25/cwt	115.00–129.00	1,570	9
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,090	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,243	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,485	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	1,886	1
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	995	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,085	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,058	73.94/cwt	51.00–93.00	782	2
Bulls	—	—	935	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	982	1
Bulls	—	—	2,025	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	3,078	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	935	1,475.00/head	1,475.00–1,475.00	1,475	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,060	1,775.00/head	1,775.00–1,775.00	1,775	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	500	183.75/cwt	140.00–227.50	919	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	318	210.39/cwt	200.00–220.00	669	2
Heifers	Medium 2	700–750	740	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,369	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	360	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,080	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	620	200.39/cwt	160.00–225.00	1,242	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	860	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,075	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	740	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,332	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	886	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	550–600	555	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	783	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	350–400	385	157.50/cwt	157.50–157.50	606	1
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	534	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	975	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	353	243.97/cwt	240.00–245.00	861	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	566	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	1,231	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	442	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,083	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	323	247.40/cwt	245.00–250.00	799	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	280	242.90/cwt	235.00–250.00	680	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	618	194.98/cwt	190.00–200.00	1,205	4
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	425	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	733	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	684	209.30/cwt	188.00–220.00	1,432	9
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	435	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	805	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	481	236.05/cwt	235.00–237.50	1,135	7
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	515	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	824	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	203.76/cwt	200.00–217.50	835	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	520	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,118	3
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	457	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	640	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	500–550	545	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	670	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	400–450	425	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	627	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 →