Sale reports / West Virginia / Preston Farmers Market / 2024-11-01

Preston Farmers Market

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Terra Alta, West Virginia · Fri, Nov 1
● Final10 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1876
Feeder Cattle receipts
7 head
226 vs last sale 233 22 vs year ago 29 · 75.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
17 head
25 vs last sale 42 2 vs year ago 19 · 10.5%
Also sold hereSpecial Graded SaleFri Apr 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Light run and average attendance, trade somewhat slow. Small run of mostly average dress Slaughter Cows sold steady to $2 per cwt lower this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $183.00/cwt on 1 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits 232.36 against this barn's trailing median of $415.36.
Average price
$183.00
1 head · 540 lb average
Value per head Derived
$988
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
single grade reported
vs the market
60.44
vs WV average
77.46 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1540183.009881thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

4 sales
440417393370median 415.3603/0604/0304/1005/0805/08
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 sale1 hd
183.00
WV average5 barns · 158 hd
243.44
−60.44
National average194 barns · 26,693 hd
260.46
−77.46
This barn, trailing median4 sales
415.36
−232.36
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage2,465137.003,3771thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,688118.321,9972thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,304111.461,4548thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,08783.599095thin

Every lot, as filed

10 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1Guaranteed Open850–900880177.50/cwt177.50–177.501,5623
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550540183.00/cwt183.00–183.009881
SteersMedium 1550–600570150.00/cwt150.00–150.008551
SteersMedium and Large 11000–10501,035169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,7492
Bulls2,465137.00/cwt137.00–137.003,3771
CowsBoner 80-85%1,230118.16/cwt116.00–120.001,4534
CowsBoner 80-85%1,455131.00/cwt131.00–131.001,9061
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35396.00/cwt83.00–112.001,2993
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,688118.32/cwt112.00–125.001,9972
CowsLean 85-90%1,08783.59/cwt78.00–88.009095

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.