Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2025-01-31
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-01-31

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $252.00/cwt on 4 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −163.36 against this barn's trailing median of $415.36.

Average price

$252.00

4 head · 575 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,449

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+4.42

vs WV average

−52.64 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	252.00	1,449	4thin

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

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 sale4 hd

252.00

—

WV average3 barns · 34 hd

247.58

+4.42

National average182 barns · 24,858 hd

304.64

−52.64

This barn, trailing median4 sales

415.36

−163.36

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,785	154.65	2,761	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,531	137.15	2,099	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,235	123.92	1,530	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
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,330	$2,075	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,309	$2,005	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,250	$1,800	1thin
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	965	$1,325	1thin

Every lot, as filed

11 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	Lean 85-90%	—	1,235	123.92/cwt	120.00–128.00	1,530	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	470	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,128	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	900–950	930	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,674	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	575	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,449	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,309	2,004.78/head	1,900.00–2,100.00	2,005	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,330	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,250	1,800.00/head	1,800.00–1,800.00	1,800	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	965	1,325.00/head	1,325.00–1,325.00	1,325	1
Bulls	—	—	1,785	154.65/cwt	148.00–162.00	2,761	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,514	135.23/cwt	124.00–139.00	2,047	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,580	142.92/cwt	141.00–144.00	2,258	3

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 →