Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2025-04-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-04-04

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $347.30/cwt on 20 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −121.69 against this barn's trailing median of $468.99.

Average price

$347.30

20 head · 553 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,920

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$1,186

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small and Medium 1

$218.73/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+12.49

vs WV average

−21.71 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	558	373.73	2,085	15thin
Medium 1	518	296.66	1,537	3thin
Medium and Large 2	550	295.00	1,623	1thin
Small and Medium 1	580	155.00	899	1thin

One grade step is worth $218.73/cwt here — about $1,186 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale20 hd

347.30

—

WV average4 barns · 48 hd

334.81

+12.49

National average168 barns · 11,835 hd

369.01

−21.71

This barn, trailing median2 sales

468.99

−121.69

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	1,605	158.84	2,549	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,063	125.50	1,333	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,520	122.67	1,865	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	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,755	$2,975	1thin

Every lot, as filed

40 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	629	314.40/cwt	312.50–315.00	1,978	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	606	268.13/cwt	267.50–270.00	1,625	4
Heifers	Medium 1	800–850	800	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,880	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	755	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,774	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	890	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,780	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	550	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,623	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	820	251.96/cwt	250.00–256.00	2,066	3
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	518	296.66/cwt	295.00–297.50	1,537	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	443	319.41/cwt	312.50–330.00	1,415	5
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	615	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,753	1
Steers	Small and Medium 1	550–600	580	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	899	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	395	340.00/cwt	330.00–350.00	1,343	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	687	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,185	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	742	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,226	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	793	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	2,086	3
Steers	Medium 1	750–800	760	263.83/cwt	257.50–270.00	2,005	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	310	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	930	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	478	242.59/cwt	225.00–260.00	1,160	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	365	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,040	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	475	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,164	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	623	177.43/cwt	175.00–180.00	1,105	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	556	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,724	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	471	384.52/cwt	355.00–395.00	1,811	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	524	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,672	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	535	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,257	1
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	520	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,482	1
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	705	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,727	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	558	373.73/cwt	372.00–374.00	2,085	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	898	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,119	2
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	765	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,798	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	935	1
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	662	260.70/cwt	240.00–268.00	1,726	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	585	311.35/cwt	292.50–315.00	1,821	6
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	600	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,590	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,863	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,755	2,975.00/head	2,975.00–2,975.00	2,975	1
Bulls	—	—	1,605	158.84/cwt	157.50–160.00	2,549	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,100	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	1,749	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,025	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	943	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,520	122.67/cwt	120.00–126.00	1,865	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 →