Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2025-09-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-09-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Good demand for feeder cattle again this week with a nice test of the market.

Special Feeder sale with groups of vaccinated cattle consigned. Contact yards for more information

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $362.45/cwt on 48 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −52.91 against this barn's trailing median of $415.36.

Average price

$362.45

48 head · 545 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,976

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$241

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2

$41.54/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+11.49

vs WV average

−5.89 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	546	365.92	1,996	44
Medium and Large 2	541	324.37	1,755	4thin

One grade step is worth $41.54/cwt here — about $241 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.

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 sale48 hd

362.45

—

WV average4 barns · 145 hd

350.96

+11.49

National average171 barns · 13,169 hd

368.34

−5.89

This barn, trailing median4 sales

415.36

−52.91

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	173.75	3,345	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,461	148.29	2,167	7thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,740	141.00	2,453	1thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,208	132.20	1,596	15
Heifers	Select	Average	1,335	220.00	2,937	1thin

Every lot, as filed

50 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 and Large 1-2	600–650	628	348.28/cwt	320.00–398.00	2,187	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	576	383.01/cwt	362.50–405.00	2,206	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,509	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	550	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,843	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	431	466.32/cwt	430.00–485.00	2,010	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	386	370.44/cwt	327.50–400.00	1,430	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	474	369.99/cwt	352.50–395.00	1,754	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	475	463.35/cwt	450.00–490.00	2,201	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	716	301.33/cwt	285.00–310.00	2,158	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	615	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	2,260	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	925	314.97/cwt	300.00–325.00	2,913	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	373	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,679	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	327	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	1,749	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	501	422.00/cwt	415.00–425.00	2,114	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	521	430.83/cwt	400.00–465.00	2,245	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,440	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	885	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,213	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	623	384.04/cwt	350.00–397.00	2,393	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	680	381.73/cwt	330.00–391.00	2,596	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	2,453	1
Heifers	Select	—	1,335	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,937	1
Bulls	—	—	1,925	173.75/cwt	156.00–189.00	3,345	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,461	148.29/cwt	139.00–155.00	2,167	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,348	109.05/cwt	101.00–117.50	1,470	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	135.76/cwt	123.00–156.00	1,610	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	572	365.27/cwt	300.00–405.00	2,089	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	560	379.63/cwt	305.00–416.00	2,126	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	637	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,166	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	490	422.68/cwt	405.00–440.00	2,071	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	423	442.25/cwt	400.00–485.00	1,871	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	350–400	370	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,166	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	451	415.04/cwt	385.00–430.00	1,872	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	572	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,031	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	538	320.83/cwt	317.50–322.50	1,726	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	612	347.56/cwt	302.50–355.00	2,127	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	674	314.81/cwt	280.00–335.00	2,122	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	520	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,950	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	865	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,811	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	487.50/cwt	487.50–487.50	1,755	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	343.31/cwt	335.00–370.00	1,298	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	200–250	220	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	946	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	400–450	440	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,408	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	650	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,983	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	531	352.20/cwt	332.50–367.50	1,870	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	420	405.55/cwt	380.00–435.00	1,703	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	573	387.01/cwt	375.00–400.00	2,218	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	480	443.00/cwt	443.00–443.00	2,126	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	335	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,374	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	423	429.67/cwt	375.00–480.00	1,818	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	850	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,508	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 →