Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2026-08-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-14

Weight class

Steers · summary 300–400 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

300–400 lb steers averaged $365.89/cwt on 4 head, down $180.46 from the prior sale (only 10 head in that comparison). That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −180.46 against this barn's trailing median of $546.35.

Average price

$365.89

▼ 180.46 vs prior sale

4 head · 377 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,380

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$233

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

$21.18/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−64.71

vs WV average

−170.64 vs national

What quality paid 300–400 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	388	371.18	1,440	3thin
Medium and Large 2	345	350.00	1,208	1thin

One grade step is worth $21.18/cwt here — about $233 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 300–400 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale4 hd

365.89

—

WV average2 barns · 11 hd

430.59

−64.71

National average129 barns · 2,410 hd

536.53

−170.64

This barn, trailing median1 sales

546.35

−180.46

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	1,880	182.00	3,422	1thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,690	170.00	2,873	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,254	164.69	2,065	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,054	118.12	1,245	3thin

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)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,478	$3,211	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,205	$3,119	2thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,118	$3,005	8
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	1,100	$2,550	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,267	$3,834	4thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,174	$3,370	4thin
Stock Cows	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,098	$2,152	2thin

Every lot, as filed

21 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 2	300–350	345	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,208	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,098	2,152.39/head	1,800.00–2,500.00	2,152	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,118	3,004.90/head	1,725.00–3,700.00	3,005	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,200	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,265	4,000.00/head	4,000.00–4,000.00	4,000	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,474	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	975	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	585	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,690	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,873	1
Bulls	—	—	1,880	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	3,422	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,148	3,240.74/head	2,500.00–4,200.00	3,241	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,267	3,778.95/head	3,400.00–4,000.00	3,779	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,100	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,478	3,210.74/head	3,000.00–3,350.00	3,211	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,093	147.18/cwt	141.00–153.00	1,609	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,254	164.69/cwt	160.00–171.00	2,065	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,205	3,119.29/head	2,900.00–3,250.00	3,119	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	935	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,870	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	680	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,938	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	388	371.18/cwt	365.00–376.00	1,440	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	350	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,208	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,200	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	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 →