Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2024-03-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-27

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Fat Cattle Sale included

First Spring Feeder sale April 6, 2024

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $184.00/cwt on 5 head. That ranks 1 of 5 comparable sales and sits −211.34 against this barn's trailing median of $395.34.

Average price

$184.00

5 head · 544 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,001

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$208

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium 3

$33.33/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−58.86

vs WV average

−82.87 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	542	193.33	1,048	3thin
Medium 2	570	180.00	1,026	1thin
Medium 3	525	160.00	840	1thin

One grade step is worth $33.33/cwt here — about $208 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

5 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $410.80, low $356.75, median $395.34 across 5 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 sale5 hd

184.00

—

WV average6 barns · 125 hd

242.86

−58.86

National average161 barns · 9,489 hd

266.87

−82.87

This barn, trailing median5 sales

395.34

−211.34

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	1,835	137.00	2,514	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,181	124.69	1,473	9thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,040	102.91	1,070	27
Heifers	Choice	Average	1,375	175.16	2,408	12
Steers	Choice and Prime	Average	1,640	186.62	3,061	34
Steers	Choice	Average	1,486	178.50	2,653	18
Steers	Select	Average	1,265	146.00	1,847	1thin

Every lot, as filed

28 lots · USDA AMS · South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange - Moorefield, 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	35.00/cwt	35.00–35.00	432	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,032	105.52/cwt	80.00–120.00	1,089	26
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,137	135.64/cwt	131.00–140.00	1,542	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,203	119.22/cwt	107.00–127.00	1,434	6
Steers	Select	—	1,265	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,847	1
Heifers	Choice	—	1,359	177.65/cwt	177.00–180.00	2,414	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	450–500	450	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	653	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3Thin Fleshed	350–400	370	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	888	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	850–900	868	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	1,302	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 3-4	850–900	868	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,024	1
Steers	Medium and Large 4	300–350	310	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	527	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	696	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,322	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	510	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,199	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	543	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,113	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	647	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,326	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,235	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	613	192.59/cwt	185.00–200.00	1,181	2
Heifers	Choice	—	1,515	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	2,515	2
Bulls	—	—	1,715	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	2,367	1
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	570	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,026	1
Heifers	Medium 3	500–550	525	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	840	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	500–550	540	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	918	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	473	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,183	2
Steers	Choice	—	1,486	178.50/cwt	174.00–184.00	2,653	18
Bulls	—	—	1,955	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	2,659	1
Steers	Choice and Prime	—	1,625	186.72/cwt	184.00–189.00	3,034	21
Steers	Choice and Prime	—	1,665	186.46/cwt	183.00–190.00	3,105	13
Heifers	Choice	—	1,328	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	2,337	4

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 →