Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2025-03-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-03-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

See Board Sale results

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb bulls averaged $228.33/cwt on 3 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −203.72 against this barn's trailing median of $432.05.

Average price

$228.33

3 head · 527 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,203

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$408

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

$105.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−50.89

vs WV average

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	505	280.00	1,414	1thin
Medium and Large 4	500	230.00	1,150	1thin
Medium and Large 3	575	175.00	1,006	1thin

One grade step is worth $105.00/cwt here — about $408 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale3 hd

228.33

—

WV average4 barns · 40 hd

279.22

−50.89

This barn, trailing median1 sales

432.05

−203.72

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	1,909	156.03	2,978	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,234	138.34	1,708	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,178	99.67	1,174	8thin

Every lot, as filed

26 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	725	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,414	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	711	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,493	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 4Thin Fleshed	450–500	488	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,147	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 4Thin Fleshed	500–550	500	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,150	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	550–600	575	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,006	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	411	350.44/cwt	340.00–385.00	1,440	14
Bulls	Small 2	300–350	320	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	752	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,237	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	388	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	970	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	405	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	952	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	538	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,345	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,020	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,785	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	374	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,122	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 4Thin Fleshed	350–400	380	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	912	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	310	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	930	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	505	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,414	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	605	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,482	1
Bulls	—	—	1,510	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	2,144	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,293	150.62/cwt	143.00–156.00	1,948	2
Bulls	—	—	2,108	163.04/cwt	161.00–165.00	3,437	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,245	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	1,058	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	740	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,147	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Natural	—	1,208	103.39/cwt	94.00–111.00	1,249	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,305	132.39/cwt	120.00–145.00	1,728	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	930	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	856	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,400	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,610	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 →