Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2025-03-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-03-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Baby Calves range from $400-$900 per head

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $263.75/cwt on 4 head. That ranks 1 of 5 comparable sales and sits −131.59 against this barn's trailing median of $395.34.

Average price

$263.75

4 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,424

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$415

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

$85.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−40.89

vs WV average

−57.99 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	535	285.00	1,525	3thin
Medium and Large 2	555	200.00	1,110	1thin

One grade step is worth $85.00/cwt here — about $415 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 sale4 hd

263.75

—

WV average4 barns · 136 hd

304.64

−40.89

National average178 barns · 15,613 hd

321.74

−57.99

This barn, trailing median5 sales

395.34

−131.59

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	1,755	160.62	2,819	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,414	130.06	1,839	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,175	91.08	1,070	15

Every lot, as filed

15 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 1	500–550	540	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,296	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	765	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,454	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	675	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,316	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	708	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,664	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,525	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	555	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,110	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	498	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	1,703	2
Steers	Small 2	350–400	365	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	847	1
Bulls	—	—	1,755	160.62/cwt	153.00–167.00	2,819	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,350	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,958	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,222	106.36/cwt	90.00–129.00	1,300	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,458	127.16/cwt	116.00–140.00	1,854	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,085	71.80/cwt	65.00–78.00	779	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	598	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,358	128.39/cwt	124.00–133.00	1,744	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 →