Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2025-04-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-04-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

*See Board Sale Report *

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb bulls averaged $255.00/cwt on 2 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −177.05 against this barn's trailing median of $432.05.

Average price

$255.00

2 head · 560 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,428

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$133

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

$10.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−31.89

vs WV average

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	575	260.00	1,495	1thin
Medium and Large 2	545	250.00	1,363	1thin

One grade step is worth $10.00/cwt here — about $133 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale2 hd

255.00

—

WV average5 barns · 14 hd

286.89

−31.89

This barn, trailing median1 sales

432.05

−177.05

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	1,669	141.94	2,370	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,257	135.83	1,707	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,041	98.99	1,030	5thin

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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	840	$1,375	1thin

Every lot, as filed

19 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 1-2	550–600	575	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,495	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	678	218.24/cwt	215.00–225.00	1,480	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	680	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,632	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	815	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,426	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,163	1
Bulls	Medium 2	450–500	490	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,250	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	545	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,363	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 4	750–800	790	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,264	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,288	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	420	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,344	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	840	1,375.00/head	1,375.00–1,375.00	1,375	1
Bulls	—	—	1,703	148.68/cwt	142.00–161.00	2,532	4
Bulls	—	—	1,535	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,765	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,139	127.15/cwt	119.00–136.00	1,448	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,533	147.93/cwt	146.00–150.00	2,268	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,083	127.32/cwt	123.00–134.00	1,379	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	875	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	656	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	38.00/cwt	38.00–38.00	410	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,295	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,007	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 →