Name: South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange livestock auction prices — 2025-10-01
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-10-01

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Fat Cattle Sale included

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $161.67/cwt on 3 head. That ranks 1 of 5 comparable sales and sits −233.68 against this barn's trailing median of $395.34.

Average price

$161.67

3 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$873

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$555

per head · Small 1-2 over Medium and Large 4

$100.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−169.97

vs WV average

−207.24 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Small 1-2	545	200.00	1,090	1thin
Small 3	540	185.00	999	1thin
Medium and Large 4	535	100.00	535	1thin

One grade step is worth $100.00/cwt here — about $555 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 sale3 hd

161.67

—

WV average5 barns · 186 hd

331.64

−169.97

National average182 barns · 13,299 hd

368.91

−207.24

This barn, trailing median5 sales

395.34

−233.68

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	1,513	161.80	2,448	2thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,780	138.00	2,456	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,608	127.45	2,049	5thin
Heifers	Choice	Average	1,326	222.64	2,952	14
Heifers	Select	Average	1,098	215.00	2,361	1thin
Steers	Choice and Prime	Average	1,476	235.51	3,476	11
Steers	Choice	Average	1,409	221.18	3,116	29

Every lot, as filed

14 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
Heifers	Small 1-2	500–550	545	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,090	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	620	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,556	1
Steers	Small 2	400–450	425	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	914	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	450–500	495	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,064	1
Heifers	Small 3	500–550	540	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	999	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 4	500–550	535	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	535	1
Steers	Choice	—	1,409	221.18/cwt	213.00–236.00	3,116	29
Steers	Choice and Prime	—	1,476	235.51/cwt	231.00–239.00	3,476	11
Heifers	Select	—	1,098	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,361	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,575	125.43/cwt	116.00–136.00	1,976	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Natural	—	1,630	128.80/cwt	125.00–134.00	2,099	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Natural	—	1,780	138.00/cwt	138.00–138.00	2,456	1
Bulls	—	—	1,513	161.80/cwt	151.00–172.00	2,448	2
Heifers	Choice	—	1,326	222.64/cwt	210.00–231.00	2,952	14

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 →