Cattle Market Pulse

Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Market Report

Shelby, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 17, 2026

273 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $432.60/cwt -31.89 vs last sale · ≈ $2,012/hd at 465 lb · 14 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $426.90/cwt -4.47 vs last sale · ≈ $2,220/hd at 520 lb · 13 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $418.40/cwt -17.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,987/hd at 475 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 273 444 590
Feeder cattle 177 350 508
Slaughter cattle 49 82 73
Replacement cattle 47 12 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 1.00 to 2.00 lower, while feeder cattle were 12.00 to 15.00 lower. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–445 428 3 430.00–450.00 $441.58 $1,890 -47.62
480 480 1 440.00 $440.00 $2,112 -39.31
520–535 524 5 420.00–442.50 $431.46 $2,261 -9.25
570 570 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,166 -35.62
625 625 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,719 +50.00
650–685 667 3 320.00–367.50 $348.46 $2,324 —
765 765 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,678 +40.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475–490 483 2 350.00–380.00 $365.23 $1,764 —
725 725 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,649 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,522 —
475 475 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,805 —
595 595 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,606 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,215 -48.21
325 325 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,658 +10.31
360–380 368 3 480.00–495.00 $488.42 $1,797 -0.17
405–440 423 6 440.00–490.00 $463.23 $1,959 -1.79
455–495 475 11 400.00–460.00 $418.40 $1,987 -17.98
500–545 527 6 350.00–402.50 $373.81 $1,970 -17.29
528 value added 528 3 470.00 $470.00 $2,482 —
560–595 581 7 320.00–377.50 $351.51 $2,042 -15.29
610–630 622 3 355.00–375.00 $364.89 $2,270 +31.57
660–675 668 2 325.00–360.00 $342.70 $2,289 +32.70
700–725 708 3 280.00–327.00 $307.56 $2,178 -1.48
795 795 2 280.00–295.00 $287.50 $2,286 —
815 815 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,364 +12.66
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–255 253 2 360.00–370.00 $364.95 $923 —
345 345 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,242 —
410–440 432 4 360.00–425.00 $401.95 $1,736 -1.41
450–490 472 3 350.00–380.00 $367.10 $1,733 -4.21
520 520 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,664 -10.00
550–595 575 3 285.00–315.00 $299.87 $1,724 -5.09
605–635 615 3 255.00–300.00 $275.41 $1,694 —
655 655 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,900 —
755–790 773 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,430 -52.38
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 350.00 $350.00 $805 —
365 365 1 230.00 $230.00 $840 -120.00
580–595 588 2 210.00–280.00 $244.55 $1,438 —
620 620 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,457 +15.00
665 665 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,662 ±0.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–275 267 3 480.00–530.00 $503.44 $1,344 -15.19
340 340 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,632 -44.45
360–380 374 4 490.00–535.00 $511.00 $1,911 -10.26
400–425 415 4 440.00–465.00 $449.83 $1,867 -29.96
450–495 465 14 400.00–460.00 $432.60 $2,012 -31.89
500–545 520 13 400.00–445.00 $426.90 $2,220 -4.47
565–595 584 4 350.00–387.50 $368.95 $2,155 -34.23
600–640 613 8 310.00–377.50 $334.25 $2,049 -47.51
655–695 674 4 310.00–367.50 $331.10 $2,232 -28.73
740 740 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,998 -77.37
755 755 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,265 -21.52
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,046 —
335 335 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,541 +0.25
365–385 373 3 410.00–440.00 $429.69 $1,603 -45.31
435–445 440 2 390.00–420.00 $405.17 $1,783 -42.65
510–540 525 3 355.00–395.00 $372.95 $1,958 -2.62
610 610 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,891 ±0.00
695 695 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,842 -45.00
795 795 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,948 —
840 840 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,848 —
850 850 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,040 —
905 905 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,900 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 380.00 $380.00 $855 —
340 340 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,020 ±0.00
485 485 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,649 +60.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1545 1293 80-85% 7 150.00–169.00 $159.56 $2,063 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765 765 85-90% 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,148 —
900–1235 1111 85-90% 5 135.00–149.00 $141.38 $1,571 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1860 1665 75-80% 2 155.00 $155.00 $2,581 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1680 1416 6 182.00–205.00 $193.55 $2,741 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
695–1080 871 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,500.00–3,000.00 $2,152.65
790–1070 968 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,700.00–3,000.00 $2,517.56
995 995 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1030–1150 1085 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,700.00–2,250.00 $1,974.42
835–1495 1115 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,750.00–3,250.00 $2,663.15
1145 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
955–1335 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,450.00–2,750.00 $2,627.88
1085–1610 1348 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,850.00–2,750.00 $2,387.66

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
505 505 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
915 915 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,525.00 $2,525.00 —
800–1065 933 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,500.00–2,900.00 $2,671.58 —
755–1050 961 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 3,000.00–4,500.00 $3,834.18 —
770–1265 1028 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 3,050.00–4,200.00 $3,733.37 —
1070 1070 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,550.00 $3,550.00 —
1045–1155 1097 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 4,000.00–4,200.00 $4,101.37 —
1180 1180 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,950.00 $3,950.00 +1,293.17
1210 1210 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 4,350.00 $4,350.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.