Cattle Market Pulse

Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Market Report

Shelby, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 21, 2026

624 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 heifers $407.95/cwt -21.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,934/hd at 474 lb · 28 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $429.48/cwt -3.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,812/hd at 422 lb · 27 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $438.18/cwt -1.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,634/hd at 373 lb · 22 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 624 522 642
Feeder cattle 474 443 478
Slaughter cattle 112 55 114
Replacement cattle 38 24 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady to 1.00 lower, while feeder cattle were 1.00 to 2.00 higher. 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
255–280 268 2 550.00–570.00 $560.47 $1,502 —
300–340 323 6 500.00–550.00 $523.36 $1,690 -106.64
370–395 383 5 515.00–542.50 $525.56 $2,013 -8.60
420–445 436 7 480.00–520.00 $508.18 $2,216 +36.94
450–495 475 10 450.00–510.00 $473.66 $2,250 +5.67
510–540 526 8 430.00–462.50 $446.77 $2,350 -27.73
580–585 583 2 432.50–437.50 $435.01 $2,536 +7.92
610–645 622 3 375.00–395.00 $385.86 $2,400 -26.37
665 665 1 367.50 $367.50 $2,444 -9.34
735 735 1 387.50 $387.50 $2,848 +48.21
750 750 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,400 —
955 955 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,244 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,208 —
360 360 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,260 —
430–435 433 2 320.00–350.00 $334.91 $1,450 —
470 470 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,668 —
500–530 517 3 250.00–320.00 $294.06 $1,520 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–325 315 2 430.00–450.00 $439.68 $1,385 —
400 400 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,680 —
455–485 470 2 400.00–435.00 $418.06 $1,965 —
530 530 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,014 —
570 570 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,995 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205–220 213 2 510.00–560.00 $534.12 $1,138 -12.63
250–290 273 5 490.00–540.00 $511.50 $1,396 +57.98
305–345 317 5 450.00–510.00 $488.20 $1,548 +38.66
350–395 373 22 415.00–460.00 $438.18 $1,634 -1.91
400–445 422 27 400.00–470.00 $429.48 $1,812 -3.35
450–495 474 28 390.00–447.50 $407.95 $1,934 -8.27
500–545 523 8 370.00–425.00 $383.15 $2,004 -11.69
550–590 568 20 320.00–385.00 $351.44 $1,996 -16.83
635–645 638 5 290.00–330.00 $308.99 $1,971 -27.20
665 665 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,261 +29.36
705–725 712 3 280.00–322.50 $294.03 $2,093 -12.16
755–785 770 2 230.00–240.00 $234.90 $1,809 —
850 850 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,252 —
900 900 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,980 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 410.00 $410.00 $820 —
260–295 277 3 390.00–400.00 $396.69 $1,099 —
300–345 315 6 400.00–420.00 $410.16 $1,292 —
355–395 372 5 390.00–410.00 $402.31 $1,497 +22.31
420–445 433 4 340.00–380.00 $370.29 $1,603 -14.71
465–495 477 7 340.00–380.00 $370.73 $1,768 -9.27
500–545 530 4 330.00–345.00 $338.04 $1,792 +27.01
555–590 570 5 250.00–310.00 $288.16 $1,643 -19.18
600–645 630 3 265.00–285.00 $275.00 $1,732 —
665 665 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,729 -10.00
740 740 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,443 -15.00
815–845 830 2 200.00–235.00 $217.82 $1,808 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,003 —
305 305 1 290.00 $290.00 $884 —
360–375 368 2 250.00–300.00 $275.51 $1,014 —
415–430 422 3 270.00–310.00 $296.40 $1,251 -28.60
450–495 480 4 250.00–305.00 $290.18 $1,393 -9.82
525–535 528 3 270.00–300.00 $290.06 $1,532 —
575 575 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,351 —
600–630 615 2 195.00–255.00 $224.27 $1,379 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 220 3 550.00–580.00 $563.48 $1,240 -6.60
250–285 269 9 500.00–560.00 $519.52 $1,398 -43.19
300–345 325 7 490.00–555.00 $515.00 $1,674 -35.80
350–395 366 21 480.00–535.00 $511.86 $1,873 -11.24
400–445 428 18 465.00–525.00 $497.89 $2,131 +38.39
450–485 468 16 450.00–495.00 $473.85 $2,218 +25.96
500–545 522 16 410.00–470.00 $439.29 $2,293 -3.26
550–595 566 19 380.00–440.00 $410.90 $2,326 -13.44
605–620 614 5 385.00–412.50 $401.04 $2,462 -0.43
650–690 667 7 315.00–357.50 $339.52 $2,265 -14.90
700–740 717 5 285.00–327.50 $302.64 $2,170 -38.63
765–770 768 2 300.00–347.50 $323.83 $2,487 -8.63
805 805 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,254 +8.43
930 930 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,139 —
960–965 962 3 225.00–255.00 $243.30 $2,341 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 465.00 $465.00 $976 —
260–290 275 4 400.00–460.00 $440.27 $1,211 —
300–340 316 7 450.00–480.00 $459.73 $1,453 —
350–395 371 9 410.00–470.00 $446.80 $1,658 -16.22
405–435 418 12 415.00–460.00 $436.71 $1,825 +23.35
455–495 479 10 400.00–430.00 $416.95 $1,997 +16.95
520–535 532 5 350.00–400.00 $373.02 $1,984 -11.98
550–575 563 3 320.00–370.00 $343.22 $1,932 +23.22
610–620 615 2 320.00–350.00 $335.12 $2,061 +85.12
695 695 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,738 —
730 730 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,934 ±0.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–290 283 2 370.00–380.00 $375.13 $1,062 +85.13
325–345 334 6 340.00–400.00 $371.05 $1,239 +71.05
355–375 366 4 300.00–360.00 $334.68 $1,225 -15.32
405–420 413 3 330.00–380.00 $353.51 $1,460 —
450–470 460 2 320.00–350.00 $335.33 $1,543 —
525–540 533 2 300.00–320.00 $310.14 $1,653 —
550–560 555 2 270.00–300.00 $285.14 $1,583 —
640 640 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,536 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–1180 946 85-90% 11 110.00–130.00 $123.33 $1,167 —
680–1395 1051 85-90% 25 135.00–162.00 $148.15 $1,557 —
1175–1205 1190 85-90% 2 163.00–165.00 $163.99 $1,951 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1415 1243 80-85% 20 165.00–180.00 $172.39 $2,143 -18.47
1200–1370 1279 80-85% 5 182.00–200.00 $190.30 $2,434 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1710 1540 75-80% 8 150.00–167.00 $161.48 $2,487 -3.52

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1500 1485 2 210.00–217.00 $213.54 $3,171 —
995–2380 1549 9 183.00–203.00 $195.77 $3,032 —
1035–2320 1678 2 167.50 $167.50 $2,811 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
710–800 748 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,650.00–2,000.00 $1,856.57
805 805 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
800–1440 1101 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 1,100.00–2,750.00 $2,461.08
830–1260 1110 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,550.00–2,700.00 $2,313.57
940–1315 1128 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,500.00–2,350.00 $1,995.68
1055–1285 1174 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,900.00–3,000.00 $2,554.30
1295 1295 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,550.00 $2,550.00

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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
715–1110 947 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 2,350.00–3,200.00 $2,763.91 —
1040 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00 —
1070–1210 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,700.00–3,800.00 $3,753.07 —
1285–1330 1308 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,650.00–4,200.00 $3,920.27 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,062 —
658–695 670 3 280.00–295.00 $289.82 $1,942 —

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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.