Cattle Market Pulse

Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange Market Report

Shelby, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 5, 2026

591 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 $441.42/cwt +1.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,088/hd at 473 lb · 37 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $415.15/cwt -0.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,781/hd at 429 lb · 34 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $392.15/cwt -10.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,855/hd at 473 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 591 473 538
Feeder cattle 490 392 452
Slaughter cattle 74 56 65
Replacement cattle 27 25 21

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady to 2.00 higher, while feeder cattle were mostly steady. 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
265 265 1 620.00 $620.00 $1,643 +100.00
305–345 333 4 545.00–590.00 $559.21 $1,862 -10.68
350–395 374 13 505.00–560.00 $528.88 $1,978 +14.33
400–435 418 12 450.00–510.00 $474.62 $1,984 +10.08
450–495 470 23 430.00–470.00 $448.29 $2,107 -25.44
500–540 520 10 400.00–457.50 $444.77 $2,313 +7.14
555–580 566 6 417.50–447.50 $435.30 $2,464 +25.46
610–640 618 4 390.00–435.00 $418.24 $2,585 +36.70
670–690 681 5 360.00–420.00 $400.57 $2,728 +37.02
705–730 718 4 362.50–380.00 $371.18 $2,665 —
778–790 782 3 337.50–370.00 $359.06 $2,808 +45.21
816 value added 816 9 352.50 $352.50 $2,876 —
825–845 835 2 300.00–335.00 $317.71 $2,653 —
855 855 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,907 —
995 995 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,910 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,446 —
310–345 328 2 420.00–480.00 $451.60 $1,481 —
435–440 438 2 430.00–435.00 $432.49 $1,894 —
475 475 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,948 +24.82
520–525 523 2 365.00–380.00 $372.46 $1,948 —
585 585 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,223 +65.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,494 +40.00
465 465 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,628 —
500 500 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,400 —
675 675 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,755 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–240 218 5 510.00–550.00 $528.49 $1,152 +18.49
265–295 282 5 460.00–500.00 $481.70 $1,358 -8.18
300–345 314 9 450.00–500.00 $462.86 $1,453 -8.57
350–385 364 8 437.50–510.00 $452.57 $1,647 +5.28
400–448 429 34 400.00–450.00 $415.15 $1,781 -0.84
450–495 473 23 365.00–417.50 $392.15 $1,855 -10.19
500–540 523 14 367.50–412.50 $385.97 $2,019 -16.46
550–585 568 12 340.00–390.00 $362.92 $2,061 -10.09
600–635 618 8 310.00–335.00 $319.64 $1,975 -35.58
650–685 663 8 310.00–340.00 $318.20 $2,110 +3.20
700–735 710 4 300.00–327.50 $314.54 $2,233 -25.58
920–925 923 2 220.00–265.00 $242.56 $2,239 —
955–995 973 3 235.00–270.00 $250.60 $2,438 +30.60
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,004 +0.11
260–285 273 2 430.00 $430.00 $1,174 +30.00
300–345 335 7 400.00–430.00 $414.07 $1,387 +14.30
365–395 380 12 380.00–432.50 $404.70 $1,538 +25.11
400–435 420 13 342.00–395.00 $372.42 $1,564 +15.57
485–490 488 2 315.00–325.00 $320.03 $1,562 -17.21
505–535 524 5 320.00–355.00 $340.01 $1,782 -6.26
560–585 573 2 280.00–320.00 $299.56 $1,716 -2.82
660 660 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,861 +52.00
765 765 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,530 —
830 830 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,411 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 330 3 350.00 $350.00 $1,155 +29.06
380 380 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,368 +33.83
405 405 1 220.00 $220.00 $891 —
485 485 1 190.00 $190.00 $922 -84.84

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–245 227 3 600.00–630.00 $616.91 $1,400 -3.09
250–295 272 8 550.00–610.00 $588.53 $1,601 +28.26
300–345 323 8 530.00–590.00 $559.29 $1,807 +19.58
350–390 368 17 490.00–555.00 $514.98 $1,895 +5.80
400–445 421 18 430.00–495.00 $457.47 $1,926 -3.05
450–491 473 37 420.00–467.50 $441.42 $2,088 +1.59
500–548 525 21 410.00–467.50 $443.29 $2,327 +0.80
550–595 568 9 395.00–440.00 $423.94 $2,408 +7.93
610–630 624 4 395.00–430.00 $415.65 $2,594 +19.79
660–685 674 4 360.00–385.00 $369.88 $2,493 +1.69
720–735 725 4 335.00–360.00 $351.18 $2,546 +26.18
765–770 767 3 290.00–340.00 $318.38 $2,442 +13.38
800–825 813 2 230.00–275.00 $252.15 $2,050 —
965 965 1 242.00 $242.00 $2,335 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–235 228 2 510.00–530.00 $519.67 $1,185 +19.67
275–295 285 2 450.00–500.00 $475.88 $1,356 +15.88
310–325 318 2 450.00–490.00 $470.47 $1,496 +1.57
355–375 363 3 430.00–480.00 $459.50 $1,668 +21.96
400–445 424 7 350.00–405.00 $378.14 $1,603 -27.02
450–495 462 5 350.00–367.50 $359.58 $1,661 -15.11
500–535 513 6 350.00–395.00 $374.34 $1,920 +66.84
565–590 580 3 315.00–370.00 $348.78 $2,023 +31.17
620–625 623 2 300.00–350.00 $324.90 $2,024 -0.06
660 660 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,980 +18.18
730–735 733 2 210.00–240.00 $225.05 $1,650 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 430.00 $430.00 $860 —
360 360 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,440 +53.67
425 425 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,488 +29.77
510–540 525 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,575 +35.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1115 958 85-90% 4 110.00–130.00 $119.48 $1,145 —
885–1335 1124 85-90% 20 135.00–159.00 $149.31 $1,678 +4.11
1190 1190 85-90% 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,964 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080 1080 80-85% 1 187.50 $187.50 $2,025 —
1015–1580 1224 80-85% 15 157.00–176.00 $168.15 $2,058 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1735 1433 75-80% 4 145.00–158.00 $151.75 $2,175 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–2300 1452 7 170.00–196.00 $182.64 $2,652 —
1510–2015 1661 4 207.00–213.00 $209.96 $3,487 —
2505 2505 1 143.00 $143.00 $3,582 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
935 935 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1020–1165 1072 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,500.00–2,400.00 $2,048.21
1080–1175 1123 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,800.00–2,350.00 $2,016.84
935–1615 1196 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,900.00–2,850.00 $2,278.42
1040–1470 1261 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,450.00–2,750.00 $2,246.46
1385–1470 1422 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,150.00–2,700.00 $2,405.69
1465 1465 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00

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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
750–895 823 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 3,150.00–3,250.00 $3,204.41 —
940 940 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 -342.91
1060–1480 1213 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,550.00–3,400.00 $3,016.48 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 150.00 $150.00 $570 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 2 180.00–230.00 $205.00 $1,220 —
865 865 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,427 —

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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.