Cattle Market Pulse

Harward Brothers Livestock Market Report

Turnersburg, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 18, 2023

432 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Harward Brothers Livestock Market report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $196.07/cwt +2.01 vs last sale · ≈ $945/hd at 482 lb · 15 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $194.65/cwt +14.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,024/hd at 526 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $211.48/cwt -4.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,224/hd at 579 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 432 501 778
Feeder cattle 271 338 477
Slaughter cattle 156 152 281
Replacement cattle 5 11 20

Market comments — USDA reporter

Special Note: There will be no sales on 12/25/23 and 1/1/24 in observance of the Christmas and New Years holidays. Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady to 2.00 higher, while feeder cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average. 7 head Sheep: 55.00- 125.00, 4 head Baby Calves: 100.00

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
275–295 288 3 240.00–280.00 $265.58 $765 —
315 315 1 265.00 $265.00 $835 ±0.00
350–375 360 3 240.00–272.00 $258.59 $931 -2.48
430–445 440 3 225.00–247.00 $235.67 $1,037 -22.75
450–490 467 7 222.00–257.00 $242.29 $1,131 -8.35
500–525 508 3 220.00–240.00 $227.93 $1,158 -13.57
555–580 568 2 200.00–219.00 $209.71 $1,191 -15.29
600–630 618 3 200.00–225.00 $211.66 $1,308 -5.39
660–680 670 2 204.00–206.00 $204.99 $1,373 +12.99
710–720 715 4 185.00–206.00 $197.79 $1,414 —
1045 1045 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,432 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 200.00 $200.00 $950 —
535 535 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,070 +30.00
565 565 1 170.00 $170.00 $960 —
620–640 630 2 170.00–185.00 $177.62 $1,119 +20.09
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 150.00 $150.00 $510 —
440 440 1 117.00 $117.00 $515 —
455 455 1 135.00 $135.00 $614 —
580 580 1 120.00 $120.00 $696 -10.09

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–245 233 3 180.00–200.00 $192.11 $448 +16.23
255–270 259 4 175.00–190.00 $184.78 $479 +7.99
300–340 317 6 172.00–186.00 $180.58 $572 -2.20
365–395 378 5 185.00–215.00 $199.45 $754 +9.81
400–440 420 7 192.00–218.00 $204.93 $861 +1.77
450–498 482 15 180.00–206.00 $196.07 $945 +2.01
500–547 526 15 180.00–210.00 $194.65 $1,024 +14.98
550–580 571 9 170.00–195.00 $184.62 $1,054 +11.17
600–645 618 6 165.00–192.00 $182.01 $1,125 +16.33
670 670 2 160.00–190.00 $175.00 $1,172 +35.00
710–725 718 2 160.00–168.00 $163.96 $1,177 +28.96
945 945 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,228 —
1025 1025 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,548 +44.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 323 3 150.00–155.00 $153.25 $495 +5.03
350–390 368 7 155.00–180.00 $169.20 $623 —
405–435 420 2 160.00–180.00 $170.36 $716 -8.60
460–495 479 4 150.00–170.00 $165.04 $791 -4.96
505–535 521 4 170.00–175.00 $172.24 $897 —
555–565 560 2 140.00–160.00 $149.91 $839 -0.09
605–640 623 2 137.00–160.00 $148.82 $927 +11.27
655 655 1 137.00 $137.00 $897 +2.00
790 790 1 112.00 $112.00 $885 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 2 140.00–147.00 $143.50 $517 +20.22
420–425 423 2 135.00–137.00 $135.99 $575 +0.99
520–525 523 2 117.00–127.00 $122.02 $638 -2.98
605 605 1 105.00 $105.00 $635 —
660 660 1 107.00 $107.00 $706 +7.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 293 2 225.00–250.00 $237.61 $696 +15.06
330–340 336 4 220.00–260.00 $233.59 $785 -2.62
360–390 380 5 228.00–245.00 $235.60 $895 -9.49
410–445 423 6 207.00–227.00 $215.71 $912 -38.37
465–485 475 4 210.00–235.00 $219.69 $1,044 -3.99
510–545 536 7 210.00–231.00 $218.44 $1,171 +4.06
550–595 579 11 197.00–226.00 $211.48 $1,224 -4.01
600–635 622 7 190.00–219.00 $203.14 $1,264 -2.22
650–665 658 2 185.00–190.00 $187.47 $1,234 +39.47
705–735 713 5 140.00–160.00 $145.15 $1,035 +9.60
755–770 763 2 135.00–140.00 $137.48 $1,049 -3.52
800–830 815 2 135.00 $135.00 $1,100 —
910 910 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,074 -5.53
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 185.00 $185.00 $407 -3.38
255 255 1 170.00 $170.00 $434 -10.00
320–345 333 2 175.00–197.00 $186.41 $621 -8.59
380 380 1 210.00 $210.00 $798 +2.70
400–420 410 2 185.00–197.00 $191.15 $784 -8.85
450–495 473 2 180.00–185.00 $182.62 $864 -13.47
500–545 530 3 170.00–185.00 $178.92 $948 —
595 595 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,101 -5.00
610–645 632 3 140.00–160.00 $147.72 $934 -13.05
685–690 688 2 135.00–137.00 $136.00 $936 -6.05
745 745 1 122.00 $122.00 $909 —
790 790 1 120.00 $120.00 $948 ±0.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 145.00 $145.00 $450 -2.62
350–380 362 3 130.00–140.00 $134.86 $488 —
405 405 1 110.00 $110.00 $446 -12.35
480 480 1 125.00 $125.00 $600 -30.00
520–545 535 3 127.00–150.00 $142.26 $761 +22.26
605–640 626 4 117.00–135.00 $123.08 $770 +3.08
650 650 1 120.00 $120.00 $780 -7.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1565 1317 80-85% 5 102.00–110.00 $104.46 $1,376 —
960–2075 1523 80-85% 68 87.00–100.00 $92.57 $1,410 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685–875 795 85-90% 3 47.00–52.00 $49.82 $396 -11.57
690–1380 990 85-90% 11 59.00–70.00 $67.50 $668 —
785–1695 1180 85-90% 38 72.00–85.00 $80.19 $946 -6.13
1010–1745 1243 85-90% 12 86.00–89.00 $86.98 $1,081 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1465–1735 1573 75-80% 5 85.00–95.00 $88.90 $1,398 +0.78

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1735 1449 4 100.00–105.00 $101.02 $1,464 —
950–1945 1708 6 110.00–119.00 $113.68 $1,942 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015–1475 1242 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 950.00–1,400.00 $1,177.92

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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
900 900 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —
940 940 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —

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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.