Cattle Market Pulse

Roanoke Stockyards Market Report

Roanoke, Alabama · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 15, 2024

567 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Roanoke Stockyards report →

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $284.98/cwt +4.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,205/hd at 423 lb · 16 head
light 3-weight M&L 2 bulls $328.97/cwt -4.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,056/hd at 321 lb · 12 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 2 bulls $315.75/cwt +6.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,181/hd at 374 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 567 976 0
Feeder cattle 424 736 0
Slaughter cattle 91 125 0
Replacement cattle 52 115 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to one week ago: Feeder steers sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher, feeder heifers sold 7.00 to 10.00 higher, feeder bulls sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher, slaughter bulls sold 4.00 higher. Replacement cows and pairs sold mostly steady.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,047 —
340 340 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,122 -6.85
365–395 373 8 320.00–330.00 $323.59 $1,207 -5.54
405–445 421 4 312.00–320.00 $316.36 $1,332 -3.66
465–495 475 11 310.00–316.00 $313.78 $1,490 +9.15
510–525 520 3 290.00–297.00 $294.71 $1,532 +16.06
595 595 4 280.00 $280.00 $1,666 +6.21
620–645 633 2 255.00–262.00 $258.57 $1,637 —
665 665 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,662 —
790–795 793 2 224.00–226.00 $225.00 $1,784 +8.98
875 875 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,768 —
940 940 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,852 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–545 523 5 300.00–310.00 $305.58 $1,598 +5.50
565–570 568 3 284.00–288.00 $285.99 $1,624 -1.96
605 605 1 272.00 $272.00 $1,646 —
715–735 728 3 242.00–244.00 $242.65 $1,766 —
765 765 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,790 —
875–890 883 2 209.00–210.00 $209.50 $1,850 —
905–940 923 2 202.00–207.00 $204.45 $1,887 —
1015 1015 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,928 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 3 318.00 $318.00 $1,240 —
470 470 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,410 +2.48
545 545 1 287.00 $287.00 $1,564 +9.45
590 590 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,593 +4.64
670 670 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,621 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 235 2 345.00–350.00 $347.39 $816 —
255–290 273 2 340.00–345.00 $342.66 $935 +17.66
305–315 310 4 310.00–318.00 $313.49 $972 —
365–395 388 8 300.00–310.00 $302.54 $1,174 +9.59
415–440 423 16 280.00–290.00 $284.98 $1,205 +4.49
470–475 474 4 280.00–282.00 $281.50 $1,334 +3.50
515–545 530 5 262.00–270.00 $265.69 $1,408 +2.39
560–580 570 3 250.00–254.00 $252.01 $1,436 +11.62
610–635 623 2 237.00–244.00 $240.43 $1,498 +8.92
710–715 713 2 222.00–224.00 $223.00 $1,590 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 2 318.00–320.00 $319.00 $925 —
315–345 338 4 300.00–304.00 $300.93 $1,017 +0.66
355–390 368 8 288.00–298.00 $291.16 $1,071 +9.66
410–440 432 8 268.00–278.00 $275.40 $1,190 +4.19
460–480 468 8 268.00–274.00 $271.00 $1,268 +4.00
515–545 533 8 250.00–260.00 $255.98 $1,364 +10.46
555–595 575 2 240.00–242.00 $240.97 $1,386 +8.98
615 615 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,408 +6.95
675–695 685 2 214.00–222.00 $218.06 $1,494 —
735–745 740 2 208.00–213.00 $210.48 $1,558 +0.48
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–320 318 2 290.00–294.00 $291.98 $928 +1.16
365–390 371 4 278.00–280.00 $279.47 $1,037 +8.26
470–495 485 10 260.00–265.00 $262.89 $1,275 +4.86
520–545 530 5 240.00–244.00 $241.65 $1,281 +7.57
575–580 578 2 226.00–230.00 $228.01 $1,318 +6.01
625 625 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,312 —
660 660 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,373 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 330.00 $330.00 $957 —
305–340 321 12 325.00–332.00 $328.97 $1,056 -4.33
355–395 374 11 310.00–320.00 $315.75 $1,181 +6.58
405–445 425 9 300.00–308.00 $303.34 $1,289 +4.02
455–475 462 3 280.00–285.00 $281.71 $1,302 -0.38
535 535 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,471 +1.90
560–585 575 5 262.00–272.00 $267.58 $1,539 +4.34
645 645 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,709 +13.37
660–665 663 2 240.00–244.00 $241.99 $1,604 -0.52
730–745 735 3 216.00–220.00 $218.65 $1,607 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–290 280 2 335.00–340.00 $337.41 $945 —
305–310 308 3 340.00–345.00 $341.65 $1,052 +0.43
380–390 386 5 324.00–325.00 $324.39 $1,252 -0.61
405–445 430 8 310.00–318.00 $312.92 $1,346 +2.92
460–475 469 8 290.00–300.00 $292.36 $1,371 +0.71
530–540 535 6 280.00–284.00 $281.98 $1,509 -0.85
555–575 571 6 275.00–280.00 $278.52 $1,590 -2.27
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 320.00 $320.00 $944 —
335 335 1 318.00 $318.00 $1,065 -7.00
370–390 386 5 300.00–304.00 $300.77 $1,161 +0.77
445 445 1 292.00 $292.00 $1,299 +5.39
475 475 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,282 -2.00
545 545 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,417 ±0.00
615 615 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,538 +7.52
660–670 665 2 230.00–233.00 $231.49 $1,539 -7.02
735–740 738 2 200.00–205.00 $202.51 $1,495 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1240 1066 80-85% 19 125.00–131.00 $127.85 $1,363 —
915–1255 1108 80-85% 12 118.00–124.00 $119.23 $1,321 -1.25
1005–1320 1209 80-85% 7 133.00–138.00 $135.50 $1,638 +7.67
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925 925 85-90% 2 108.00 $108.00 $999 —
825–1210 1030 85-90% 6 115.00–120.00 $116.51 $1,200 +8.45
1020–1240 1077 85-90% 9 109.00–114.00 $110.58 $1,191 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1350 1337 75-80% 3 128.00–131.00 $129.01 $1,725 -4.99
1330–1480 1410 75-80% 3 136.00–138.00 $136.98 $1,931 —
1520–1585 1542 75-80% 3 119.00–121.00 $120.31 $1,855 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,992 —
1615–1665 1632 3 149.00–154.00 $150.70 $2,459 —
1465–1910 1672 3 155.00–157.00 $156.09 $2,610 +14.88

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 1,025.00–1,350.00 $1,182.50

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,550.00–1,775.00 $1,666.67
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 1,800.00–2,000.00 $1,911.54
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,550.00 $1,416.67
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,800.00–2,050.00 $1,966.67
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,500.00–1,650.00 $1,600.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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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
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 1,950.00–2,250.00 $2,075.00 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —

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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.