Cattle Market Pulse

Roanoke Stockyards Market Report

Roanoke, Alabama · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 18, 2024

1,562 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $263.22/cwt -1.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,398/hd at 531 lb · 17 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $268.89/cwt -10.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,301/hd at 484 lb · 14 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $315.00/cwt -2.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,638/hd at 520 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,562 1,032 957
Feeder cattle 1,223 822 602
Slaughter cattle 224 118 190
Replacement cattle 115 92 165

Market comments — USDA reporter

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

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
465–470 468 4 322.00–328.00 $324.98 $1,521 -5.79
510–535 520 12 310.00–318.00 $315.00 $1,638 -2.17
565–590 578 6 292.00–300.00 $295.29 $1,707 -2.33
615–645 633 10 272.00–274.00 $273.22 $1,729 +3.19
690 690 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,725 -3.14
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–440 438 4 316.00–318.00 $316.49 $1,386 -13.25
460–475 471 4 310.00–312.00 $311.51 $1,467 -11.97
515–535 525 5 306.00–309.00 $308.00 $1,617 +3.09
560–590 573 6 280.00–285.00 $283.13 $1,622 -6.49
635 635 3 268.00 $268.00 $1,702 +9.02
685 685 3 245.00 $245.00 $1,678 +8.82
735 735 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,690 -4.00
790 790 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,738 -1.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–545 533 3 292.00–294.00 $293.36 $1,564 -1.64
780 780 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,544 -20.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 309 7 320.00–322.00 $320.87 $991 —
355–380 366 7 308.00–310.00 $308.85 $1,130 -10.97
410–420 416 5 288.00–290.00 $289.21 $1,203 -13.96
470–495 484 14 265.00–272.00 $268.89 $1,301 -10.54
505–540 521 8 250.00–258.00 $255.02 $1,329 -2.14
555–595 572 11 234.00–244.00 $239.01 $1,367 -3.31
625–645 636 8 225.00–231.00 $227.22 $1,445 -7.78
660–690 678 5 222.00–225.00 $223.17 $1,513 -8.83
735–745 740 4 205.00–210.00 $207.48 $1,535 -12.52
770 770 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,594 +2.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–280 278 7 318.00–326.00 $321.39 $893 —
355 355 3 314.00 $314.00 $1,115 -13.49
415–445 426 6 308.00–312.00 $310.65 $1,323 -2.97
490 490 6 280.00–286.00 $283.00 $1,387 -9.78
515–540 531 17 260.00–265.00 $263.22 $1,398 -1.94
565–595 583 10 246.00–248.00 $246.99 $1,440 -2.52
605–635 620 4 238.00–240.00 $238.98 $1,482 -2.96
670–675 673 6 230.00–231.00 $230.67 $1,552 -7.16
790 790 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,706 -12.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–335 323 10 308.00–310.00 $309.18 $999 -7.28
365–375 372 3 300.00–302.00 $301.35 $1,121 -10.62
425–445 435 11 280.00–284.00 $281.99 $1,227 -11.56
470–495 487 8 256.00–262.00 $259.03 $1,261 -12.31
520–530 528 4 244.00–248.00 $247.01 $1,304 -1.52
580 580 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,334 -3.40
610–630 620 4 220.00–223.00 $221.48 $1,373 -2.52
680 680 3 218.00 $218.00 $1,482 -3.73
710 710 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,420 —
780 780 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,521 -4.33

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–330 324 6 338.00–345.00 $342.22 $1,109 —
380–390 385 4 330.00–334.00 $332.03 $1,278 -0.66
405–430 422 6 322.00–328.00 $323.92 $1,367 +0.36
470–490 482 5 305.00–308.00 $306.83 $1,479 -4.35
525–545 538 7 282.00–288.00 $284.57 $1,531 -7.39
555–580 566 4 266.00–270.00 $268.02 $1,517 +9.20
610–645 634 4 246.00–251.00 $249.49 $1,582 -3.85
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 2 364.00 $364.00 $1,019 —
310–330 322 5 350.00–354.00 $351.54 $1,132 +2.75
360–380 370 6 342.00–350.00 $345.69 $1,279 +3.14
405–420 413 4 330.00–334.00 $331.96 $1,371 -0.45
470–475 473 4 312.00–315.00 $313.49 $1,483 -10.03
505–515 508 3 290.00–295.00 $293.31 $1,490 -7.67
560–590 576 7 274.00–278.00 $275.90 $1,589 +0.90
605 605 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,573 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–335 327 5 320.00–330.00 $326.15 $1,067 +0.15
370–390 378 6 318.00–322.00 $320.66 $1,212 +0.66
430–440 435 6 310.00–314.00 $311.98 $1,357 +2.96
460–480 469 7 295.00–300.00 $297.80 $1,397 -2.20
520–530 524 5 270.00–274.00 $271.21 $1,421 —
560–570 565 2 250.00–255.00 $252.52 $1,427 +2.52
620 620 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,426 —
735 735 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,455 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1225 1109 80-85% 14 124.00–129.00 $125.53 $1,392 +9.15
910–1430 1110 80-85% 46 110.00–116.00 $112.72 $1,251 -3.66
970–1340 1129 80-85% 27 117.00–123.00 $119.84 $1,353 -7.62
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1120 994 85-90% 11 107.00–109.00 $108.18 $1,075 —
1010–1090 1030 85-90% 4 94.00–95.00 $94.74 $976 -13.11
990–1215 1100 85-90% 21 100.00–105.00 $102.84 $1,131 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1445 1406 75-80% 19 114.00–118.00 $115.94 $1,630 -0.03
1455–1580 1549 75-80% 4 110.00–112.00 $111.26 $1,723 —
1620–1655 1632 75-80% 3 123.00–124.00 $123.66 $2,018 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1990 1654 4 137.00–140.00 $138.75 $2,295 —
1645–1990 1895 7 141.00–146.00 $145.08 $2,749 —
1790–2030 1910 2 149.00–150.00 $149.53 $2,856 —

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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 7 1,050.00–1,275.00 $1,175.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 2,100.00–2,250.00 $2,209.09
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,400.00–2,700.00 $2,490.00
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 14 1,700.00–2,000.00 $1,853.57
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 2,000.00–2,350.00 $2,200.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,600.00–1,900.00 $1,787.50
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,400.00 $1,400.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,350.00 $1,266.67
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,100.00–1,350.00 $1,191.67

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 18 1,800.00–2,200.00 $2,002.78 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 12 2,400.00–2,650.00 $2,525.00 —
— fancy — Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —

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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.