Cattle Market Pulse

South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange Market Report

Moorefield, West Virginia · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

112 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange report →

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 112 65 69
Feeder cattle 21 16 21
Slaughter cattle 18 29 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slow trading today with moderate buyer attendance. Slightly higher offering with an increase of sheep and goats. No market test on Feeders, Slaughter Cows trending $4 per cwt lower, Bulls sold steady. Piglets by the head up to $18.

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
455 455 1 155.00 $155.00 $705 —
625 625 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,188 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 125.00 $125.00 $706 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
448 448 2 188.00 $188.00 $842 —
685 685 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,096 —
780 780 1 125.00 $125.00 $975 —
840 840 1 115.00 $115.00 $966 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 160.00 $160.00 $656 —
555 555 1 130.00 $130.00 $722 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 2 115.00 $115.00 $504 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,018 —
645 645 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,193 —
670 670 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,072 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 137.50 $137.50 $756 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1395 1232 80-85% 3 65.00–71.00 $67.37 $830 +7.65
1175–1345 1260 80-85% 2 54.00–62.00 $57.73 $727 —
1055–1500 1278 80-85% 2 76.00–79.00 $77.24 $987 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1115 945 85-90% 3 40.00–42.00 $40.92 $387 -41.57
1095 1095 85-90% 1 54.00 $54.00 $591 +4.88
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445 1445 75-80% 1 84.00 $84.00 $1,214 —
1500–1610 1547 75-80% 3 80.00–82.00 $80.66 $1,248 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470 1470 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,470 —
1420–1820 1620 2 110.00–112.00 $111.12 $1,800 +49.32

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
65 65 1 30.00 $30.00 -150.00
73 73 3 85.00 $85.00 -95.00

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Ewes

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
172 172 5 87.00 $87.00 $150 —

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Hair Breeds

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
52–58 54 5 182.00–182.50 $182.29 $98 —

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Lambs

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
55 55 5 155.00 $155.00 $85 —

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
35 35 2 37.50 $37.50 —
42 42 3 70.00 $70.00 —

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Wethers

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
140 140 1 85.00 $85.00 —

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Wooled

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
55–58 57 4 182.00–195.00 $188.67 $108 -1.33
65 65 7 175.00–196.00 $193.00 $125 +3.00
81 81 10 204.00 $204.00 $165 +14.00
82 82 6 200.00 $200.00 $164 +10.00
93 93 18 199.00 $199.00 $185 +9.00
95 95 1 197.50 $197.50 $188 +7.50
155 155 1 155.00 $155.00 $240 —
155 155 1 160.00 $160.00 $248 —

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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.