Cattle Market Pulse

South Branch Valley Livestock Exchange Market Report

Moorefield, West Virginia · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 29, 2025

115 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 115 12 46
Feeder cattle 3 — 11
Slaughter cattle 107 11 30

Market comments — USDA reporter

Fat cattle results included

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480–1598 1540 18 203.00–207.00 $205.30 $3,162 —
1735 1735 1 216.00 $216.00 $3,748 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1495 1301 9 197.00–209.00 $200.89 $2,614 —
1348–1486 1422 13 204.00–208.00 $206.61 $2,938 —
1450 1450 3 206.00 $206.00 $2,987 —
1468 1468 1 210.00 $210.00 $3,083 —
1493 1493 4 211.00 $211.00 $3,150 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,419 —
710 710 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,420 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 175.00 $175.00 $840 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1238 1238 80-85% 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,795 —
1200–1560 1343 80-85% 14 106.00–126.00 $119.69 $1,607 —
1200–2040 1588 80-85% 18 110.00–139.00 $127.67 $2,027 —
1940–2015 1978 80-85% 2 131.00–150.00 $140.68 $2,783 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930 930 85-90% 1 61.00 $61.00 $567 —
1025–1180 1115 85-90% 3 60.00–85.00 $72.95 $813 —
1030–1380 1217 85-90% 9 96.00–124.00 $107.34 $1,306 —
1100–1455 1255 85-90% 4 81.00–96.00 $90.26 $1,133 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1910 1465 3 104.00–112.00 $108.60 $1,591 —
1525–2400 1872 3 137.00–155.00 $144.03 $2,696 —

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Bucks Billies

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
65 65 1 105.00 $105.00 —

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Nannies Does

N/N/A ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
53 53 2 50.00 $50.00 —
75 75 1 105.00 $105.00 —
80 80 1 105.00 $105.00 —

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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.