Cattle Market Pulse

Virginia Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Virginia · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 15, 2021

7,387 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Virginia Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $126.10/cwt -1.76 vs last sale · ≈ $706/hd at 559 lb · 279 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $130.13/cwt -5.53 vs last sale · ≈ $600/hd at 461 lb · 246 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $160.78/cwt +2.79 vs last sale · ≈ $855/hd at 532 lb · 241 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,387 6,491 2,400
Feeder cattle 7,298 6,491 2,348
Slaughter cattle 89 — 52

Market comments — USDA reporter

State Graded Feeder Cattle (Steers 2967, Holstein Steers 101, Heifers 2495, Bulls 1735) State Graded Slaughter Cattle (Steers 62, Heifers 27) Value Added and Natural Cattle are Weaned and Vaccinated. Compared to last week: Feeder cattle mostly steady to 4.00 lower. Report includes sales from Blackstone, Front Royal, Hollins, Lynchburg, Monterey, Radiant, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Springlake, Staunton and Winchester.

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
335–345 340 2 160.00–177.50 $168.62 $573 -7.10
366–391 372 30 150.00–172.00 $163.39 $608 -11.59
438–440 438 8 154.00–164.00 $162.75 $713 +0.45
450–480 464 163 129.00–172.00 $161.40 $749 -6.66
502–548 value added 513 47 153.00–172.00 $162.29 $833 —
515 515 8 179.00 $179.00 $922 +13.00
500–549 537 186 130.00–166.00 $159.61 $857 +2.32
550–595 566 73 110.00–161.00 $156.31 $885 -3.02
557–581 574 48 174.00–180.00 $175.82 $1,009 +16.49
552–597 value added 575 35 166.00–171.00 $169.02 $972 +13.77
603–642 value added 626 37 145.00–157.00 $154.76 $969 -3.12
632 632 11 158.00 $158.00 $999 +5.00
600–649 640 151 120.00–154.00 $146.72 $939 -6.28
661–690 667 23 128.00–150.00 $143.30 $956 -6.14
659–694 value added 687 166 141.50–157.50 $149.58 $1,028 +16.58
711–743 value added 720 62 144.00–145.50 $145.19 $1,045 +5.03
705–745 727 82 128.00–162.00 $146.62 $1,066 +15.29
715–746 738 58 121.00–134.00 $131.59 $971 +0.26
755–781 762 22 121.00–133.50 $128.59 $980 -3.68
761–796 value added 772 124 119.00–142.00 $136.57 $1,054 —
796 796 42 132.00 $132.00 $1,051 —
801–818 813 21 131.75–135.50 $132.81 $1,080 +12.81
802–843 828 32 123.50–136.75 $129.50 $1,072 +9.50
830–845 value added 834 67 116.50–132.00 $123.16 $1,027 -5.84
854 854 35 130.00 $130.00 $1,110 +12.14
855–875 862 12 114.50–135.00 $125.34 $1,080 +7.48
871–886 value added 879 33 125.00–126.00 $125.61 $1,104 —
907–922 value added 918 15 109.00–116.50 $115.40 $1,059 —
965–975 971 4 101.00–118.50 $111.28 $1,081 +5.35
984 value added 984 31 121.75 $121.75 $1,198 —
1003 1003 2 105.00 $105.00 $1,053 —
1012 1012 10 123.00 $123.00 $1,245 —
1125 1125 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,204 —
1427 value added 1427 3 63.00 $63.00 $899 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 17 188.00 $188.00 $820 —
493 493 24 176.00 $176.00 $868 +9.00
509–543 value added 528 28 169.00–173.00 $171.35 $905 +8.85
550–594 value added 583 87 146.50–165.00 $155.45 $906 -8.55
560–599 584 105 147.00–172.75 $167.20 $976 +16.20
600–637 617 22 139.00–161.00 $157.01 $969 +2.51
600–626 value added 623 74 150.00–160.00 $158.27 $986 +4.68
668–697 value added 677 67 150.00–155.00 $152.71 $1,034 +8.97
679 679 12 143.00 $143.00 $971 -6.61
671–699 683 24 136.00–156.00 $147.47 $1,007 -2.14
706 706 31 153.00 $153.00 $1,080 +12.51
703–737 value added 717 46 111.50–144.50 $131.53 $943 -7.46
766 766 4 119.50 $119.50 $915 -17.76
763–793 value added 784 37 120.00–130.00 $129.09 $1,012 +6.09
832 value added 832 9 132.50 $132.50 $1,102 +15.50
845 845 9 129.50 $129.50 $1,094 —
889 value added 889 8 117.00 $117.00 $1,040 -4.00
898 898 12 119.00 $119.00 $1,069 -1.99
1080 1080 2 94.00 $94.00 $1,015 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–341 338 9 151.00–180.00 $174.07 $588 +4.07
355–390 373 50 97.50–165.00 $160.04 $597 -19.02
415–441 437 19 131.00–166.00 $156.31 $683 -9.39
451–495 463 104 134.00–157.00 $153.49 $711 -7.79
479 479 5 178.00 $178.00 $853 +16.72
510–545 529 10 125.00–159.00 $142.30 $753 +4.30
540 540 26 174.50 $174.50 $942 +13.63
550–590 556 156 118.00–165.50 $148.93 $828 +8.93
597 value added 597 5 136.00 $136.00 $812 —
636 value added 636 8 161.00 $161.00 $1,024 —
600–649 644 45 105.00–149.00 $140.20 $903 -3.62
650–690 657 35 120.00–144.00 $135.78 $892 +2.78
670 value added 670 2 118.00 $118.00 $791 —
700–745 731 11 119.00–139.00 $129.43 $946 -5.57
750–757 756 11 120.00–128.50 $127.73 $966 +3.54
800–846 843 34 115.00–135.50 $131.42 $1,108 +14.82
869 869 7 112.50 $112.50 $978 +3.50
920–940 930 2 91.00–113.00 $102.12 $950 —
955 955 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,003 -4.00
1020 value added 1020 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,132 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323–337 331 7 124.00–151.00 $137.96 $457 —
360–365 363 2 139.00–153.00 $146.05 $530 +1.21
437–445 444 21 133.00–151.00 $148.47 $659 +11.88
455–495 471 8 124.00–141.00 $127.61 $601 -2.19
500–547 538 29 124.00–151.00 $139.72 $752 +2.64
628–649 645 11 122.00–124.50 $124.06 $800 +6.24
680 680 2 121.00 $121.00 $823 —
710 710 2 116.00 $116.00 $824 -3.74
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1330 1254 5 101.00–113.00 $108.57 $1,361 —
1265–1745 1466 45 114.75–125.00 $118.24 $1,733 —
1425–1565 1495 2 112.00–114.00 $112.95 $1,689 —
1255–1635 1502 10 111.00–132.00 $124.08 $1,864 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 148.00 $148.00 $466 —
425–435 432 7 117.00–133.00 $128.50 $555 +6.97
460–468 466 5 76.00–140.00 $127.38 $594 +2.82
527–533 529 8 120.00–124.00 $121.51 $643 -1.93
555 555 1 117.00 $117.00 $649 -1.00
615 615 1 110.00 $110.00 $676 -2.00
650–662 657 8 119.00–127.00 $121.76 $800 +17.43
780 780 1 94.00 $94.00 $733 +19.00
835 835 1 101.00 $101.00 $843 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 value added 534 26 142.00 $142.00 $758 —
610 610 2 122.00 $122.00 $744 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 121.00 $121.00 $647 —
755 755 1 100.00 $100.00 $755 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334–337 335 7 135.00–149.00 $146.14 $490 +2.56
363–390 372 77 120.00–142.00 $133.56 $497 -3.39
417–445 426 48 115.00–139.50 $132.67 $565 +7.53
450–495 461 239 119.00–137.50 $130.12 $600 -5.54
467–483 value added 476 7 129.50–132.00 $130.55 $621 —
515 515 14 135.00 $135.00 $695 +11.36
524–548 541 94 110.00–123.00 $118.03 $639 -5.61
552 552 29 142.50 $142.50 $787 +14.64
551–580 557 210 115.00–129.00 $123.72 $689 -4.14
566–580 value added 578 40 121.00–127.50 $126.70 $732 —
612–620 617 20 115.00–134.00 $126.95 $783 -3.05
621 value added 621 14 125.00 $125.00 $776 —
601–646 631 93 100.00–124.50 $115.61 $729 -1.98
654–688 659 115 100.00–120.00 $117.31 $773 +1.07
660–688 value added 664 98 118.00–124.50 $121.62 $808 +7.90
713–722 value added 721 12 115.00–115.50 $115.42 $832 —
710–740 729 41 103.00–118.00 $112.66 $821 +9.39
710–746 741 69 100.00–113.00 $107.96 $800 +4.69
767–780 value added 767 62 100.00–112.00 $111.61 $856 -14.39
751–791 770 23 100.00–110.00 $106.05 $817 -5.09
828 828 39 116.50 $116.50 $965 -6.50
832–849 845 14 99.00–100.00 $99.21 $838 -13.64
883 883 5 105.00 $105.00 $927 —
915 915 1 66.00 $66.00 $604 -36.00
936 936 5 103.50 $103.50 $969 +1.50
1145 1145 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,168 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 122.00 $122.00 $329 -18.00
305–349 333 20 61.00–150.00 $135.52 $451 +3.02
356–390 366 109 112.00–137.00 $132.69 $486 -8.41
420–447 444 177 110.00–135.00 $129.38 $574 -11.01
451–490 464 116 90.00–134.75 $128.99 $599 -3.18
484–490 489 18 130.00–135.50 $134.29 $657 +2.12
491 value added 491 7 137.00 $137.00 $673 —
542 542 26 141.50 $141.50 $767 +15.65
520–547 544 175 114.00–127.00 $120.96 $658 -4.89
550–595 564 68 72.00–125.50 $118.03 $666 -8.54
568 568 6 119.00 $119.00 $676 -7.57
603 value added 603 2 108.00 $108.00 $651 —
600–645 635 112 99.00–122.00 $116.62 $741 -0.47
650–670 659 5 105.00–117.00 $112.19 $739 -1.83
727–748 741 22 101.00–115.00 $108.56 $804 +4.01
761–769 767 18 104.00–104.50 $104.36 $800 +0.50
850 850 1 94.00 $94.00 $799 +12.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 8 130.00 $130.00 $491 +4.00
394 394 19 145.00 $145.00 $571 +19.00
493 493 11 131.00 $131.00 $646 +1.00
511 511 12 134.00 $134.00 $685 +13.50
508–537 value added 518 33 125.00–133.00 $129.20 $669 -3.27
550–584 577 88 138.00–144.50 $141.17 $815 +9.17
582 value added 582 5 125.00 $125.00 $728 -3.73
606–628 621 19 126.00–135.00 $128.77 $800 +7.77
611–633 value added 626 15 117.25–125.50 $119.53 $748 -6.29
656 value added 656 37 117.25 $117.25 $769 +6.29
653–678 662 39 118.00–128.00 $123.66 $819 +0.20
708 708 53 118.00 $118.00 $835 -7.50
775 775 10 113.00 $113.00 $876 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 115.00 $115.00 $293 —
300–346 337 13 109.00–129.00 $124.42 $419 —
356–380 362 59 115.00–125.25 $123.24 $446 -9.32
410–443 433 7 118.00–122.00 $119.39 $517 -5.46
450–474 452 69 119.00–130.00 $125.70 $568 -1.42
500–537 530 51 107.00–126.00 $119.58 $634 +1.63
558–575 569 7 108.00–124.00 $113.91 $648 -2.87
645 645 10 106.00 $106.00 $684 +2.71
665–698 691 5 103.00–112.00 $104.73 $724 +5.73
740 740 2 93.00 $93.00 $688 +3.00
795 795 1 79.00 $79.00 $628 -12.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 61.00 $61.00 $168 —
342 342 5 111.00 $111.00 $380 -13.00
365–375 374 7 110.00–128.00 $124.34 $465 +7.41
444 444 5 122.00 $122.00 $542 -6.11
456–459 457 19 91.00–121.50 $115.43 $528 +7.38
520–545 536 19 108.00–117.50 $116.66 $625 +0.26
550–590 567 6 100.00–114.00 $103.23 $585 -7.34
608–648 628 4 97.00–100.00 $98.55 $619 +7.17
650–663 661 6 91.00–93.00 $92.67 $613 -15.33
725 725 2 84.00–96.00 $90.00 $652 -6.05
788 788 3 80.00 $80.00 $630 -6.67
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557 557 9 120.00 $120.00 $668 —
588 value added 588 7 123.00 $123.00 $723 —
723 value added 723 39 108.00 $108.00 $781 —
827 value added 827 5 103.00 $103.00 $852 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1245 1190 3 108.00–110.00 $109.03 $1,297 —
1210–1580 1332 9 118.00–128.00 $123.51 $1,645 —
1200–1615 1356 14 112.00–124.50 $118.14 $1,602 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 140.00 $140.00 $371 —
320–349 342 27 130.00–175.50 $162.39 $555 -10.63
350–395 368 22 127.00–160.00 $149.98 $552 -13.45
400–447 429 117 105.00–159.50 $151.23 $649 -8.19
454–496 480 126 105.00–149.00 $144.40 $693 -6.99
506–549 539 107 105.00–143.38 $140.01 $755 -5.03
560–585 565 61 128.00–136.00 $131.12 $741 -6.42
605–646 638 67 121.00–131.00 $126.92 $810 -2.34
652–654 653 22 115.00–128.00 $124.13 $811 +0.58
741 741 19 105.00 $105.00 $778 -10.69
752–775 760 13 105.00–116.00 $114.44 $870 -0.57
800–838 825 3 87.00–99.00 $95.12 $785 -3.32
862–864 863 14 95.00–103.00 $100.14 $864 +13.33
940 940 1 75.00 $75.00 $705 -8.97
1195 1195 1 70.00 $70.00 $836 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 332 19 140.00–173.50 $167.81 $557 -3.20
350–390 360 60 89.00–170.00 $157.02 $565 +17.65
400–440 419 63 115.00–156.00 $150.21 $629 -10.38
460–492 483 106 110.00–151.00 $141.42 $683 -9.10
508–549 541 34 124.00–145.00 $134.15 $726 -5.07
550–589 570 106 107.00–143.00 $134.07 $764 -3.06
610–648 635 31 98.00–134.50 $121.03 $769 -6.01
652–690 661 45 119.00–130.00 $126.23 $834 +8.30
710–740 730 16 91.00–114.00 $105.95 $773 -4.64
751 751 9 106.00 $106.00 $796 —
823–825 824 4 89.00–107.00 $97.99 $807 +2.32
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 7 163.00 $163.00 $554 —
390 390 2 140.00 $140.00 $546 +20.00
432–445 436 7 133.00–148.00 $143.62 $626 -5.38
465 465 1 119.00 $119.00 $553 -12.18
532–549 543 19 118.00–125.00 $122.24 $664 -7.76
570 570 1 115.00 $115.00 $656 -5.26
655–658 657 3 65.00–116.00 $99.05 $651 -22.95
780 780 1 90.00 $90.00 $702 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–340 333 2 113.00–114.00 $113.49 $378 -21.01
365–395 384 4 115.00–139.00 $121.45 $466 —
420–426 425 7 115.00–132.00 $129.60 $551 +0.50
470–493 491 10 120.00–127.00 $126.33 $620 +4.88
515 515 2 104.00–111.00 $107.50 $554 +2.56
552 552 5 124.00 $124.00 $684 -0.41
695 695 1 118.00 $118.00 $820 +6.87
710 710 1 98.00 $98.00 $696 —
755 755 2 102.00 $102.00 $770 +2.00
825 825 1 84.00 $84.00 $693 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 2 91.00 $91.00 $350 —
439 439 9 130.00 $130.00 $571 —
751 751 7 112.00 $112.00 $841 —
853 853 2 96.00 $96.00 $819 —
925 925 3 79.00 $79.00 $731 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Heifers

Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 36.00 $36.00 $144 —
613 613 3 31.00 $31.00 $190 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 349 10 120.00 $120.00 $419 —
455–476 462 17 116.00–124.50 $121.41 $561 —
558–573 560 26 116.00–125.00 $123.94 $694 —
648 648 16 114.00 $114.00 $739 —
743 743 19 107.00 $107.00 $795 —
856 856 11 96.00 $96.00 $822 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 2 71.00 $71.00 $447 —

↑ Back to top

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.