Cattle Market Pulse

Virginia Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Virginia · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 17, 2021

2,687 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $123.52/cwt -3.85 vs last sale · ≈ $667/hd at 540 lb · 168 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $153.29/cwt +2.13 vs last sale · ≈ $832/hd at 543 lb · 157 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $126.48/cwt -1.80 vs last sale · ≈ $582/hd at 460 lb · 140 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,687 3,285 3,983
Feeder cattle 2,632 3,285 3,891
Slaughter cattle 55 — 92

Market comments — USDA reporter

State Graded Feeder Cattle (Steers 904, Heifers 1230, Bulls 498) State Graded Slaughter Cattle (Steers 39, Heifers 16) Value Added and some Natural Cattle are Weaned and Vaccinated. Compared to last week: Feeder cattle steady to 4.00 higher. Report includes sales from Blackstone, Front Royal, Hollins, Lynchburg, Monterey, Radiant, 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
329 329 4 166.00 $166.00 $546 +16.00
365–390 376 7 150.00–167.50 $159.64 $600 -16.93
423 423 5 162.00 $162.00 $685 +2.06
430–443 434 7 151.00–160.00 $153.44 $666 -6.50
454–488 466 80 142.00–163.00 $151.67 $707 +1.95
499 value added 499 8 173.00 $173.00 $863 —
511–547 522 17 163.00–167.00 $165.77 $865 +16.48
500–549 545 140 144.00–160.00 $151.77 $827 -4.23
555–580 560 94 130.00–163.00 $150.82 $845 -2.40
608 608 13 157.00 $157.00 $955 +13.98
625–646 639 120 120.00–147.75 $144.73 $925 +1.71
653–697 678 29 135.00–146.00 $139.88 $948 +1.72
680 680 6 140.00 $140.00 $952 +1.84
722–738 725 35 104.00–132.75 $127.33 $923 +0.67
742 742 3 130.00 $130.00 $965 +3.34
765 value added 765 1 128.00 $128.00 $979 —
773 773 4 132.00 $132.00 $1,020 +14.39
919 value added 919 13 119.50 $119.50 $1,098 -1.25
1075 value added 1075 5 107.00 $107.00 $1,150 —
1200 value added 1200 4 115.00 $115.00 $1,380 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–342 340 7 158.00–175.00 $162.79 $553 +13.79
371–395 373 20 131.00–162.00 $158.62 $592 -6.09
423–446 435 10 130.00–151.00 $146.88 $639 +0.56
454–495 461 52 115.00–155.00 $150.89 $696 +2.86
511 value added 511 5 150.00 $150.00 $766 +6.00
505–540 535 34 111.00–150.00 $145.72 $780 +3.23
553–590 564 35 128.00–145.00 $139.85 $789 +1.52
567 567 13 131.00 $131.00 $743 -7.33
622 value added 622 3 129.00 $129.00 $802 —
609–645 626 20 126.00–138.00 $130.36 $816 -1.36
648 648 6 129.00 $129.00 $836 -2.72
658 658 7 126.00 $126.00 $829 -12.00
725–745 739 15 105.00–130.25 $121.54 $898 -3.82
750 750 1 100.00 $100.00 $750 -13.70
825–830 828 2 81.00–108.00 $94.46 $782 -25.88
846 value added 846 6 131.50 $131.50 $1,112 —
1270 1270 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,270 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1500 1363 2 112.00–116.00 $114.20 $1,557 —
1303–1574 1453 29 119.00–125.00 $123.11 $1,789 —
1440–1850 1674 8 136.00–140.00 $138.50 $2,318 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 149.00 $149.00 $454 +24.00
400–443 436 11 120.00–140.00 $137.47 $599 —
485 485 1 129.00 $129.00 $626 +5.99
553–560 556 16 129.00–137.00 $130.76 $727 —
650–685 658 9 101.00–118.00 $115.26 $758 +6.26
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 136.00 $136.00 $537 —
466 466 3 126.00 $126.00 $587 ±0.00
510 510 1 129.00 $129.00 $658 +10.00
550 550 3 117.00 $117.00 $644 —
640 value added 640 3 125.00 $125.00 $800 —
710 710 1 106.00 $106.00 $753 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
524 value added 524 4 156.00 $156.00 $817 +3.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 2 120.00 $120.00 $706 —
645 645 1 99.00 $99.00 $639 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338–340 339 8 125.00 $125.00 $424 -2.83
355–393 379 21 90.00–143.00 $135.30 $513 -2.06
424–438 432 10 124.00–130.00 $127.65 $551 -5.18
452–495 460 133 110.00–130.00 $126.35 $581 -1.93
466 466 7 129.00 $129.00 $601 +0.72
515–542 539 154 110.00–126.00 $123.75 $667 -1.86
548 548 14 121.00 $121.00 $663 -4.61
552 552 11 120.00 $120.00 $662 -2.80
553–584 559 56 105.00–125.00 $120.80 $675 -2.00
600–648 637 88 108.00–117.25 $113.22 $721 -6.28
651–660 653 28 101.00–122.00 $109.67 $716 -6.48
688 688 15 124.00 $124.00 $853 +7.85
705–741 734 14 100.00–115.50 $112.96 $829 +13.63
755–763 756 12 95.00–112.75 $107.64 $814 +3.96
792 792 18 132.50 $132.50 $1,049 +28.82
805–845 815 4 86.00–89.00 $88.22 $719 -6.78
1070 1070 1 81.00 $81.00 $867 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
319–325 320 6 119.00–124.00 $123.15 $394 —
355–395 364 50 119.00–141.00 $134.56 $490 +5.56
400–449 448 98 117.00–130.00 $129.14 $579 +0.37
450 value added 450 3 114.00 $114.00 $513 —
450–480 460 49 105.00–133.50 $125.66 $578 -3.86
513 value added 513 2 117.00 $117.00 $600 +0.50
505–548 538 49 119.00–125.00 $123.49 $664 -0.95
550–584 558 74 110.00–130.50 $125.75 $702 +1.42
560 value added 560 3 121.00 $121.00 $678 -4.50
622–641 632 49 105.00–125.50 $116.48 $736 +3.16
655–675 670 16 105.00–112.00 $109.63 $735 -4.06
710–719 718 11 101.00–111.00 $107.92 $775 +10.50
800 800 1 99.00 $99.00 $792 +14.00
850 850 2 88.00 $88.00 $748 -25.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 4 122.00 $122.00 $378 —
355–395 370 18 101.00–132.50 $125.07 $463 -1.65
443–448 445 7 110.00–120.00 $114.31 $509 -11.95
450–480 460 34 107.00–128.75 $124.53 $573 +0.86
500–538 536 30 98.00–128.75 $126.22 $677 +5.75
550–565 556 14 100.00–123.00 $110.51 $614 -2.76
600–625 617 17 75.00–114.00 $103.42 $638 +11.05
660–663 662 3 105.00 $105.00 $695 -6.77
715 715 1 101.00 $101.00 $722 +8.50
780 780 1 94.00 $94.00 $733 —
945 945 1 76.00 $76.00 $718 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 71.00 $71.00 $181 -29.00
347 347 6 127.00 $127.00 $441 —
370 370 1 120.00 $120.00 $444 —
415–448 446 16 122.00–124.00 $123.88 $553 +10.88
539–540 539 11 100.00–123.00 $120.91 $652 +5.38
555–565 559 6 89.00–105.00 $93.67 $524 +3.17
635–639 639 9 90.00–106.00 $104.23 $666 +6.57
655 655 1 109.00 $109.00 $714 —
715–730 723 2 90.00–98.00 $94.04 $680 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 10 120.00 $120.00 $654 —
626 value added 626 9 120.00 $120.00 $751 -8.83
677 677 10 111.50 $111.50 $755 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1275 1207 3 101.00–106.00 $103.93 $1,254 —
1150–1390 1270 11 115.00–123.00 $120.63 $1,532 —
1325–1435 1380 2 137.00–140.00 $138.56 $1,912 —
Medium and Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 51.00 $51.00 $232 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–345 333 6 140.00–172.50 $158.67 $528 -3.99
370–393 389 13 140.00–163.00 $157.08 $611 —
405–435 423 27 129.00–144.00 $140.87 $596 +0.02
465–498 486 50 131.00–140.00 $138.82 $675 +3.40
504–543 530 34 121.00–138.00 $131.83 $699 -1.58
555–580 570 60 116.00–132.00 $128.21 $731 +1.48
624–636 628 29 111.00–126.00 $123.74 $777 +0.49
650–690 657 19 100.00–120.00 $112.02 $736 -7.96
745 745 2 81.00 $81.00 $603 -26.57
755–759 758 6 98.00–106.00 $99.33 $753 +5.43
812 812 3 105.50 $105.50 $857 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–346 345 19 104.00–170.00 $156.41 $540 +2.92
373–388 381 5 129.00–150.00 $139.66 $532 -12.14
400–445 416 43 118.00–149.00 $143.88 $599 +0.68
463–499 491 22 123.00–140.00 $134.57 $661 +2.69
500–548 526 8 90.00–135.00 $120.43 $633 -19.57
551–578 569 35 100.00–132.00 $120.26 $684 -4.33
626–634 630 10 121.00–127.00 $123.98 $781 +4.73
652–665 655 15 99.00–121.00 $108.15 $708 -3.39
715 715 1 81.00 $81.00 $579 -29.54
763–778 767 8 81.00–101.00 $95.93 $736 +14.03
865–873 870 3 71.00–76.00 $74.34 $647 -6.66
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 3 140.00 $140.00 $511 —
412–435 415 8 126.50–133.50 $132.58 $550 +0.58
465–474 473 11 123.00–127.00 $123.36 $583 +24.24
525–530 528 2 114.00–117.00 $115.51 $610 -8.49
573 573 5 119.50 $119.50 $685 +2.17
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328 328 2 163.00 $163.00 $535 —
380 380 1 119.00 $119.00 $452 -16.00
420 420 1 104.00 $104.00 $437 -33.38
450–498 470 10 100.00–137.00 $123.04 $578 —
500 500 1 83.00 $83.00 $415 -30.74
575 575 2 120.00 $120.00 $690 +1.00
605 605 1 90.00 $90.00 $544 -20.00
650 650 6 95.00 $95.00 $618 +20.00
710–725 718 2 61.00–71.00 $66.05 $474 -23.95
750 750 1 79.00 $79.00 $592 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
541 541 4 114.00 $114.00 $617 -12.00
815 815 2 80.00 $80.00 $652 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 81.00 $81.00 $482 —

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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.