Cattle Market Pulse

Virginia Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Virginia · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 18, 2023

1,199 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 $202.63/cwt -5.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,090/hd at 538 lb · 70 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $200.68/cwt -1.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,086/hd at 541 lb · 48 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $214.86/cwt +4.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,001/hd at 466 lb · 40 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,199 2,221 387
Feeder cattle 1,110 2,221 368
Slaughter cattle 89 — 19

State Graded Feeder Cattle (Steers 320, Heifers 521, Bulls 98) State Graded Slaughter Cattle (Steers 60, Heifers 29) Value Added and Natural cattle are Weaned and Vaccinated Compared to last week: Feeder cattle uneven, ranging 31.00 lower to 20.00 higher Report includes sales from: Blackstone, Front Royal, Hollins, Lynchburg, Radiant, Staunton and Winchester

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–390 373 3 249.00–272.50 $261.92 $977 +36.13
400–434 427 5 231.00–262.50 $256.60 $1,096 +50.92
455–471 462 18 234.00–257.50 $245.89 $1,136 +3.51
528–547 544 16 200.00–238.00 $231.13 $1,257 -4.18
550–580 559 26 195.00–240.00 $230.52 $1,289 +11.71
615–631 629 8 190.00–225.00 $220.72 $1,388 -4.27
634 value added 634 14 229.00 $229.00 $1,452 -15.25
650–675 663 15 203.00–217.50 $213.16 $1,413 -0.46
710–740 728 21 185.00–207.00 $201.87 $1,470 -33.25
777 777 7 200.00 $200.00 $1,554 +9.00
1005 1005 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,658 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 2 150.00–180.00 $165.00 $512 —
365–393 375 11 210.00–270.00 $254.68 $955 +26.29
400 400 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,000 —
425–445 437 22 207.50–255.00 $243.96 $1,066 +9.92
465–480 468 5 201.00–252.50 $241.94 $1,132 +3.81
545 545 16 236.00 $236.00 $1,286 +20.80
555 555 3 249.00 $249.00 $1,382 +22.38
556 556 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,268 +1.38
625–628 627 3 162.50–200.00 $174.96 $1,097 -21.44
650–680 668 6 165.00–201.00 $183.71 $1,227 -37.33
715 715 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,373 +5.79
758–773 764 9 147.50–190.00 $174.67 $1,334 -30.57
820 820 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,168 -32.50
850 850 1 132.50 $132.50 $1,126 -32.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 16 270.00 $270.00 $1,202 +24.00
551 551 17 260.00 $260.00 $1,433 —
649 649 8 241.00 $241.00 $1,564 —
661 661 11 230.00 $230.00 $1,520 —
729 value added 729 15 220.00 $220.00 $1,604 +3.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415 1415 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,556 —
1440–1760 1580 11 167.00–178.00 $173.53 $2,742 —
1440–1815 1611 15 167.00–181.00 $175.40 $2,826 —
1335–1895 1627 33 171.00–175.00 $173.80 $2,828 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 82.50 $82.50 $239 —
352–381 371 10 102.50–210.00 $168.75 $626 —
425 425 1 200.00 $200.00 $850 +21.00
451–490 459 5 97.50–219.00 $193.05 $886 -7.93
515 515 1 145.00 $145.00 $747 —
640 640 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,229 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 75.00 $75.00 $206 —
350–368 359 4 50.00–202.50 $124.34 $446 -14.81
440–445 443 3 135.00–202.50 $180.17 $798 —
460 460 1 50.00 $50.00 $230 -107.16
505 505 1 191.00 $191.00 $965 -36.50
617–630 621 3 80.00–170.00 $139.58 $867 -24.38
Medium and Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 85.00 $85.00 $438 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 200.00 $200.00 $640 -8.50
350–395 364 16 155.00–217.00 $207.05 $754 -3.83
400–446 428 29 157.50–214.00 $196.48 $841 -2.92
450–483 466 40 199.00–222.00 $214.86 $1,001 +4.88
525–548 538 70 165.00–208.00 $202.63 $1,090 -4.83
560–585 572 6 167.50–210.00 $198.67 $1,136 -0.30
605–640 633 10 175.00–200.00 $181.55 $1,149 +5.38
645 645 5 218.00 $218.00 $1,406 +41.83
653–660 656 37 179.00–203.00 $186.31 $1,222 +11.65
713–734 732 21 173.00–200.00 $175.50 $1,285 +27.30
755 755 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,223 +7.67
815–821 820 6 142.50–152.50 $144.16 $1,182 —
850 850 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,360 ±0.00
945 945 2 122.50 $122.50 $1,158 —
1065 1065 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,012 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328–338 330 15 209.00–210.00 $209.20 $690 +20.78
358–377 371 22 213.00–216.00 $215.34 $799 +4.77
434–440 435 19 168.00–218.00 $211.10 $918 +1.21
450–495 456 30 132.50–217.00 $203.66 $929 -11.35
515–545 541 48 135.00–209.00 $200.68 $1,086 +0.61
585–595 588 4 186.00–205.00 $200.19 $1,177 +9.58
633–648 641 13 182.00–184.50 $183.36 $1,175 +9.06
665–685 675 2 120.00–142.00 $130.84 $883 -45.71
694 value added 694 4 150.00 $150.00 $1,041 —
747 747 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,203 -0.57
785 785 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,236 -2.50
905 905 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,222 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 127.50 $127.50 $306 —
280 280 1 100.00 $100.00 $280 —
330 330 1 127.50 $127.50 $421 -62.50
365–394 374 13 175.00–212.50 $196.54 $735 +19.77
430–446 441 22 117.50–205.00 $200.18 $883 +51.13
510–530 523 3 125.00–180.00 $162.13 $848 -4.27
557–590 563 6 165.00–189.00 $184.80 $1,040 +0.73
610 610 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,052 +20.50
657 657 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,058 —
773–790 779 3 115.00–157.50 $143.13 $1,115 +33.13
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 2 137.50 $137.50 $543 —
462 462 19 228.00 $228.00 $1,053 —
554 554 16 231.00 $231.00 $1,280 +86.00
631 631 14 218.00 $218.00 $1,376 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235 1235 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,606 —
1210–1580 1395 10 165.00–180.00 $171.91 $2,398 —
1261–1605 1420 15 170.00–174.50 $171.44 $2,434 —
1445–1505 1478 3 170.00–176.00 $173.03 $2,557 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 200.00 $200.00 $670 —
466–475 468 5 170.00–180.00 $177.97 $833 —
505 505 1 170.00 $170.00 $858 +0.56
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 1 80.00 $80.00 $604 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 343 10 238.00–281.00 $248.52 $852 +35.96
360–378 374 4 157.50–275.00 $246.69 $923 +33.66
410–430 416 39 187.50–240.00 $230.86 $960 +8.02
455–483 478 32 195.00–257.50 $228.35 $1,092 +14.66
500–545 531 7 185.00–205.00 $196.29 $1,042 +25.29
551–590 557 25 150.00–228.00 $210.06 $1,170 +11.35
623–635 628 8 150.00–199.00 $183.12 $1,150 +5.78
675 675 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,046 -23.20
740–745 743 3 142.50–145.00 $143.33 $1,065 -26.54
755–795 775 2 172.50–190.00 $181.48 $1,406 +32.48
845 845 1 95.00 $95.00 $803 -68.36
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 130.00 $130.00 $312 —
300–349 339 20 238.00–267.50 $249.83 $847 +34.24
373–390 376 5 239.00–262.00 $257.23 $967 +22.51
417–445 421 22 167.50–262.50 $239.03 $1,006 +20.08
477–485 482 22 226.50–247.50 $234.06 $1,128 +21.62
505–545 523 3 177.50–219.00 $200.29 $1,048 -2.39
559–560 560 18 205.00–219.00 $208.11 $1,165 +15.86
600–635 618 2 177.50–190.00 $183.93 $1,137 +9.02
656–665 658 5 157.50–167.50 $165.48 $1,089 -15.82
790 790 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,146 —
850 850 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,105 +37.50
950 950 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,235 +35.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 147.50 $147.50 $324 —
335 335 1 135.00 $135.00 $452 —
365–395 382 13 122.50–207.50 $191.78 $733 —
470 470 3 175.00 $175.00 $822 -6.67
538 538 4 197.50 $197.50 $1,063 +4.34
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–435 428 2 100.00–243.00 $172.75 $739 -13.25
495 495 1 100.00 $100.00 $495 -35.00
700–705 703 2 60.00–100.00 $80.07 $563 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 3 140.00 $140.00 $868 -20.00
Medium and Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
553 553 2 60.00 $60.00 $332 —

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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.