Cattle Market Pulse

Wilkes Livestock Exchange Market Report

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 17, 2024

106 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Wilkes Livestock Exchange report →

light 2-weight M&L 1 bulls $240.00/cwt -25.00 vs last sale · ≈ $576/hd at 240 lb · 13 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $218.89/cwt -28.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,140/hd at 521 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 106 77 79
Feeder cattle 90 36 64
Slaughter cattle 16 41 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

No Reporter Last Week Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Average Baby calves 225.00

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
335 335 1 295.00 $295.00 $988 —
390 390 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,014 —
453 453 5 252.00 $252.00 $1,142 —
510 510 1 262.00 $262.00 $1,336 —
555 555 1 267.00 $267.00 $1,482 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 220.00 $220.00 $726 —
420–445 433 2 225.00–230.00 $227.57 $985 -19.02
460–495 478 2 215.00–220.00 $217.41 $1,039 -29.59
510–524 521 11 217.00–227.00 $218.89 $1,140 -28.10
562 562 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,236 —
605 605 3 229.00 $229.00 $1,385 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 195.00 $195.00 $751 -10.27
420 420 1 200.00 $200.00 $840 -10.00
450 450 1 200.00 $200.00 $900 —
505 505 2 200.00–210.00 $205.00 $1,035 +5.00
560 560 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,064 —
645 645 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,290 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 185.00 $185.00 $555 —
380 380 1 150.00 $150.00 $570 —
435 435 1 158.00 $158.00 $687 -23.03
455 455 2 150.00–160.00 $155.00 $705 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 13 240.00 $240.00 $576 -25.00
295 295 1 255.00 $255.00 $752 -15.00
325 325 1 265.00 $265.00 $861 —
365 365 1 265.00 $265.00 $967 -25.95
440 440 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,254 +25.00
495 495 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,089 -42.00
500–513 509 6 267.00–270.00 $269.02 $1,369 —
600–640 620 2 218.00–220.00 $218.97 $1,358 -13.03
980 980 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,323 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 250.00 $250.00 $900 -25.00
400–417 414 6 240.00–249.00 $247.55 $1,025 —
510–535 522 3 240.00–249.00 $245.27 $1,280 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 230.00 $230.00 $621 —
400 400 1 187.00 $187.00 $748 —
480–490 485 2 200.00–212.00 $206.06 $999 —
505–535 522 3 214.00–225.00 $219.70 $1,147 —
555 555 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,304 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–540 520 2 187.00–200.00 $193.75 $1,008 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 80-85% 1 97.00 $97.00 $1,014 —
920–1255 1124 80-85% 5 105.00–120.00 $115.35 $1,297 —
1165 1165 80-85% 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,946 +39.95
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1480 1405 75-80% 2 130.00–147.00 $138.05 $1,940 —
1255–1550 1459 75-80% 4 119.00–129.00 $124.77 $1,820 -19.23
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 85-90% 1 120.00 $120.00 $762 —
715 715 85-90% 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,144 +82.00
885 885 85-90% 1 94.00 $94.00 $832 -14.48

↑ 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.