Cattle Market Pulse

Wilkes Livestock Exchange Market Report

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 11, 2024

32 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 32 82 70
Feeder cattle 21 66 38
Slaughter cattle 11 16 32

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle 5.00 To 6.00 Lower Feeder cattle Mostly Steady Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Light ( Rain } Quality Average 1 Hog

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
755 755 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,510 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 235.00 $235.00 $870 -64.00
430 430 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,010 -9.26
460–490 475 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,116 -42.00
500 500 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,190 +1.36
625 625 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,262 -10.00
650–695 673 2 202.00–212.00 $206.83 $1,392 —
745 745 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,408 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 160.00 $160.00 $864 —
655 655 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,179 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,060 -55.00
465–485 475 2 276.00–290.00 $283.15 $1,345 -21.85
510 510 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,708 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 235.00 $235.00 $705 —
510 510 1 269.00 $269.00 $1,372 +49.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 200.00 $200.00 $660 -65.11
380 380 1 185.00 $185.00 $703 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1235 1175 80-85% 2 104.00–112.00 $107.80 $1,267 +4.24
1185 1185 80-85% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,339 +9.44
1240–1310 1275 80-85% 2 98.00 $98.00 $1,250 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–835 828 85-90% 2 69.00–70.00 $69.50 $575 -64.02
880 880 85-90% 1 106.00 $106.00 $933 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425 1425 75-80% 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,624 —
1470 1470 75-80% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,544 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1830 1830 1 130.00 $130.00 $2,379 —

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Dairy Heifers

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 145.00 $145.00 $602 -5.00

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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.