Cattle Market Pulse

Wilkes Livestock Exchange Market Report

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 13, 2026

417 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $442.95/cwt +5.04 vs last sale · ≈ $2,091/hd at 472 lb · 48 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $469.71/cwt -34.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,292/hd at 488 lb · 34 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $436.84/cwt +11.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,490/hd at 570 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 417 212 42
Feeder cattle 385 165 31
Slaughter cattle 28 28 5
Replacement cattle 4 19 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter Cattle 11.00 To 19.00 Higher Feeder Cattle 5.00 To 15.00 Higher Demand Very Good Activity Active Offerings Heavy Quality Attractive

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
250–275 260 3 640.00–680.00 $654.84 $1,703 +44.84
320 320 1 555.00 $555.00 $1,776 —
350 350 1 585.00 $585.00 $2,048 —
400–435 431 8 518.00–530.00 $519.39 $2,239 -7.61
485–488 488 34 465.00–470.00 $469.71 $2,292 -34.00
530 530 1 455.00 $455.00 $2,412 -21.99
550 550 6 499.00 $499.00 $2,744 +25.47
742 742 5 350.00 $350.00 $2,597 —
942 942 2 327.00 $327.00 $3,080 +45.00
970 970 1 279.00 $279.00 $2,706 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 605.00 $605.00 $1,785 —
455 455 1 455.00 $455.00 $2,070 —
500 500 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,100 —
550–584 578 6 438.00–445.00 $439.11 $2,538 —
605 605 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,269 —
680 680 1 257.00 $257.00 $1,748 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 200.00 $200.00 $860 —
525 525 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,312 —
568 568 3 397.00 $397.00 $2,255 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 450.00 $450.00 $855 —
220 220 1 430.00 $430.00 $946 —
270–280 276 4 445.00–450.00 $448.76 $1,239 -26.24
300–310 305 3 445.00–465.00 $453.31 $1,383 -6.69
355–390 376 8 475.00–495.00 $482.18 $1,813 +57.62
400–440 427 21 455.00–485.00 $463.95 $1,981 +15.56
450–489 472 48 437.00–460.00 $442.95 $2,091 +5.04
500 500 2 500.00 $500.00 $2,500 +66.15
550–576 570 24 345.00–467.00 $436.84 $2,490 +11.84
625 625 1 365.00 $365.00 $2,281 +3.00
690 690 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,242 +25.00
721 721 4 310.00 $310.00 $2,235 —
755 755 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,736 -65.00
800 800 3 290.00 $290.00 $2,320 —
870 870 6 285.00 $285.00 $2,480 —
905 905 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,624 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
165 165 1 400.00 $400.00 $660 —
210–215 213 2 370.00–375.00 $372.53 $793 —
290 290 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,160 —
350–390 370 2 440.00 $440.00 $1,628 —
425–445 430 7 425.00–450.00 $445.73 $1,917 —
490–495 494 4 420.00–425.00 $421.24 $2,081 —
525–545 535 14 392.00–420.00 $411.60 $2,202 —
630 630 3 340.00 $340.00 $2,142 —
905 905 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,991 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357–380 371 5 450.00 $450.00 $1,670 —
519–521 520 8 439.00–447.00 $443.01 $2,304 +71.01
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–320 313 3 400.00–425.00 $414.92 $1,299 —
415–425 420 2 300.00–350.00 $324.70 $1,364 —
445 thin fleshed 445 1 175.00 $175.00 $779 —
510–545 526 4 375.00–385.00 $381.14 $2,005 —
565 565 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,864 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 235 2 600.00–605.00 $602.39 $1,416 —
260–275 268 2 605.00–625.00 $614.72 $1,647 -0.58
300–340 320 2 630.00–645.00 $637.97 $2,042 +66.15
350–375 360 11 545.00–575.00 $559.19 $2,013 +34.66
400–425 415 7 489.00–527.00 $520.46 $2,160 +53.46
450–485 474 10 462.00–497.00 $482.97 $2,289 +13.08
503–506 505 6 480.00–489.00 $484.51 $2,447 +27.51
585–595 592 3 410.00–427.00 $420.63 $2,490 -13.83
610 610 5 406.00–429.00 $419.80 $2,561 +90.80
672 672 2 365.00 $365.00 $2,453 —
755 755 1 319.00 $319.00 $2,408 —
815 815 1 299.00 $299.00 $2,437 —
975 975 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,438 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–290 288 2 505.00–550.00 $527.70 $1,520 —
310–345 332 6 545.00–582.00 $560.74 $1,862 —
378–395 386 5 510.00–525.00 $518.18 $2,000 —
465–495 490 10 410.00–457.00 $446.88 $2,190 —
500–518 515 8 447.00–465.00 $449.84 $2,317 —
555 555 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,693 —
605 605 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,299 —
655 655 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,129 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 1 270.00 $270.00 $500 —
290 290 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,305 —
315–320 318 2 450.00–465.00 $457.44 $1,455 —
390 390 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,911 —
435–440 436 14 441.00–467.00 $448.49 $1,955 —
510–545 525 4 400.00–445.00 $422.93 $2,220 —
625 625 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,031 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–430 426 7 472.00–475.00 $474.14 $2,020 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 80-85% 2 200.00 $200.00 $2,010 +36.08
1070–1075 1073 80-85% 2 135.00–154.00 $144.52 $1,551 —
905–1265 1092 80-85% 11 163.00–179.00 $171.79 $1,876 —
1195 1195 80-85% 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,518 -25.68
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1460 1403 75-80% 2 161.00–169.00 $164.84 $2,313 —
1295–1615 1416 75-80% 4 178.00–186.00 $182.75 $2,588 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670–705 688 85-90% 2 122.00–127.00 $124.56 $857 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1160 1115 2 190.00–209.00 $199.88 $2,229 —
1360–1750 1555 2 219.00–233.00 $226.88 $3,528 +3.88

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
920 920 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1005 1005 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00
1190 1190 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00

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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.