Cattle Market Pulse

Wilkes Livestock Exchange Market Report

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 20, 2026

302 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $425.91/cwt -58.60 vs last sale · ≈ $2,164/hd at 508 lb · 14 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $493.73/cwt +40.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,590/hd at 322 lb · 12 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $452.96/cwt -2.04 vs last sale · ≈ $2,360/hd at 521 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 302 417 105
Feeder cattle 266 385 93
Slaughter cattle 31 28 12
Replacement cattle 5 4 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter Cattle Mostly Steady Feeder Cattle 5.00 To 12.00 Higher Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Moderate Quality Average To Attractive Head Calves 450.00 To 775.00

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
275 275 1 600.00 $600.00 $1,650 -54.84
395 395 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,837 —
400–415 408 2 535.00–540.00 $537.45 $2,193 +18.06
455–475 471 5 485.00–489.00 $485.77 $2,288 +16.06
505–535 521 11 447.00–459.00 $452.96 $2,360 -2.04
558 558 2 465.00 $465.00 $2,595 -34.00
610 610 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,532 —
650–687 671 10 410.00–427.00 $419.59 $2,815 —
725 725 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,320 -30.00
960 960 2 295.00 $295.00 $2,832 +16.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 495.00 $495.00 $2,030 —
470–490 487 6 450.00–460.00 $451.61 $2,199 -3.39
540 540 1 425.00 $425.00 $2,295 —
567 567 3 425.00 $425.00 $2,410 -14.11
605 605 3 325.00 $325.00 $1,966 -50.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,113 —
405 405 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,762 +235.00
455 455 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,820 —
515 515 1 390.00 $390.00 $2,008 +140.00
595 595 1 402.00 $402.00 $2,392 +5.00
645 645 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,548 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,680 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 445.00 $445.00 $846 -5.00
225 225 1 560.00 $560.00 $1,260 +130.00
285 285 1 530.00 $530.00 $1,510 +81.24
300–345 322 12 480.00–500.00 $493.73 $1,590 +40.42
365 365 2 499.00–510.00 $504.50 $1,841 +22.32
400–440 429 7 460.00–465.00 $461.24 $1,979 -2.71
462–465 462 7 455.00–470.00 $467.85 $2,161 +24.90
515 515 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,318 -50.00
550 550 3 439.00 $439.00 $2,414 +2.16
655–658 656 6 359.00–367.00 $364.33 $2,390 +39.33
700 700 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,170 ±0.00
755–775 759 8 300.00–325.00 $313.47 $2,379 +83.47
910 910 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,366 -30.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180–185 183 2 400.00–425.00 $412.67 $755 +12.67
215 215 1 455.00 $455.00 $978 +82.47
300–305 303 2 455.00–460.00 $457.48 $1,386 —
355–396 385 9 452.00–465.00 $455.44 $1,753 +15.44
440–445 442 3 425.00–440.00 $430.04 $1,901 -15.69
450–496 485 7 430.00–442.00 $433.39 $2,102 +12.15
510–540 525 6 369.00–385.00 $379.10 $1,990 -32.50
650 650 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,462 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–235 224 4 400.00–440.00 $410.50 $920 —
315 315 1 250.00 $250.00 $788 -164.92
355 355 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,242 —
410–440 425 2 355.00–369.00 $362.25 $1,540 +37.55
485 485 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,746 —
520–545 535 3 329.00–350.00 $342.87 $1,834 -38.27
560–575 570 6 372.00–388.00 $380.07 $2,166 +50.07
745 745 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,937 —
905 905 1 228.00 $228.00 $2,063 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,046 —
750 750 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,462 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
165 165 1 445.00 $445.00 $734 —
225–240 233 2 605.00–630.00 $617.90 $1,440 +15.51
265 265 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,722 +35.28
305 305 1 585.00 $585.00 $1,784 -52.97
350–390 370 4 535.00–545.00 $538.70 $1,993 -20.49
400 400 2 475.00–500.00 $487.50 $1,950 -32.96
450–465 458 8 460.00–480.00 $468.99 $2,148 -13.98
500–535 508 14 422.00–435.00 $425.91 $2,164 -58.60
553 553 3 400.00 $400.00 $2,212 —
620–640 630 10 360.00–377.00 $363.11 $2,288 -56.69
667–685 673 3 390.00–408.00 $401.89 $2,705 +36.89
710–733 724 5 362.00–385.00 $371.02 $2,686 —
935 935 1 314.00 $314.00 $2,936 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 590.00 $590.00 $1,740 +62.30
335 335 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,658 -65.74
385 385 1 475.00 $475.00 $1,829 -43.18
448 448 6 465.00 $465.00 $2,083 —
455–465 460 2 450.00 $450.00 $2,070 +3.12
510–528 525 7 400.00–418.00 $414.36 $2,175 -35.48
565 565 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,090 +65.00
685 685 3 372.00 $372.00 $2,548 +47.00
720 720 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,520 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–395 372 5 410.00–450.00 $435.35 $1,620 -54.65
410 410 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,230 -148.49
487 487 3 420.00 $420.00 $2,045 —
525 525 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,969 -47.93
585 585 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,404 —
710–735 723 2 305.00–315.00 $309.91 $2,241 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417–435 423 3 470.00–472.00 $471.31 $1,994 -2.83
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 200.00 $200.00 $890 —
490 490 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,740 —
710 710 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,810 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–935 930 80-85% 2 108.00–115.00 $111.52 $1,037 —
930–1115 1046 80-85% 10 149.00–168.00 $161.96 $1,694 —
920–1200 1099 80-85% 5 169.00–179.00 $174.26 $1,915 +2.47
1135 1135 80-85% 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,396 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165 1165 75-80% 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,980 —
1315–1800 1558 75-80% 2 178.00 $178.00 $2,773 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815 815 85-90% 1 108.00 $108.00 $880 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1445 1238 2 180.00–183.00 $181.25 $2,244 —
1475–1935 1705 2 190.00–200.00 $195.67 $3,336 —
1575–1905 1715 5 210.00–221.00 $214.78 $3,683 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1185–1360 1273 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,000.00–2,325.00 $2,215.84

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Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685–690 688 2 235.00–292.00 $263.60 $1,814 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
895 895 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1195 1195 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,675.00 $2,675.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 285.00 $285.00 $998 —

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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.