Cattle Market Pulse

Wilkes Livestock Exchange Market Report

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 22, 2026

104 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $423.89/cwt -34.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,806/hd at 426 lb · 17 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 104 247 43
Feeder cattle 82 190 26
Slaughter cattle 20 37 17
Replacement cattle 2 20 0

Slaughter Cattle 4.00 To 10.00 Lower Feeder Cattle 5.00 To 15.00 Lower Demand Good Activity Active Offerings Light Quality Average To Attractive Head Calves 1000.00

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 475.00 $475.00 $1,259 +32.54
370–385 378 2 480.00–495.00 $487.65 $1,843 -0.67
410–425 418 2 439.00–450.00 $444.60 $1,858 -44.40
485 485 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,328 -5.00
510–548 540 5 432.00–437.00 $436.06 $2,355 -2.19
650 650 2 369.00 $369.00 $2,398
725 725 4 352.00 $352.00 $2,552
775 775 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,248
840 840 1 292.00 $292.00 $2,453
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–440 425 2 429.00–430.00 $429.48 $1,825 -23.64
455 455 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,956
515–540 528 2 412.00–416.00 $413.95 $2,186 -2.54
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,620
455 thin fleshed 455 1 155.00 $155.00 $705
540 540 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,052
600 600 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,074 -201.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,112

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–310 305 2 430.00–450.00 $440.16 $1,342 -54.84
400–445 426 17 414.00–437.00 $423.89 $1,806 -34.38
502–510 507 6 385.00–389.00 $387.68 $1,966 -42.32
670 670 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,776 -47.75
800 800 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,160
905–925 915 2 251.00–252.00 $251.51 $2,301
1015 1015 1 217.00 $217.00 $2,203
1165 1165 1 202.00 $202.00 $2,353
1260 1260 1 219.00 $219.00 $2,759
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,200
415 415 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,245
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 379.00 $379.00 $1,706 -68.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,380 +12.56
358 358 2 490.00 $490.00 $1,754 +27.20
406 406 4 462.00 $462.00 $1,876 +6.05
535 535 1 387.00 $387.00 $2,070 -22.43
570 570 3 381.00 $381.00 $2,172 -16.18
630–645 638 2 330.00–335.00 $332.47 $2,121 -66.53
725 725 1 299.00 $299.00 $2,168
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,936 +18.59
570 570 1 342.00 $342.00 $1,949
605 605 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,906 -55.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 439.00 $439.00 $1,624

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–1030 967 80-85% 3 168.00–174.00 $170.59 $1,650
965–1150 1033 80-85% 3 141.00–155.00 $149.53 $1,545
1035 1035 80-85% 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,428
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815 815 85-90% 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,280 +23.00
805–855 830 85-90% 2 129.00–130.00 $129.52 $1,075 -4.48
875 875 85-90% 1 113.00 $113.00 $989
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470 1470 75-80% 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,426
1500 1500 75-80% 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,700

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1900 1618 2 196.00–208.00 $200.95 $3,251
1485–2130 1818 4 214.00–234.00 $221.46 $4,026

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1030 1030 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,475.00 $2,475.00

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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.