Sale reports / North Carolina / Shelby Livestock Auction / 2026-03-31

Shelby Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Shelby, North Carolina · Tue, Mar 31
● Final86 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2092
Feeder Cattle receipts
370 head
▼ 32 vs last sale 402▲ 17 vs year ago 353 · +4.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
60 head
▼ 26 vs last sale 86▼ 18 vs year ago 78 · −23.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
17 head
▼ 21 vs last sale 38▼ 6 vs year ago 23 · −26.1%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 1.00 to 2.00 lower, while feeder cattle were 10.00 to 12.00 lower. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $374.72/cwt on 47 head, down $5.37 from the prior sale. That ranks 30 of 34 comparable sales and sits +33.50 against this barn's trailing median of $341.23.
Average price
$374.72
▼ 5.37 vs prior sale
47 head · 545 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,043
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$281
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$32.23/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−5.05
vs NC average
−48.47 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549378.842,08041
Medium and Large 2519346.611,7996thin
One grade step is worth $32.23/cwt here — about $281 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale47 hd
374.72
—
NC average8 barns · 330 hd
379.78
−5.05
National average175 barns · 10,886 hd
423.19
−48.47
This barn, trailing median34 sales
341.23
+33.50
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

34 sales
394352311269median 341.2303/0304/2807/0709/0110/27
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $380.10, low $282.79, median $341.23 across 34 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,444208.643,0134thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,273164.722,09818
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,526152.982,3347thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average957136.261,30417

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,420$2,6001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,295$2,3501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,045$2,3001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)768$2,0362thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)715$2,0001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,005$3,31610
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)930$3,0001thin

Every lot

86 lots · USDA AMS · Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange - Shelby, NC
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers12 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1380515.00/cwt515.00–515.001,9571
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1413466.13/cwt450.00–500.001,9253
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1475435.30/cwt405.00–450.002,06811
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2485400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,9401
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1516427.63/cwt410.00–442.502,2074
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2575348.73/cwt347.50–350.002,0052
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1579403.90/cwt380.00–425.002,3395
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1629395.50/cwt375.00–415.002,4884
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2640300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,9201
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1668403.36/cwt360.00–442.502,6947
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1735350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,5731
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1773321.22/cwt315.00–325.002,4834
Feeder Cattle · Heifers27 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1230447.99/cwt422.00–470.001,0305
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 3235300.00/cwt300.00–300.007051
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1279462.51/cwt440.00–480.001,2905
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 3280300.00/cwt300.00–300.008401
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2322403.06/cwt390.00–410.001,2983
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1326456.33/cwt430.00–485.001,48810
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1369460.83/cwt430.00–495.001,70012
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2378405.02/cwt400.00–415.001,5313
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 3380335.00/cwt320.00–350.001,2732
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1420464.32/cwt420.00–487.501,95017
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2420396.65/cwt370.00–415.001,6664
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1473425.32/cwt397.50–465.002,01219
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2481372.07/cwt355.00–390.001,7907
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 3490250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,2251
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2519346.61/cwt335.00–350.001,7996
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1532386.37/cwt370.00–422.502,05524
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1573368.20/cwt350.00–400.002,11017
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2620310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,9221
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1622354.10/cwt330.00–380.002,20313
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2655285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,8671
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1664326.95/cwt305.00–345.002,1715
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1730300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,1901
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1760285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,1661
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1810295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,3901
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2840225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,8901
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1895260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,3271
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1920217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,0011
Feeder Cattle · Bulls27 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2235500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,1751
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 2285400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,1401
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1295580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,7112
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2320466.82/cwt450.00–480.001,4943
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1325555.73/cwt520.00–600.001,8069
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 3340330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,1221
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 3360240.00/cwt240.00–240.008641
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1372517.74/cwt490.00–540.001,92622
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2395465.00/cwt465.00–465.001,8371
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 3415243.61/cwt220.00–260.001,0113
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1418470.53/cwt440.00–505.001,96719
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2438406.77/cwt400.00–420.001,7823
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1471443.12/cwt420.00–455.002,08723
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 3505255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,2881
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1521416.77/cwt400.00–442.502,1718
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2522335.32/cwt310.00–380.001,7503
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 3555270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,4991
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1571402.05/cwt370.00–420.002,2968
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2625317.50/cwt300.00–335.001,9842
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1633404.92/cwt390.00–422.502,5637
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 3660265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,7491
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1664356.06/cwt335.00–387.502,3648
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1728333.32/cwt315.00–350.002,4276
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 2730250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,8251
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1767331.53/cwt315.00–342.502,5433
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2795265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,1071
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1800290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,3201
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers300–350Large 3345290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,0011
Dairy Steers450–500Large 3480290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,3921
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Heifers500–550Large 3525165.00/cwt165.00–165.008661
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,180200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,3601
Bulls——1,532211.52/cwt205.00–217.003,2403
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%858111.09/cwt100.00–120.009534
Cows—Lean 85-90%985160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,5762
Cows—Lean 85-90%988141.10/cwt130.00–145.001,39411
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,272161.06/cwt152.00–167.002,04916
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,285194.00/cwt193.00–195.002,4932
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,526152.98/cwt140.00–159.002,3347
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs4 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-29303,991.26/head3,625.00–4,250.003,9912
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-29303,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0213,579.13/head2,600.00–4,250.003,5794
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0262,716.08/head2,300.00–3,050.002,7164
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-27152,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-27682,036.16/head1,700.00–2,300.002,0362
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0452,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2952,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4202,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6001

This sale against other markets

North Carolina weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every North Carolina auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.