Sale reports / North Carolina / Shelby Livestock Auction / 2026-05-12

Shelby Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Shelby, North Carolina · Tue, May 12
● Final99 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2092
Feeder Cattle receipts
442 head
▼ 48 vs last sale 490▲ 235 vs year ago 207 · +113.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
59 head
▼ 15 vs last sale 74▼ 12 vs year ago 71 · −16.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
9 head
▼ 18 vs last sale 27▼ 11 vs year ago 20 · −55.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 1.00 to 2.00 higher, while feeder cattle were mostly steady. 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 $374.40/cwt on 51 head, up $9.01 from the prior sale. That ranks 28 of 34 comparable sales and sits +33.18 against this barn's trailing median of $341.23.
Average price
$374.40
▲ 9.01 vs prior sale
51 head · 541 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,025
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$533
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3
$87.13/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.09
vs NC average
−42.71 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1541387.132,09342
Medium and Large 2545316.901,7268thin
Medium and Large 3520300.001,5601thin
One grade step is worth $87.13/cwt here — about $533 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale51 hd
374.40
—
NC average9 barns · 331 hd
376.49
−2.09
National average171 barns · 11,385 hd
417.11
−42.71
This barn, trailing median34 sales
341.23
+33.18
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—Low1,296185.282,4016thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,253169.022,11814
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,413159.872,2595thin
CowsLean 85-90%High997143.291,42923

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,470$2,8501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)990$2,7001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,135$2,1501thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,005$1,4762thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)980$1,4501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)870$2,4643thin

Every lot

99 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 · Steers18 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1228585.16/cwt580.00–590.001,3342
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1265592.68/cwt560.00–620.001,5717
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1314546.42/cwt520.00–550.001,7168
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2345450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,5531
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2355450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,5981
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1369520.69/cwt505.00–540.001,9215
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1432488.16/cwt450.00–505.002,10914
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1478455.67/cwt430.00–469.002,1788
Steers450–500Medium and Large 3485335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,6251
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2510369.80/cwt350.00–390.001,8862
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1527448.47/cwt430.00–462.502,36316
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1576425.62/cwt390.00–442.502,45217
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1615420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,5831
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2615330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0301
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1659394.82/cwt372.50–403.002,6029
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1720370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,6641
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1753343.78/cwt335.00–352.502,5892
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1810345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,7951
Feeder Cattle · Heifers31 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 2200500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,0001
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1208591.52/cwt550.00–640.001,2303
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1274524.74/cwt500.00–550.001,4388
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2317421.97/cwt410.00–435.001,3383
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1326461.40/cwt440.00–490.001,50412
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 3375325.20/cwt320.00–330.001,2202
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1376440.57/cwt400.00–457.501,65716
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2378373.11/cwt350.00–395.001,4105
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 3410305.00/cwt290.00–320.001,2512
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2421341.13/cwt310.00–367.501,4365
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1426401.25/cwt370.00–422.501,70931
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added427436.00/cwt436.00–436.001,8626
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Value Added452440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,9895
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1471398.21/cwt370.00–430.001,87619
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2478348.93/cwt340.00–365.001,6684
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 3495310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,5351
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2508331.26/cwt330.00–335.001,6834
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1518392.87/cwt370.00–412.502,03514
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 3520300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,5601
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Value Added531421.29/cwt421.00–425.002,23714
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1573347.22/cwt320.00–370.001,99014
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2581302.54/cwt300.00–310.001,7584
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2615285.12/cwt270.00–300.001,7532
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1624316.01/cwt300.00–337.501,97210
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Value Added651330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,1484
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 3665245.11/cwt230.00–260.001,6302
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1668302.43/cwt300.00–305.002,0202
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1713269.89/cwt260.00–280.001,9242
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1760277.43/cwt272.50–280.002,1083
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1820267.50/cwt267.50–267.502,1941
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1870240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,0881
Feeder Cattle · Bulls27 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2235510.43/cwt500.00–530.001,2003
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1236602.70/cwt560.00–630.001,4224
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1262576.75/cwt560.00–590.001,5113
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 2275500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,3751
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 3282374.64/cwt360.00–400.001,0563
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 3305290.00/cwt290.00–290.008851
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1330503.14/cwt480.00–530.001,66010
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2338429.04/cwt409.00–450.001,4502
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2360410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,4761
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1370506.68/cwt480.00–520.001,87515
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 3383350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,3412
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 3410280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,1481
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2415430.90/cwt420.00–440.001,7885
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1421484.73/cwt450.00–510.002,04114
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1471450.12/cwt425.00–485.002,12016
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2475389.95/cwt375.00–415.001,8523
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 3475350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,6631
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1519435.34/cwt405.00–455.002,25917
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2525358.30/cwt335.00–382.501,8812
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 3555320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,7761
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1574425.04/cwt400.00–445.002,4409
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2579360.13/cwt330.00–385.002,0854
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1630334.50/cwt320.00–350.002,1074
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2680240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,6321
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1735320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,3521
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1855235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,0091
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1945240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,2681
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers6 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers550–600Large 3555275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,5261
Dairy Steers650–700Large 3665265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,7621
Dairy Steers750–800Large 3788263.74/cwt260.00–267.502,0782
Dairy Steers800–850Large 3840265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,2261
Dairy Steers900–950Large 3925247.54/cwt240.00–255.002,2902
Dairy Steers950–1000Large 3995240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,3881
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Heifers700–750Large 3720185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,3321
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——980163.89/cwt157.50–175.001,6063
Bulls——1,525198.00/cwt198.00–198.003,0202
Bulls——1,785224.00/cwt224.00–224.003,9981
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%895164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,4681
Cows—Lean 85-90%961119.31/cwt110.00–130.001,1475
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,014149.12/cwt132.00–160.001,51217
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,230180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,2141
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,255168.18/cwt161.00–176.002,11113
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,413159.87/cwt154.00–165.002,2595
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29801,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29902,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0051,475.62/head1,450.00–1,500.001,4762
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1352,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4702,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8501
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-28201,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-28952,745.53/head2,550.00–2,900.002,7462

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.