Sale reports / North Carolina / Shelby Livestock Auction / 2026-07-21

Shelby Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Shelby, North Carolina · Tue, Jul 21
● Final82 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2092
Feeder Cattle receipts
279 head
▼ 123 vs last sale 402▼ 94 vs year ago 373 · −25.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
60 head
▲ 17 vs last sale 43▲ 12 vs year ago 48 · +25.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
23 head
▲ 0 vs last sale 23▲ 10 vs year ago 13 · +76.9%
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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 8.00 to 10.00 lower. Trade and demand were moderate with moderate offerings. Quality of cattle was average.

9 head Baby Calves: 550.00- 900.00

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $335.41/cwt on 25 head, down $20.61 from the prior sale. That ranks 15 of 34 comparable sales and sits −5.81 against this barn's trailing median of $341.23.
Average price
$335.41
▼ 20.61 vs prior sale
25 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,819
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$198
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$57.33/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−19.20
vs NC average
−40.40 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1541342.291,85122
Medium and Large 3500285.001,4251thin
Medium and Large 2580284.961,6532thin
One grade step is worth $57.33/cwt here — about $198 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 sale25 hd
335.41
—
NC average9 barns · 245 hd
354.61
−19.20
National average148 barns · 5,785 hd
375.81
−40.40
This barn, trailing median34 sales
341.23
−5.81
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—High1,811211.193,8246thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,250175.412,19229
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,603155.002,4852thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low954146.801,40014

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,190$2,6001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,140$2,4074thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,182$2,4013thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,005$2,3072thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,085$2,0001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)921$1,8377
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)950$1,6501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)984$2,8944thin

Every lot

82 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1285490.00/cwt480.00–500.001,3972
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1330460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,5181
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2340360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,2241
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1394490.34/cwt460.00–500.001,9324
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added422487.50/cwt487.50–487.502,0579
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1423444.30/cwt422.50–475.001,8793
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2425407.44/cwt405.00–410.001,7322
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1458434.84/cwt405.00–445.001,9924
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1525409.08/cwt397.50–413.002,1488
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1560364.85/cwt360.00–387.502,0438
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1610330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0131
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1685342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,3461
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1708319.89/cwt310.00–340.002,2653
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1835310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,5892
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1227467.65/cwt450.00–500.001,0623
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2250320.00/cwt320.00–320.008001
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1270460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,2423
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1328424.73/cwt400.00–440.001,3934
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2340380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,2921
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2355374.93/cwt370.00–380.001,3312
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1373420.62/cwt395.00–445.001,5697
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 3380266.32/cwt250.00–280.001,0123
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2420351.69/cwt350.00–355.001,4773
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1424380.29/cwt367.50–410.001,61210
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added435426.45/cwt420.00–435.001,8557
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1478383.74/cwt350.00–415.001,83425
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2481331.39/cwt325.00–340.001,5944
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 3500285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,4251
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1523346.84/cwt330.00–367.501,81415
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1579332.54/cwt320.00–342.501,9257
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2580284.96/cwt280.00–290.001,6532
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1624328.84/cwt320.00–337.502,0524
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1655322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,1121
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1745301.00/cwt301.00–301.002,2421
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2750185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,3881
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2815168.00/cwt168.00–168.001,3691
Feeder Cattle · Bulls25 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1238509.86/cwt500.00–530.001,2133
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2245440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,0781
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1271499.17/cwt480.00–530.001,3536
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 2275430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,1831
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1321466.69/cwt430.00–530.001,4986
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1377458.96/cwt440.00–485.001,7307
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2383402.39/cwt385.00–420.001,5412
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1423413.62/cwt390.00–445.001,75016
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2426365.25/cwt350.00–370.001,5564
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1473379.94/cwt355.00–400.001,79714
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2475342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,6271
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1518352.88/cwt340.00–390.001,82813
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1572344.89/cwt335.00–375.001,9739
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1620331.81/cwt320.00–342.502,0574
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 3630165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,0401
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2640255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,6321
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1674321.80/cwt310.00–327.502,1694
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1715312.50/cwt300.00–325.002,2342
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 2745245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,8251
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1750310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,3251
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2765202.50/cwt202.50–202.501,5491
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1805266.38/cwt245.00–287.502,1442
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 2925188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,7391
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1940245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,3031
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1955217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,0771
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers3 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers300–350Large 3345155.00/cwt140.00–170.005352
Dairy Steers350–400Large 3355167.50/cwt167.50–167.505951
Dairy Steers450–500Large 3495173.00/cwt173.00–173.008561
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,510228.00/cwt228.00–228.003,4431
Bulls——1,871207.83/cwt196.00–212.003,8885
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%878122.34/cwt115.00–125.001,0743
Cows—Lean 85-90%973147.72/cwt140.00–155.001,4376
Cows—Lean 85-90%976160.37/cwt158.00–162.501,5655
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,236172.72/cwt164.00–181.002,13523
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,303185.70/cwt184.00–191.002,4206
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,603155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,4852
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29211,836.59/head1,300.00–2,550.001,8377
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29501,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0052,306.97/head2,200.00–2,400.002,3072
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0852,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1402,407.46/head1,850.00–2,850.002,4074
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1822,400.78/head2,000.00–2,750.002,4013
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1902,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6001
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-27052,325.00/head2,325.00–2,325.002,3251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0352,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0983,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1502

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.