Sale reports / West Virginia / Preston Farmers Market / 2026-04-17

Preston Farmers Market

Name: Preston Farmers Market livestock auction prices — 2026-04-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-17

Feeder Cattle · Terra Alta, West Virginia · Fri, Apr 17

● Final61 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1874

← Oct 1Apr 17Sep 30 →

Receipts

632 head

▼ 17 vs last sale 649▲ 632 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago

Also sold hereFeeder CattleFri Oct 30, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Good attendance today for the Spring Feeder Special Sale, trade active throughout for all types. Very similar head run to last year. Largest amount of the offering were shoulder type #2 muscled cattle, many coming off a quality winter feeding program and in the right condition to turn out on grass with expected gains. Warm conditions and increasing pasture growth in N. West Virginia pushing local demand. Not a good apple to apples comparison to last reported due to supply volume. However, looking at regional trends of the last week, demand for Feeder Steers was softer on the lighter end of the run, spot on steady for 5 and light 6 weights, then contracting a bit for heavier Steers. Feeder Heifers were steady to $5 higher on the lighter weight breaks while lower for the six and seven weights. A good part of the supply was represented as vaccinated.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $474.42/cwt on 114 head. That ranks 2 of 2 comparable sales and sits +48.92 against this barn's trailing median of $425.50.

Average price

$474.42

114 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,609

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$213

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium 2

$37.24/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−7.81

vs WV average

−13.93 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	553	479.79	2,652	67
Medium and Large 1	544	477.03	2,594	33
Medium 2	551	442.55	2,438	14thin

One grade step is worth $37.24/cwt here — about $213 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 sale114 hd

474.42

—

WV average4 barns · 335 hd

482.23

−7.81

National average180 barns · 13,019 hd

488.35

−13.93

This barn, trailing median2 sales

425.50

+48.92

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Every lot

61 lots · USDA AMS · Preston Farmers Market Special Graded Sale - Terra Alta, WV

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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers28 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	340	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	2,040	2
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	382	547.50/cwt	547.50–547.50	2,091	3
Steers	400–450	Medium 2	425	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,743	1
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	434	507.27/cwt	500.00–515.00	2,202	4
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	440	514.63/cwt	485.00–530.00	2,264	7
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2Value Added	463	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,500	8
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	470	501.92/cwt	460.00–520.00	2,359	29
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	470	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,327	1
Steers	450–500	Medium 2	493	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,046	2
Steers	500–550	Medium 2	504	435.90/cwt	400.00–445.00	2,197	5
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Value Added	516	512.50/cwt	512.50–512.50	2,645	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	520	498.69/cwt	490.00–520.00	2,593	27
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	530	487.73/cwt	420.00–497.00	2,585	17
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	570	467.56/cwt	420.00–492.50	2,665	8
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	570	462.11/cwt	415.00–500.00	2,634	29
Steers	550–600	Medium 2	577	446.24/cwt	330.00–470.00	2,575	9
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	578	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,399	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2Value Added	587	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,818	11
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	621	450.07/cwt	410.00–470.00	2,795	13
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	635	430.91/cwt	425.00–450.00	2,736	8
Steers	600–650	Medium 2	645	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,612	1
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	665	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,727	2
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	678	407.97/cwt	380.00–440.00	2,766	16
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 2	712	366.23/cwt	365.00–372.50	2,608	12
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	718	369.89/cwt	335.00–375.00	2,656	10
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	766	373.56/cwt	370.00–376.00	2,861	5
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 2	815	353.33/cwt	350.00–360.00	2,880	6
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	822	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,754	2
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 2	310	505.48/cwt	470.00–525.00	1,567	3
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	376	479.85/cwt	410.00–517.50	1,804	10
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2Value Added	402	496.00/cwt	496.00–496.00	1,994	5
Heifers	400–450	Medium 2	415	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,909	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	422	462.37/cwt	410.00–490.00	1,951	20
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	431	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,026	5
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	470	436.40/cwt	400.00–450.00	2,051	40
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	477	427.55/cwt	420.00–440.00	2,039	5
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Value Added	489	462.00/cwt	462.00–462.00	2,259	22
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2Value Added	530	420.34/cwt	414.00–425.00	2,228	12
Heifers	500–550	Medium 2	533	363.50/cwt	350.00–370.00	1,937	3
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	537	410.78/cwt	405.00–430.00	2,206	22
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	537	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,121	3
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	545	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,126	3
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2Value Added	563	413.10/cwt	410.00–415.00	2,326	13
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	573	391.25/cwt	385.00–400.00	2,242	8
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	582	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,223	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	620	364.60/cwt	350.00–375.00	2,261	17
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	642	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,375	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2Value Added	648	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,398	15
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	705	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,291	2
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 2	728	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,439	4
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	770	329.80/cwt	320.00–350.00	2,539	3
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 2	429	463.80/cwt	450.00–485.00	1,990	5
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 2	523	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,563	2
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 2	583	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,390	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 2	645	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,483	1
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 2	673	359.34/cwt	350.00–361.00	2,418	8
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 2	735	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,223	3
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 2	765	285.20/cwt	270.00–300.00	2,182	2
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers3 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers	550–600	Large 3	550	315.00/cwt	280.00–350.00	1,733	2
Beef/Dairy Steers	600–650	Large 3	632	271.70/cwt	265.00–275.00	1,717	3
Beef/Dairy Steers	650–700	Large 3	690	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	2,018	2

This sale against other markets

West Virginia weighted averages

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

West Virginia feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Preston Farmers Market Special Graded Sale - Terra Alta, WV

Fri Apr 17, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Charleston, WV (LS-CW)

Receipts 632Last week 649Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	310	470.00–525.00	505.48
10	350–400	376	410.00–517.50	479.85
20	400–450	422	410.00–490.00	462.37
40	450–500	470	400.00–450.00	436.40
22	500–550	537	405.00–430.00	410.78
8	550–600	573	385.00–400.00	391.25
17	600–650	620	350.00–375.00	364.60
4	700–750	728	335.00	335.00
3	750–800	770	320.00–350.00	329.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	545	390.00	390.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	431	470.00	470.00
5	450–500	477	420.00–440.00	427.55
3	500–550	537	395.00	395.00
2	550–600	582	382.00	382.00
2	600–650	642	370.00	370.00
2	700–750	705	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	402	496.00	496.00
12	500–550	530	414.00–425.00	420.34
13	550–600	563	410.00–415.00	413.10
15	600–650	648	370.00	370.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	415	460.00	460.00
3	500–550	533	350.00–370.00	363.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
22	450–500	489	462.00	462.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	429	450.00–485.00	463.80
2	500–550	523	490.00	490.00
2	550–600	583	410.00	410.00
1	600–650	645	385.00	385.00
8	650–700	673	350.00–361.00	359.34
3	700–750	735	302.50	302.50
2	750–800	765	270.00–300.00	285.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	382	547.50	547.50
4	400–450	434	500.00–515.00	507.27
29	450–500	470	460.00–520.00	501.92
27	500–550	520	490.00–520.00	498.69
29	550–600	570	415.00–500.00	462.11
13	600–650	621	410.00–470.00	450.07
16	650–700	678	380.00–440.00	407.97
12	700–750	712	365.00–372.50	366.23
5	750–800	766	370.00–376.00	373.56
6	800–850	815	350.00–360.00	353.33

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	340	600.00	600.00
7	400–450	440	485.00–530.00	514.63
1	450–500	470	495.00	495.00
17	500–550	530	420.00–497.00	487.73
8	550–600	570	420.00–492.50	467.56
8	600–650	635	425.00–450.00	430.91
2	650–700	665	410.00	410.00
10	700–750	718	335.00–375.00	369.89
2	800–850	822	335.00	335.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	550–600	578	415.00	415.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	425	410.00	410.00
2	450–500	493	415.00	415.00
5	500–550	504	400.00–445.00	435.90
9	550–600	577	330.00–470.00	446.24
1	600–650	645	405.00	405.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	463	540.00	540.00
11	550–600	587	480.00	480.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	516	512.50	512.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Beef/Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	550	280.00–350.00	315.00
3	600–650	632	265.00–275.00	271.70
2	650–700	690	292.50	292.50

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.