Cattle Market Pulse

Lexington Livestock Market Report

Lexington, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, January 26, 2024

4,288 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Lexington Livestock Market report →

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $220.98/cwt ≈ $2,068/hd at 936 lb · 477 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $256.97/cwt +4.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,869/hd at 727 lb · 361 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $269.69/cwt +7.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,809/hd at 671 lb · 345 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,288 3,316 5,204
Feeder cattle 4,288 3,316 5,204

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week steers over 650 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher and heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand was good from the buyers in the crowd with internet activity noticed.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412–438 thin fleshed 428 30 340.00–350.00 $346.15 $1,482 —
456 unweaned 456 8 307.50 $307.50 $1,402 —
475–482 476 34 317.50–325.00 $323.44 $1,540 -7.09
502–534 512 117 306.00–327.00 $319.93 $1,638 +24.93
514–531 521 20 295.00–298.00 $296.22 $1,543 -20.32
550–596 558 126 292.00–303.00 $295.19 $1,647 +20.31
580 580 17 315.00 $315.00 $1,827 +16.35
584 thin fleshed 584 8 312.00 $312.00 $1,822 ±0.00
588 unweaned 588 22 275.00 $275.00 $1,617 —
616–617 fancy 617 61 305.00–306.00 $305.33 $1,884 —
607–632 thin fleshed 624 103 295.00 $295.00 $1,841 —
626–645 632 156 270.50–285.00 $274.79 $1,737 +2.38
650 fancy 650 6 300.00 $300.00 $1,950 —
654–666 thin fleshed 664 94 280.00–282.00 $281.21 $1,867 —
650–694 674 245 260.00–271.00 $264.53 $1,783 +2.00
703–713 thin fleshed 712 121 260.00–263.25 $262.80 $1,871 +1.30
713–744 735 234 245.50–257.50 $254.50 $1,871 +5.68
739 739 6 236.00 $236.00 $1,744 -12.82
750 750 5 226.00 $226.00 $1,695 -16.13
761 thin fleshed 761 32 255.25 $255.25 $1,942 +4.75
750–796 776 295 240.00–245.50 $243.31 $1,888 +1.18
811–840 829 282 227.50–237.00 $232.89 $1,931 -5.11
852–872 870 151 222.50–230.25 $228.60 $1,989 +1.47
907–945 936 477 219.00–222.00 $220.98 $2,068 —
1095 1095 12 203.50 $203.50 $2,228 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,253 -17.00
523 unweaned 523 9 285.00 $285.00 $1,491 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 unweaned 365 6 302.00 $302.00 $1,102 —
431–437 thin fleshed 432 26 307.50–308.00 $307.62 $1,329 —
451 thin fleshed 451 13 307.50 $307.50 $1,387 —
460–494 480 106 287.50–299.00 $293.34 $1,408 +15.02
518–546 541 121 275.00–285.00 $278.54 $1,507 +0.54
552–591 581 250 262.00–275.00 $267.84 $1,556 +16.18
600–648 634 231 250.50–259.50 $255.66 $1,621 +11.49
654 thin fleshed 654 6 255.00 $255.00 $1,668 —
653–687 681 212 238.50–248.00 $240.45 $1,637 -2.58
710–718 713 79 229.00–235.00 $231.03 $1,647 +3.77
750–784 762 174 224.00–233.00 $229.11 $1,746 +6.93
866–872 871 175 215.00–220.00 $218.92 $1,907 +20.92
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
421 unweaned 421 7 275.00 $275.00 $1,158 —
427–445 438 16 250.00–261.00 $254.02 $1,113 —
493 unweaned 493 18 260.00 $260.00 $1,282 —
535 unweaned 535 23 246.00 $246.00 $1,316 —

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Reading this report

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.