Cattle Market Pulse

Lexington Livestock Market Report

Lexington, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 20, 2024

2,545 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $261.14/cwt +3.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,243/hd at 859 lb · 369 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $280.43/cwt +6.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,077/hd at 741 lb · 308 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $262.75/cwt +1.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,504/hd at 953 lb · 261 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,545 3,596 1,658
Feeder cattle 2,545 3,596 1,658

Nice offering of long yearlings and weaned calves on offer with some bawling calves selling in the mix. Compared to last week steers 500-650 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher and yearling steers sold steady. Heifers under 650 lbs sold uneven. Demand was moderate to good from the buyers in the seats.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433–440 434 36 384.00–385.00 $384.17 $1,667 +7.17
463–468 464 31 369.00–372.00 $369.88 $1,716 +27.92
502–515 507 50 351.00–369.00 $361.33 $1,832 +10.59
543 543 24 342.00 $342.00 $1,857 +7.85
560–599 569 123 339.00–358.00 $350.07 $1,992 +16.57
612–643 624 118 304.00–319.00 $313.22 $1,954 +0.22
643 643 20 296.00 $296.00 $1,903 -2.14
655 655 22 299.75 $299.75 $1,963 +5.36
722–738 731 97 275.00–280.00 $278.21 $2,034 +4.62
745–746 745 211 278.00–282.00 $281.45 $2,097 +7.86
757–782 773 55 262.50–268.00 $265.47 $2,052 -8.53
843–845 844 84 262.00–263.50 $262.88 $2,219
856 856 340 262.00 $262.00 $2,243 +4.00
892 892 29 251.00 $251.00 $2,239 -7.00
953 953 261 262.75 $262.75 $2,504 +1.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
321 321 11 409.00 $409.00 $1,313
370 370 10 384.00 $384.00 $1,421
355–383 371 12 360.00–364.00 $362.41 $1,345
405 405 8 350.00 $350.00 $1,418 +7.00
437 thin fleshed 437 5 374.00 $374.00 $1,634
528 528 15 321.00 $321.00 $1,695 +4.00
608 608 6 282.00 $282.00 $1,715

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376–389 384 19 370.00–380.00 $374.13 $1,437 +3.57
419–442 433 50 331.00–345.00 $335.56 $1,453 -7.46
457 457 22 310.00 $310.00 $1,417 -36.00
494 494 27 311.00 $311.00 $1,536 -10.86
503–507 thin fleshed 505 52 328.00–335.00 $332.02 $1,677
517–540 528 82 307.00–319.00 $315.51 $1,666 +1.98
569–595 586 156 277.00–288.00 $283.40 $1,661 -17.13
603–614 607 62 280.00–284.00 $281.37 $1,708 -3.25
625 625 28 270.00 $270.00 $1,688 -14.62
650–654 653 43 260.00–270.00 $268.61 $1,754 -1.66
657 657 9 252.00 $252.00 $1,656 -18.27
702–737 720 112 252.50–263.50 $257.97 $1,857
785 785 19 248.50 $248.50 $1,951 -5.05
900 900 18 243.50 $243.50 $2,192
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 7 363.00 $363.00 $1,252
381 381 13 335.00 $335.00 $1,276
477 477 10 281.00 $281.00 $1,340
592 592 9 273.00 $273.00 $1,616

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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.