Cattle Market Nebraska Weekly Livestock Auction Summary
Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock
Sale of Monday, May 3, 20216,688 head sold ·Official USDA report
This is an archived report. See the latest Nebraska Weekly Livestock Auction Summary report →
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers
$125.06/cwt
+2.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,212/hd at 969 lb · 926 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers
$164.47/cwt
+7.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,026/hd at 624 lb · 460 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers
$128.17/cwt
-2.09 vs last sale · ≈ $929/hd at 725 lb · 445 head
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 6,688 | 11,627 | 9,363 |
| Feeder cattle | 5,953 | 11,600 | 9,363 |
| Replacement cattle | 735 | 27 | 0 |
Market comments — USDA reporter
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 390 | 390 | 8 | 184.00 | $184.00 | $718 | ±0.00 |
| 412–439 | 419 | 39 | 179.00–194.00 | $188.28 | $789 | +9.83 |
| 435 | 435 | 6 | 165.00 | $165.00 | $718 | — |
| 450–487 | 474 | 98 | 159.00–185.00 | $175.51 | $832 | -9.32 |
| 500–543 | 523 | 124 | 170.50–180.00 | $175.70 | $919 | -0.44 |
| 554–585 | 565 | 141 | 163.00–183.00 | $171.03 | $966 | +4.34 |
| 623 | 623 | 10 | 139.50 | $139.50 | $869 | — |
| 600–645 | 624 | 450 | 151.00–171.50 | $165.02 | $1,030 | +7.73 |
| 657–673 | 660 | 171 | 160.00–171.50 | $165.54 | $1,093 | +9.46 |
| 726–736 | 731 | 16 | 118.50–120.00 | $119.26 | $872 | — |
| 730–737 | 732 | 119 | 140.00–148.00 | $144.42 | $1,057 | +9.75 |
| 738 | 738 | 10 | 125.50 | $125.50 | $926 | -9.17 |
| 770 | 770 | 6 | 118.00 | $118.00 | $909 | — |
| 753–785 | 771 | 63 | 131.00–138.00 | $135.05 | $1,041 | -4.73 |
| 801 | 801 | 10 | 121.00 | $121.00 | $969 | -13.00 |
| 819–826 | 826 | 394 | 131.00–137.00 | $136.64 | $1,129 | +2.64 |
| 854–891 | 864 | 207 | 126.00–132.50 | $130.46 | $1,127 | -1.83 |
| 912 | 912 | 5 | 114.00 | $114.00 | $1,040 | -12.67 |
| 923 | 923 | 65 | 125.75 | $125.75 | $1,161 | -0.92 |
| 953–995 | 969 | 926 | 123.10–127.60 | $125.06 | $1,212 | +2.39 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 442 | 442 | 6 | 172.00 | $172.00 | $760 | +5.00 |
| 488 | 488 | 9 | 154.00 | $154.00 | $752 | — |
| 517 | 517 | 5 | 163.00 | $163.00 | $843 | +1.84 |
| 550 | 550 | 13 | 165.00 | $165.00 | $908 | +13.14 |
| 613–641 | 632 | 26 | 155.00–161.00 | $156.79 | $991 | +2.29 |
| 633 | 633 | 13 | 136.00 | $136.00 | $861 | — |
| 685–696 | 687 | 97 | 140.00–149.75 | $142.24 | $977 | +0.40 |
| 703 | 703 | 8 | 133.00 | $133.00 | $935 | +0.58 |
| 757–759 | 758 | 19 | 131.00–134.00 | $133.21 | $1,010 | +14.71 |
| 840–843 | 842 | 24 | 122.50–122.75 | $122.64 | $1,033 | -2.36 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 363 | 363 | 15 | 153.00 | $153.00 | $555 | — |
| 482 | 482 | 5 | 153.50 | $153.50 | $740 | — |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 320–326 | 324 | 16 | 164.50–185.00 | $177.40 | $575 | +10.05 |
| 369 | 369 | 9 | 161.00 | $161.00 | $594 | ±0.00 |
| 421–445 | 427 | 83 | 148.00–180.00 | $171.95 | $734 | +10.20 |
| 481–494 | 485 | 46 | 152.50–162.00 | $156.53 | $759 | -5.39 |
| 491 | 491 | 12 | 146.00 | $146.00 | $717 | -6.73 |
| 500 | 500 | 8 | 137.00 | $137.00 | $685 | -14.38 |
| 507–542 | 525 | 54 | 161.50–170.50 | $166.32 | $873 | +12.00 |
| 505–546 | 531 | 188 | 142.00–154.25 | $149.41 | $793 | -4.59 |
| 553–596 | 587 | 236 | 140.00–149.00 | $145.29 | $853 | -2.19 |
| 609–645 | 620 | 92 | 133.00–143.75 | $138.23 | $857 | -2.62 |
| 620–646 | 635 | 19 | 121.00–122.00 | $121.41 | $771 | — |
| 657–698 | 678 | 251 | 125.00–136.50 | $130.19 | $883 | -2.98 |
| 707–709 | 708 | 12 | 112.50 | $112.50 | $796 | -17.76 |
| 704–737 | 725 | 433 | 125.00–131.00 | $128.60 | $932 | -1.66 |
| 754–783 | 774 | 421 | 118.50–127.75 | $126.31 | $978 | +11.31 |
| 800–808 | 805 | 231 | 122.50–122.75 | $122.53 | $986 | -8.60 |
| 820 | 820 | 16 | 124.00 | $124.00 | $1,017 | -7.13 |
| 866–899 | 878 | 161 | 115.00–120.25 | $117.94 | $1,036 | -11.56 |
| 889 | 889 | 6 | 110.00 | $110.00 | $978 | -19.50 |
| 910 | 910 | 10 | 116.00 | $116.00 | $1,056 | -4.45 |
| 934 | 934 | 8 | 107.00 | $107.00 | $999 | -13.45 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 530–541 | 535 | 41 | 135.25–143.75 | $137.58 | $736 | -3.62 |
| 609 | 609 | 6 | 134.00 | $134.00 | $816 | -0.79 |
| 694 | 694 | 10 | 126.25 | $126.25 | $876 | -2.25 |
Bred Cows
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Age | Stage | Head | Price range | Avg $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1055–1093 | 1063 | Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 9 | 1,175.00–1,285.00 | $1,259.88 |
| 1260–1357 | 1286 | Aged (>8 yrs) | 1st Stage (1-3 mo) | 15 | 700.00–1,000.00 | $777.35 |
| 1290–1500 | 1349 | Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | 1st Stage (1-3 mo) | 6 | 825.00–1,050.00 | $947.25 |
| 1317–1380 | 1361 | Aged (>8 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 13 | 825.00–850.00 | $842.55 |
| 1360–1462 | 1370 | Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 20 | 1,125.00–1,175.00 | $1,169.67 |
| 1270–1690 | 1428 | Aged (>8 yrs) | 3rd Stage (7-9 mo) | 7 | 925.00–1,125.00 | $1,042.88 |
Cow-Calf Pairs
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Age | Stage | Head | Price range | Avg $ | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1025–1166 | 1095 | Young (2-4 yrs) | Open | 43 | 1,825.00–1,910.00 | $1,839.81 | — |
| 1290–1357 | 1353 | Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | Open | 17 | 1,325.00–1,785.00 | $1,759.20 | — |
| 1361–1487 | 1392 | Aged (>8 yrs) | Open | 33 | 1,150.00–1,250.00 | $1,175.91 | — |
| 1557 | 1557 | Young (2-4 yrs) | Open | 7 | 1,825.00 | $1,825.00 | — |
| 1593–1617 | 1612 | Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | Open | 20 | 1,400.00–1,500.00 | $1,480.24 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Age | Stage | Head | Price range | Avg $ | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1392 | 1392 | Middle Aged (5-8 yrs) | Open | 15 | 1,410.00 | $1,410.00 | — |
| 1398 | 1398 | Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs) | Open | 9 | 1,200.00 | $1,200.00 | — |
Heifer Pairs
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Age | Stage | Head | Price range | Avg $ | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1046–1390 | 1148 | (<2 yrs) | Open | 41 | 1,860.00–2,035.00 | $1,952.70 | — |
| 1063–1377 | 1228 | (<2 yrs) | Open | 121 | 2,035.00–2,325.00 | $2,171.20 | — |
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.
Compared to last week steers suited for summer grass sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher with feedlot placements trending 7.00 to 10.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 5.00 higher, 500 to 800 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower and over 800 lbs sold 10.00 lower. Nice run of cow/calf pairs on hand and the heifer pairs sold steady with last week’s thin test. Demand was good for grass cattle, moderate to instances good for feedlot placements with moderate to good demand for pairs, and summer bred cows. Nebraska feedlots sold live and dressed sales 1.00 to 2.00 lower at 118.00 and 188.00 to 190.00 respectively. Spotty rain showers and frost across some of the Cornhusker state with the roughly the western half of the state still showing up on the drought monitor as abnormal and moderate drought. This large area consists of some farm ground with the bulk of the area relying on rain to give growth to the native Sandhills grass used for grazing and hay production.