Cattle Market Pulse

North Platte Stockyards Livestock Auction Market Report

North Platte, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 21, 2025

2,229 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest North Platte Stockyards Livestock Auction report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $328.92/cwt +7.01 vs last sale · ≈ $2,040/hd at 620 lb · 301 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $297.85/cwt +2.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,848/hd at 620 lb · 234 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $369.80/cwt +5.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,937/hd at 524 lb · 229 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,229 2,739 3,273
Feeder cattle 2,229 2,739 3,273

Compared to two weeks ago steers and heifers suited for summer grass turnout sold 6.00 to 8.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers sold 7.00 to 10.00 lower. Demand was good for light weight cattle with moderate to good demand for feeders. Overall, the market is still active with quite a few buyers looking for cattle. The artic cold front didn't slow down the buyer participation at the auction on Tuesday. Near normal temperatures are on the horizon for January weather.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–391 390 47 391.00–417.00 $402.54 $1,570 -17.46
425–434 428 21 377.00–392.50 $385.63 $1,650 -17.02
455–498 480 56 377.50–387.50 $380.28 $1,825 +9.25
500–534 522 208 359.00–380.50 $372.30 $1,943 +8.39
541 541 21 345.00 $345.00 $1,866 -18.91
551 551 12 341.00 $341.00 $1,879
552 552 13 371.00 $371.00 $2,048
601–638 614 204 326.00–342.00 $334.97 $2,057 +13.06
630–645 633 97 316.00–317.00 $316.21 $2,002 -5.70
659–694 681 130 299.00–317.50 $305.76 $2,082 +9.83
687 687 9 291.00 $291.00 $1,999 -4.93
706–748 739 95 285.00–290.50 $288.75 $2,134 -13.73
746 746 22 285.50 $285.50 $2,130 -16.98
759–779 773 48 275.50–278.00 $277.28 $2,143 -11.22
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 10 356.00 $356.00 $1,922 +12.00
570 570 13 339.00 $339.00 $1,932
626 626 14 323.50 $323.50 $2,025
744 744 70 275.50 $275.50 $2,050

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 5 383.00 $383.00 $1,444
400–447 423 99 362.50–374.00 $368.56 $1,559 +1.34
473–483 478 27 340.00–379.00 $363.05 $1,735 +17.05
502–522 509 140 324.00–340.00 $334.99 $1,705 +6.89
556–592 573 217 306.00–322.50 $314.55 $1,802 +14.28
604 604 31 317.00 $317.00 $1,915 +23.00
600–648 623 203 280.00–302.00 $294.92 $1,837 -0.95
664–694 676 111 277.50–287.00 $281.75 $1,905 +8.53
716 716 14 251.50 $251.50 $1,801 -20.83
725 725 9 265.00 $265.00 $1,921 -7.33
756–770 761 110 253.50–255.50 $254.69 $1,938
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
426–431 428 9 351.00–356.00 $354.32 $1,516
454 454 19 340.00 $340.00 $1,544
513–543 519 33 310.00–314.00 $313.26 $1,626 +10.26
640 640 6 265.00 $265.00 $1,696
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
644 644 15 283.00 $283.00 $1,823

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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.