Cattle Market Pulse

Ogallala Livestock Auction Market Report

Ogallala, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 9, 2024

3,231 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Ogallala Livestock Auction report →

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $238.71/cwt -2.79 vs last sale · ≈ $2,074/hd at 869 lb · 553 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $221.25/cwt -2.94 vs last sale · ≈ $2,132/hd at 963 lb · 516 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $253.67/cwt +2.01 vs last sale · ≈ $2,093/hd at 825 lb · 246 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,231 3,802 5,160
Feeder cattle 3,231 3,802 5,160

Compared to last week, best tested weight was on yearling feeder steers over 800 lbs, on these weights, most lots sold unevenly steady with steers over 1000 lbs trending 10.00 lower. Not enough light cattle or heifers for a market comparison. Demand was moderate to good with quite a few order buyers on the seats. Bulk of Thursday's cattle came off of wheat pastures south of the Nebraska border.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351 351 5 392.50 $392.50 $1,378 -24.65
439 439 14 332.50 $332.50 $1,460 -28.17
496 496 21 352.00 $352.00 $1,746 -10.49
543 543 46 343.00 $343.00 $1,862 -22.44
560 560 22 353.00 $353.00 $1,977 +18.54
652–658 655 49 288.00–308.00 $294.14 $1,927 -10.46
722 722 25 277.00 $277.00 $2,000 -30.50
762 762 6 266.00 $266.00 $2,027 -14.00
823–829 825 246 253.50–253.75 $253.67 $2,093 +2.01
851–892 869 553 235.50–250.00 $238.71 $2,074 -2.79
910 910 188 243.50 $243.50 $2,216 +11.37
951 951 58 214.50 $214.50 $2,040 -9.69
955–985 965 458 216.50–228.00 $222.10 $2,143 -2.09
1033–1044 1037 323 216.00 $216.00 $2,240 -14.00
1073 1073 60 204.50 $204.50 $2,194
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 6 300.00 $300.00 $1,830 -4.00
723–724 723 76 251.00–257.50 $255.87 $1,850
777 777 21 248.00 $248.00 $1,927
864–886 867 76 224.00–243.50 $240.62 $2,086

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
361 361 12 345.00 $345.00 $1,245 -20.43
440 440 5 321.00 $321.00 $1,412 -18.75
521–528 522 103 283.00–298.00 $296.23 $1,546 -42.55
583 583 77 304.50 $304.50 $1,775 +13.97
605 unweaned 605 8 256.00 $256.00 $1,549
619 619 37 288.50 $288.50 $1,786 -5.75
659–694 671 73 268.50–279.00 $275.13 $1,846 +0.70
715–742 727 46 251.00–262.00 $256.88 $1,868 -3.12
811–830 817 43 226.50–232.00 $228.19 $1,864 -3.01
881 881 17 208.50 $208.50 $1,837
1009–1027 1017 14 175.00–194.50 $186.06 $1,892

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 5 327.50 $327.50 $1,588

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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.