Cattle Market Pulse

Tri-State Livestock Auction Market Report

McCook, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 28, 2024

2,583 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Tri-State Livestock Auction report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $338.77/cwt +20.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,643/hd at 485 lb · 345 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $298.11/cwt +19.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,410/hd at 473 lb · 232 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $309.55/cwt +4.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,634/hd at 528 lb · 219 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,583 3,505 2,080
Feeder cattle 2,583 3,505 2,080

Nice offering of bawling spring calves on offer along with a few yearling feeders selling in the mix. Around 1150 head of the bawling calves had not received fall vaccinations most of which sold at a sizable discount creating wide price spreads within the weighed averages. Compared to last week steer calves over 450 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher and heifer calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 15.00 higher. Demand was good from the buyers in the crowd with internet activity noticed.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 286 9 410.00 $410.00 $1,173
337–348 342 12 400.00 $400.00 $1,368 +10.46
356–358 thin fleshed 357 48 397.50–405.00 $401.42 $1,433
378–396 387 62 361.00–380.00 $372.90 $1,443 -8.72
426–447 443 125 335.00–345.00 $339.73 $1,505 -9.41
458–497 484 168 319.00–339.00 $326.52 $1,580 +7.85
470–498 fancy 486 177 344.00–353.00 $350.39 $1,703
506–549 528 219 300.00–318.00 $309.55 $1,634 +7.03
566–575 571 183 299.00–318.00 $305.44 $1,744 +27.04
605–630 unweaned 616 178 276.00–289.00 $285.34 $1,758 +19.19
650–667 unweaned 653 48 265.00–285.00 $272.09 $1,777
664 664 5 265.50 $265.50 $1,763
725 725 12 270.00 $270.00 $1,958 -6.00
843 843 12 245.00 $245.00 $2,065
851 851 6 245.00 $245.00 $2,085
990 990 28 217.50 $217.50 $2,153
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
479 479 12 292.00 $292.00 $1,399 -9.00
495 495 15 308.00 $308.00 $1,525 +7.00
570–594 587 57 279.00–286.00 $281.45 $1,652
605 unweaned 605 9 271.00 $271.00 $1,640

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328 328 19 340.00 $340.00 $1,115 -11.04
361–391 374 48 300.00–333.00 $321.20 $1,201 +3.19
403–444 423 93 308.00–327.00 $320.48 $1,356 +10.51
450–494 473 232 285.00–314.00 $298.11 $1,410 +23.99
503–532 511 146 274.00–291.00 $287.03 $1,467 +18.26
551–589 561 200 261.00–282.00 $275.16 $1,544 +18.54
587 587 5 258.00 $258.00 $1,514 +1.38
606–608 unweaned 606 23 251.00–264.00 $261.17 $1,583 +20.17
713–735 724 37 240.00–250.00 $245.21 $1,775
768 768 8 237.00 $237.00 $1,820
892 892 12 235.00 $235.00 $2,096 +0.50
904 904 15 229.50 $229.50 $2,075
952 952 30 213.50 $213.50 $2,033
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369–374 371 25 280.00–281.00 $280.44 $1,040
465–493 479 29 266.00–272.00 $268.86 $1,288 +10.86
603 unweaned 603 6 241.00 $241.00 $1,453

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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.