Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 14, 2021

5,920 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $180.19/cwt -4.82 vs last sale · ≈ $941/hd at 522 lb · 843 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $164.35/cwt +2.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,013/hd at 617 lb · 746 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $168.06/cwt -5.50 vs last sale · ≈ $969/hd at 577 lb · 669 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,920 4,230 4,940
Feeder cattle 5,920 4,230 4,940

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last week 500 to 550 lbs steers traded 4.00 to 5.00 lower, 600 to 650 lbs steers traded steady to 2.00 higher, 500 to 550 lbs heifers traded steady to 2.00 higher and 600 lbs heifers traded 7.00 lower. Demand was good with several buyers and high internet bidding. A cold rain last evening on the cattle with high winds in the area. Next Auction Date Jan 21st and 28th

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363–395 381 73 204.00–206.00 $205.67 $784 —
413–446 436 277 193.00–205.00 $198.69 $866 —
450–489 464 232 184.00–194.00 $191.07 $887 +9.07
476 unweaned 476 13 176.00 $176.00 $838 —
501–549 522 843 173.00–187.75 $180.19 $941 -4.82
568 unweaned 568 32 158.00 $158.00 $897 —
554–597 577 637 162.00–174.50 $168.57 $973 -4.99
611 fancy 611 182 173.00 $173.00 $1,057 —
600–642 618 551 157.00–168.50 $162.02 $1,001 +0.18
639 unweaned 639 13 142.00 $142.00 $907 —
655–689 fancy 672 157 163.00–164.75 $163.84 $1,101 -0.16
651–699 688 411 143.75–158.50 $150.91 $1,038 +1.98
722–736 728 76 136.50–140.00 $137.49 $1,001 -8.44
763 763 78 137.75 $137.75 $1,051 -2.62
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357 357 6 192.00 $192.00 $685 —
443 unweaned 443 8 182.00 $182.00 $806 —
479–499 494 35 174.00–177.50 $177.01 $874 +7.01
527 unweaned 527 10 159.00 $159.00 $838 —
515–544 530 64 161.00–170.00 $165.83 $879 -1.16
551–594 581 63 158.00–159.50 $158.43 $920 —
613–632 620 73 149.50–151.00 $149.92 $930 +1.24
681–685 682 46 137.50–141.00 $138.19 $942 -1.81
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 7 146.00 $146.00 $898 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 18 175.00 $175.00 $595 —
438–447 441 49 167.00–172.50 $169.99 $750 +9.07
469 unweaned 469 10 170.00 $170.00 $797 —
451–497 477 131 163.50–168.50 $165.75 $791 -2.04
507–538 520 326 156.00–161.50 $158.22 $823 -0.87
546 unweaned 546 44 151.50 $151.50 $827 —
561–595 578 393 141.50–156.00 $150.82 $872 +1.48
604–646 615 188 134.00–149.50 $142.49 $876 -7.80
616 unweaned 616 8 133.50 $133.50 $822 —
631–642 639 37 157.00 $157.00 $1,003 -4.00
654 654 23 152.00 $152.00 $994 +17.88
660–678 677 93 133.00–135.00 $134.83 $913 +0.71
713–717 717 175 143.50 $143.50 $1,029 -9.24
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 unweaned 432 18 166.00 $166.00 $717 —
482–489 488 28 154.00–159.00 $157.94 $771 —
503 unweaned 503 19 158.00 $158.00 $795 —
515–548 538 122 142.75–149.00 $146.39 $788 —
560 unweaned 560 6 134.00 $134.00 $750 —
558–595 581 23 134.50–140.00 $136.57 $793 -1.43
645 645 46 132.50 $132.50 $855 -6.51

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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.