Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 4, 2021

850 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 850 3,535 990
Feeder cattle 3,535
Replacement cattle 850 990

The bred cow and heifer auction consisted of black, bwf and few red offerings, calving March to May. All cattle looked in good condition, weather in the area has turned to an early Spring with temperatures in the 60's today. Next Auction Dates for March 11th and 25th

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
994–1146 1068 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 1,125.00–1,325.00 $1,210.48
1113–1456 1327 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 49 1,425.00–1,625.00 $1,507.50
1148–1485 1341 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 100 1,300.00–1,650.00 $1,471.21
1252–1541 1385 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 89 750.00–1,175.00 $1,001.31
1350–1459 1411 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 78 1,050.00–1,325.00 $1,162.03
1310–1627 1445 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 60 1,075.00–1,275.00 $1,178.77
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1287–1356 1316 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 850.00–875.00 $864.26

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
896–1245 1062 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 388 1,310.00–1,650.00 $1,522.75

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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.