Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 30, 2021

3,245 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $179.69/cwt ≈ $1,132/hd at 630 lb · 365 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $153.50/cwt +1.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,194/hd at 778 lb · 305 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $183.04/cwt ≈ $1,067/hd at 583 lb · 263 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,245 4,570 3,006
Feeder cattle 3,245 4,570 3,006

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with two weeks ago, 750 to 800 lbs steers traded unevenly steady, and no comparable offerings for heifers. Demand was good with several buyers, cooler weather in the area with rain showers.

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
450–482 459 36 184.00–190.00 $188.25 $864 —
508–537 512 206 191.00–195.75 $194.96 $998 —
579–588 583 263 180.00–184.50 $183.04 $1,067 —
623–649 630 365 177.50–181.00 $179.69 $1,132 —
662–664 663 22 169.50–170.00 $169.75 $1,125 +0.75
734–745 736 41 166.50 $166.50 $1,225 +5.25
759–787 765 157 163.00–167.50 $166.00 $1,270 -0.20
808–842 814 250 162.25–165.00 $164.20 $1,337 +1.35
871–887 873 70 152.50–163.00 $161.48 $1,410 +2.36
911–926 919 171 153.00–156.75 $155.46 $1,429 -2.82

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 11 163.00 $163.00 $703 —
475–493 477 67 157.00–163.00 $162.17 $774 —
526–546 534 39 154.00–155.00 $154.39 $824 —
662–698 687 90 146.00–156.75 $152.76 $1,049 -10.72
702 702 49 154.50 $154.50 $1,085 ±0.00
703–732 712 60 154.00–163.50 $156.93 $1,117 +2.43
754–793 778 305 152.50–157.00 $153.50 $1,194 +2.70
801–842 817 244 143.00–152.50 $149.38 $1,220 +2.48
851–878 871 158 141.00–146.50 $144.21 $1,256 -1.27
900–946 938 63 136.00–145.00 $143.58 $1,347 +3.97
952–970 958 49 140.00–144.50 $143.13 $1,371 +3.38
1015–1043 1029 30 133.00–139.50 $136.54 $1,405 —
1054 1054 6 131.00 $131.00 $1,381 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615–619 618 45 152.50–153.00 $152.61 $943 +2.11
745 745 17 149.50 $149.50 $1,114 +4.50

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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.