Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 21, 2024

2,410 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $266.94/cwt ≈ $2,184/hd at 818 lb · 320 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $290.58/cwt ≈ $1,825/hd at 628 lb · 237 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $277.50/cwt ≈ $2,134/hd at 769 lb · 147 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,410 835 3,225
Feeder cattle 2,410 — 3,225
Replacement cattle — 835 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with two weeks ago, 550 to 750 lbs steers traded 4.00 to as much as 26.00 higher, heifer offerings 550 to 650 lbs traded 11.00 higher. Demand was good with active internet bidding. Next Auction Dates March 28th Regular Sale, April Sale dates 4th, 11th, 18th

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
437–447 443 34 385.00–392.50 $388.05 $1,719 —
492–499 493 45 389.00–390.00 $389.18 $1,919 —
525–528 525 55 352.00–362.00 $360.72 $1,894 —
551–554 554 110 358.00–363.50 $362.80 $2,010 —
623–628 625 129 330.50–335.00 $332.04 $2,075 —
651–676 667 72 306.00–325.00 $316.49 $2,111 —
702–741 732 145 287.00–298.50 $291.42 $2,133 —
769 769 147 277.50 $277.50 $2,134 —
802–836 818 320 259.50–271.75 $266.94 $2,184 —
984 984 47 225.50 $225.50 $2,219 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458–495 477 10 320.00–382.50 $352.46 $1,681 —
585–595 590 22 324.00–329.00 $326.71 $1,928 —
632–636 634 26 302.00–317.50 $310.69 $1,970 —
657–695 685 89 291.00–297.50 $296.51 $2,031 —
734 734 27 277.00 $277.00 $2,033 —
773 773 7 267.00 $267.00 $2,064 —
832 832 20 241.00 $241.00 $2,005 —
899 899 9 240.00 $240.00 $2,158 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 6 317.00 $317.00 $1,268 —
527–540 535 27 299.00–308.00 $304.39 $1,628 —
557–585 571 106 285.00–301.50 $294.87 $1,684 —
610–645 628 237 284.00–299.50 $290.58 $1,825 —
657–665 664 100 270.00–282.00 $279.54 $1,856 —
705–714 707 20 254.00–264.00 $261.48 $1,849 —
719 719 82 274.00 $274.00 $1,970 —
786 786 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,926 —
806 806 28 242.50 $242.50 $1,955 —
802–843 816 29 222.00–228.00 $225.86 $1,843 —
857 857 13 210.00 $210.00 $1,800 —
959 959 11 220.50 $220.50 $2,115 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 5 305.00 $305.00 $1,494 —
579 579 13 263.00 $263.00 $1,523 —
604–648 633 38 267.50–275.00 $269.95 $1,709 —
687 687 14 261.25 $261.25 $1,795 —
713–722 721 50 248.00–249.00 $248.90 $1,795 —
783 783 11 204.00 $204.00 $1,597 —
905 905 17 204.00 $204.00 $1,846 —

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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.