Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 23, 2024

3,590 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $365.01/cwt +21.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,942/hd at 532 lb · 360 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $352.57/cwt +46.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,812/hd at 514 lb · 325 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $337.00/cwt +11.05 vs last sale · ≈ $2,079/hd at 617 lb · 303 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,590 3,028 3,360
Feeder cattle 3,590 3,028 3,360

Market comments — USDA reporter

No recent test of Yearlings and Fall calves, for an accurate comparison, a trend will not be given. Demand was very good with several buyers at the auction today. Next Auction Dates for June 6th Special Fall Bred Female and Regular Sale, June 20th Special Feeder Sale, and June 27th Special Fall Bred Female and Regular Sale

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
385–392 387 19 427.50–445.00 $432.17 $1,672 —
408–421 412 18 425.00–430.00 $428.58 $1,766 +40.47
467–484 473 43 400.00–410.00 $403.80 $1,910 +46.34
502–548 532 360 352.00–368.50 $365.01 $1,942 +29.71
566–599 576 144 330.00–356.50 $345.34 $1,989 +14.50
582 582 42 321.00 $321.00 $1,868 -9.84
608–631 617 303 309.00–347.50 $337.00 $2,079 +11.05
662–693 679 202 292.00–322.50 $311.20 $2,113 -1.25
700–746 732 100 288.00–306.50 $294.53 $2,156 -0.02
784–795 789 53 270.75–281.50 $276.59 $2,182 —
800–841 816 135 262.00–276.00 $269.84 $2,202 +6.09
917 917 48 248.75 $248.75 $2,281 +1.75
1026 1026 56 239.25 $239.25 $2,455 —
1164 1164 10 198.00 $198.00 $2,305 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
444 444 11 405.00 $405.00 $1,798 +70.00
458–491 482 43 357.00–387.00 $366.78 $1,768 +29.91
592 592 17 325.00 $325.00 $1,924 +11.89
740 740 21 283.75 $283.75 $2,100 +9.72

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–443 425 57 365.00–385.00 $372.14 $1,582 +39.40
459–499 484 167 350.00–376.00 $358.02 $1,733 +45.10
500–540 514 325 347.00–359.00 $352.57 $1,812 +46.58
552–580 572 267 306.00–340.50 $331.29 $1,895 +49.19
609–635 628 193 289.00–299.50 $297.20 $1,866 +18.60
685–696 689 96 278.00–283.50 $281.37 $1,939 +27.95
701–729 710 114 264.00–282.50 $273.35 $1,941 +1.35
759–783 774 100 249.00–258.00 $253.53 $1,962 —
803–823 818 45 236.00–253.00 $244.41 $1,999 +34.33
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 27 355.00 $355.00 $1,541 +36.00
460–480 474 28 342.00–345.00 $342.83 $1,625 —
575–596 583 52 288.00–298.00 $294.86 $1,719 —
630 630 12 273.00 $273.00 $1,720 +9.00

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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.