Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 21, 2024

2,920 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $327.91/cwt +1.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,885/hd at 575 lb · 337 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $317.76/cwt +19.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,976/hd at 622 lb · 313 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $361.70/cwt +1.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,714/hd at 474 lb · 310 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,920 1,525 3,890
Feeder cattle 2,920 1,525 3,890

Today's Special Spring Calf and Yearling Sale started the day with yearlings, off dry Sandhills grass followed by 40 to 60 day weaned calves, and then non-weaned offerings. Compared with last week 500 to 550 lbs steers traded steady to 2.00 higher. No comparable offerings for heifers. Demand was good with several buyers and active bidding from the internet. Next Auction Date Dec 5th Spring Calf Special & Breedable Heifer Sale

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374–391 382 56 365.00–381.00 $371.15 $1,418 -11.76
402 402 16 402.00 $402.00 $1,616 +24.00
463 fancy 463 72 376.50 $376.50 $1,743
459–491 477 238 350.00–369.50 $357.22 $1,704 -2.78
510–548 535 265 330.00–350.50 $337.28 $1,804 +2.24
559–588 575 337 324.50–335.00 $327.91 $1,885 +1.71
600 fancy 600 93 333.50 $333.50 $2,001
601–649 631 220 303.00–319.50 $311.11 $1,963 +29.11
653 fancy 653 82 326.00 $326.00 $2,129
653–695 670 110 283.00–313.25 $300.43 $2,013
719 719 23 280.50 $280.50 $2,017
760–787 776 23 270.00–273.00 $271.15 $2,104
871 871 17 264.50 $264.50 $2,304
948 948 18 245.50 $245.50 $2,327
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 358 7 355.00 $355.00 $1,271
406–441 429 30 347.00–370.00 $359.58 $1,543 +16.05
474–487 484 34 345.00–349.00 $347.85 $1,684 +12.73
500–546 535 59 322.00–332.50 $324.41 $1,736 +5.74
580–597 590 66 307.50–314.00 $311.71 $1,839
622–638 628 21 267.50–298.00 $287.97 $1,808
687 687 5 258.00 $258.00 $1,772
742 742 7 263.00 $263.00 $1,951
792 792 11 249.50 $249.50 $1,976
898 898 6 246.00 $246.00 $2,209

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337–345 342 16 340.00–347.50 $343.24 $1,174
387 387 17 322.50 $322.50 $1,248 -10.22
418–446 435 108 320.00–338.00 $330.71 $1,439 -5.25
451–472 464 63 320.00–332.00 $324.59 $1,506 +10.93
501–549 522 98 302.00–320.50 $309.11 $1,614 +4.48
550–594 576 73 284.00–301.00 $289.61 $1,668 -11.97
674 674 19 276.00 $276.00 $1,860 -24.00
720 720 23 242.00 $242.00 $1,742
758 758 9 243.00 $243.00 $1,842 +7.00
831 831 109 249.50 $249.50 $2,073
887 887 6 232.00 $232.00 $2,058
921–940 923 65 230.25–232.00 $231.78 $2,139
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433 433 7 313.00 $313.00 $1,355 -2.00
478 478 6 307.50 $307.50 $1,470
516 516 13 305.00 $305.00 $1,574 +23.02
622 622 6 258.00 $258.00 $1,605

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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.