Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 30, 2025

4,300 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $370.61/cwt ≈ $2,136/hd at 576 lb · 557 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $337.06/cwt ≈ $1,946/hd at 577 lb · 535 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $396.65/cwt ≈ $2,067/hd at 521 lb · 534 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,300 1,185 4,230
Feeder cattle 4,300 4,230
Replacement cattle 1,185

Compared with two weeks ago, 500 lbs steers and heifers traded sharply higher. Steer offerings 550 to 700 lbs traded steady to 5.00 higher and 550 lbs heifers traded steady. Demand was very good with several buyers at the auction with not much action from the internet. Next Auction Dates for Feb 6th 13th and 20th

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 6 420.00 $420.00 $1,302
358–384 372 81 455.00–475.00 $461.37 $1,716
416–429 423 203 460.00–495.00 $471.15 $1,993
450–485 469 110 420.00–434.00 $427.97 $2,007
500–545 521 534 380.00–413.00 $396.65 $2,067
561–573 fancy 564 154 381.00–386.00 $384.55 $2,169
551–594 581 403 359.00–373.50 $365.28 $2,122
603 fancy 603 90 369.00 $369.00 $2,225
600–649 623 392 331.00–355.00 $344.96 $2,149
661–672 668 96 315.00–324.00 $322.69 $2,156
726–733 731 111 308.00–314.00 $310.89 $2,273
750–761 753 98 312.00–314.00 $312.62 $2,354
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412–448 429 73 422.50–450.00 $428.96 $1,840
465–490 478 12 385.00–400.00 $392.30 $1,875
531–538 536 49 367.00–375.00 $369.33 $1,980
578–586 585 38 349.00–352.00 $349.39 $2,044
628–642 632 55 307.00–335.00 $328.18 $2,074

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 6 410.00 $410.00 $1,312
365–396 388 50 375.00–395.00 $383.14 $1,487
443–445 444 51 380.00–389.00 $383.17 $1,701
454–498 481 197 368.00–389.00 $378.65 $1,821
508–537 527 140 350.50–367.00 $357.49 $1,884
550–599 576 486 322.00–347.50 $333.49 $1,921
592 592 49 372.50 $372.50 $2,205
630–637 632 31 308.00–311.00 $310.03 $1,959
638 638 78 323.00 $323.00 $2,061
668 668 19 300.00 $300.00 $2,004
710 710 27 278.00 $278.00 $1,974
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 8 365.00 $365.00 $1,507
493 493 18 332.50 $332.50 $1,639
538 538 19 339.00 $339.00 $1,824
550–595 588 65 300.00–318.00 $315.15 $1,853

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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.