Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 9, 2026

3,970 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $445.89/cwt +36.38 vs last sale · ≈ $3,189/hd at 715 lb · 408 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $440.45/cwt +29.81 vs last sale · ≈ $2,765/hd at 628 lb · 261 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $563.05/cwt +14.13 vs last sale · ≈ $2,945/hd at 523 lb · 257 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,970 3,830 0
Feeder cattle 3,970 3,830 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

No recent test of market to compare, a trend will not be given for steer or heifers. Demand was good with several buyers and active internet bidding. Next Auction Date April 16th Weigh-Ups, Special Pair, Fall and Bred Cows

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
411–428 420 47 605.00–630.00 $616.22 $2,588 +14.22
453–458 456 42 595.00–607.50 $599.79 $2,735 +39.10
490 unweaned 490 34 547.50 $547.50 $2,683 —
504–543 523 257 542.50–573.00 $563.05 $2,945 +14.13
560–597 582 213 497.00–532.50 $502.05 $2,922 -4.39
607–643 626 178 470.00–500.00 $484.97 $3,036 +25.48
653 unweaned 653 9 430.00 $430.00 $2,808 —
655–674 666 129 456.00–460.00 $458.27 $3,052 +15.58
710 fancy 710 172 468.00 $468.00 $3,323 +33.00
704–743 719 236 412.00–440.00 $429.78 $3,090 +27.34
784–785 785 148 419.00 $419.00 $3,289 +12.00
800–818 811 200 382.00–402.00 $394.46 $3,199 +24.46
856–891 880 91 363.50–373.50 $366.37 $3,224 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
479–498 494 31 550.00–555.00 $551.10 $2,722 +13.60
523–542 538 28 520.00–538.00 $534.25 $2,874 +25.06
576–597 592 37 447.50–487.50 $476.55 $2,821 +5.28
636–645 641 31 447.50–467.50 $455.82 $2,922 +33.82
672–690 681 10 427.50–437.00 $432.31 $2,944 +11.50
705 705 8 407.50 $407.50 $2,873 +30.95
773–795 785 29 381.50–391.00 $387.32 $3,040 —
811–824 820 15 358.00–370.00 $361.96 $2,968 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 19 540.00 $540.00 $2,327 +90.00
452–479 466 83 505.00–512.50 $507.21 $2,364 +33.07
504–512 508 253 500.00–509.00 $506.29 $2,572 +28.02
554–581 565 172 440.00–465.00 $454.38 $2,567 +12.67
615–641 623 163 407.00–460.00 $420.10 $2,617 +9.46
635 fancy 635 91 480.00 $480.00 $3,048 —
642 unweaned 642 7 400.00 $400.00 $2,568 —
671–680 678 103 420.00–436.00 $432.77 $2,934 +19.73
684 684 85 460.00 $460.00 $3,146 +46.96
721 721 30 384.00 $384.00 $2,769 +20.30
712–742 727 184 397.50–420.00 $410.51 $2,984 +46.81
788 788 62 420.00 $420.00 $3,310 +53.06
806 806 14 410.00 $410.00 $3,305 +38.00
866 866 6 330.00 $330.00 $2,858 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508–545 531 76 432.50–472.50 $454.21 $2,412 +13.27
589 589 8 420.00 $420.00 $2,474 +12.86
632 thin fleshed 632 27 412.50 $412.50 $2,607 —
653–696 676 24 370.00–400.00 $383.28 $2,591 +25.41
846 846 8 334.00 $334.00 $2,826 —

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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.