Cattle Market Pulse

Valentine Livestock Auction Market Report

Valentine, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 6, 2026

2,055 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $356.78/cwt +4.69 vs last sale · ≈ $3,279/hd at 919 lb · 298 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $365.54/cwt -5.64 vs last sale · ≈ $3,166/hd at 866 lb · 281 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $378.54/cwt +19.16 vs last sale · ≈ $3,168/hd at 837 lb · 218 head
Valentine, NE 8-weight steers sold at $371/cwt, in line with the state average but $2/cwt below the NE average ($373) and $7/cwt under Ogallala, NE ($378). NE 8-weight steers are down $13 from their late June peak of $385. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,055 1,645 0
Feeder cattle 2,055 1,645 0

Today's market report for Valentine Livestock Market, compared with two weeks ago, no comparable offerings a trend will not be given for steers or heifers. Auction consisted of yearlings and fall calves, off short, dry Sandhills grass. Next Auction Dates: Aug 20th Weigh-Ups, Aug 27th Special Feeder Sale

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
528 528 22 475.00 $475.00 $2,508
626–644 629 92 445.00–471.00 $466.95 $2,937 +25.95
781 781 40 381.00 $381.00 $2,976
827–843 837 218 376.00–383.00 $378.54 $3,168 +19.16
863–872 866 281 364.00–368.00 $365.54 $3,166 -5.64
902–943 919 298 349.00–362.50 $356.78 $3,279 +4.69
950–997 971 173 326.50–346.75 $335.59 $3,259 -15.52
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001 1001 57 345.50 $345.50 $3,458 +7.75
1059–1066 1063 368 327.00–329.00 $328.41 $3,491
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756 756 10 322.50 $322.50 $2,438

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
744 744 42 375.00 $375.00 $2,790
812–837 819 143 343.00–356.50 $351.15 $2,876
874–890 884 39 314.00–327.00 $321.64 $2,843
963 963 31 311.00 $311.00 $2,995

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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.