Cattle Market Pulse

West Point Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

West Point, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 18, 2023

2,779 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest West Point Livestock Feeder Cattle report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $254.91/cwt +15.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,698/hd at 666 lb · 378 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $241.78/cwt +19.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,484/hd at 614 lb · 201 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $220.73/cwt +2.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,487/hd at 674 lb · 190 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,779 1,853 3,086
Feeder cattle 2,779 1,853 3,086

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago, steers and heifers sold sharply higher on the day. Demand was good from start to finish. Several farmer/feeders along with order buyers on the seats and good internet action. Special weaned vaccinated sale where all calves had to be weaned at least 30 days.

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
417–421 417 41 299.00–308.00 $306.89 $1,280 +26.48
470–483 479 26 295.00–310.00 $300.70 $1,440 +26.18
501–548 532 161 277.00–296.00 $282.70 $1,504 +7.41
554–579 571 61 271.00–291.00 $279.71 $1,597 +7.81
603–645 622 132 252.50–268.00 $262.12 $1,630 +16.86
650–681 666 378 245.00–264.50 $254.91 $1,698 +15.04
704–745 729 137 221.00–239.50 $231.52 $1,688 -0.87
764–797 773 155 223.50–238.00 $233.04 $1,801 +6.50
803–820 809 16 205.00–208.00 $206.86 $1,673 -9.64
809–826 816 124 215.00–230.00 $227.74 $1,858 +11.24
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408 408 7 267.00 $267.00 $1,089 —
467–472 470 10 267.00–270.00 $268.19 $1,260 —
542–544 543 21 265.00–266.00 $265.52 $1,442 +11.97
555–587 576 51 262.00–270.00 $266.79 $1,537 +13.40
627 627 15 240.50 $240.50 $1,508 +15.50
663–684 680 21 236.00–239.50 $236.65 $1,609 —
729 729 9 213.00 $213.00 $1,553 -3.01

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392–393 392 31 259.50–277.00 $274.74 $1,077 +24.22
411–441 425 45 258.00–273.00 $269.18 $1,144 +22.37
450–498 481 89 246.00–266.00 $254.97 $1,226 +5.56
511–548 530 28 262.00–273.00 $267.69 $1,419 +27.90
556–595 576 162 240.00–253.00 $246.46 $1,420 +4.41
601–632 611 185 234.00–253.50 $242.63 $1,482 +20.20
648 648 16 232.00 $232.00 $1,503 +9.57
671–697 673 57 206.00–210.00 $209.64 $1,411 -8.32
650–691 674 133 218.50–234.00 $225.48 $1,520 +7.52
702–733 717 97 214.75–226.00 $217.87 $1,562 +5.28
766 766 62 219.75 $219.75 $1,683 +31.26
800–835 833 127 214.00–218.50 $218.26 $1,818 +34.44
864 864 32 210.25 $210.25 $1,817 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
513–546 529 83 241.00–252.00 $247.69 $1,310 —
563–590 574 32 225.00–226.00 $225.58 $1,295 +6.09
692 692 13 213.50 $213.50 $1,477 +12.19
763 763 6 195.00 $195.00 $1,488 —

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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.