Cattle Market Pulse

West Point Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

West Point, Nebraska · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 29, 2024

3,433 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 heifers $236.38/cwt +4.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,593/hd at 674 lb · 369 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $241.04/cwt +17.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,001/hd at 830 lb · 331 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $275.83/cwt +24.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,867/hd at 677 lb · 319 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,433 2,453 1,508
Feeder cattle 3,433 2,453 1,508

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, steers sold sharply higher on the day with most lots 13.00 to 15.00 higher. Heifers sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher with flat 5 weights and 6 weights 8.00 higher. Demand was good with the weather warming up and buyers in the seats. All calves preconditioned and 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
444 444 6 304.00 $304.00 $1,350 —
465–483 477 9 315.00–322.50 $320.06 $1,527 +12.34
521–547 535 46 300.00–318.00 $310.64 $1,662 +5.39
556–597 585 49 280.00–296.00 $290.93 $1,702 +16.87
602–633 609 48 282.00–293.50 $290.28 $1,768 +45.28
650–697 677 319 268.00–280.00 $275.83 $1,867 +26.94
705–740 727 167 248.50–267.00 $257.21 $1,870 +13.82
753–791 774 169 235.50–248.00 $239.20 $1,851 +0.90
804–832 830 331 226.00–243.00 $241.04 $2,001 +17.16
858–876 867 126 231.50–234.00 $232.68 $2,017 —
923–932 930 51 218.75–222.50 $219.77 $2,044 +6.23
952 952 42 214.00 $214.00 $2,037 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 457 5 294.00 $294.00 $1,344 +24.00
514–548 525 74 278.00–296.00 $286.72 $1,505 +5.72
558–597 567 28 262.00–272.00 $269.90 $1,530 +2.90
602–632 621 60 247.00–266.00 $253.58 $1,575 +3.33
687 687 8 257.00 $257.00 $1,766 —
703–734 711 35 225.00–243.50 $236.70 $1,683 +10.70
761 761 4 226.00 $226.00 $1,720 —
885 885 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,770 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–438 432 27 268.00–287.00 $280.86 $1,213 —
458–495 477 36 276.00–294.00 $283.88 $1,354 +30.97
500–542 528 105 259.00–279.00 $270.33 $1,427 +8.03
571–595 580 112 250.00–269.00 $255.78 $1,484 +1.20
618–647 636 288 237.00–255.50 $248.24 $1,579 +23.24
658–698 674 369 230.00–240.00 $236.38 $1,593 +3.37
703–749 735 198 223.00–234.00 $227.88 $1,675 +1.72
787 787 258 237.50 $237.50 $1,869 +21.14
837 837 14 220.00 $220.00 $1,841 +6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 10 255.00 $255.00 $1,122 —
472–496 484 20 251.00–261.00 $255.14 $1,235 +11.14
520–543 527 47 246.50–254.00 $248.87 $1,312 +0.90
552–595 574 79 212.50–240.50 $229.13 $1,315 —
600 600 9 234.00 $234.00 $1,404 —
788 788 22 214.00 $214.00 $1,686 —

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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.