Sale reports / Nebraska / Valentine / 2026-05-07

Valentine

Feeder Cattle · Valentine, Nebraska · Thu, May 7
● Final44 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1856
Receipts
5,880 head
▲ 5,880 vs last sale 0▲ 5,880 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No recent test of market for an accurate comparison a trend will not be given for steers or heifers. However, a higher undertone was noted on most weights. Demand was very good with several buyers and active internet bidding. Most cattle sold in light flesh with weigh-up in the buyers favor. Several consignments in town due to loss of pasture grass from recent fires and the lingering drought across the trade area. Ranchers have opted to sell would be yearling cattle to save grass for cow/calf pairs on the ranch. Next Auction Dates May 14th Weigh-up, Bred Cows, and May 21st Weigh-ups

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $531.78/cwt on 755 head, up $0.51 from the prior sale. That ranks 14 of 14 comparable sales and sits +60.42 against this barn's trailing median of $471.36.
Average price
$531.78
▲ 0.51 vs prior sale
755 head · 558 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,967
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$137
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$27.25/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+13.78
vs NE average
+44.23 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1558535.282,984658
Medium and Large 1-2561508.032,84897
One grade step is worth $27.25/cwt here — about $137 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale755 hd
531.78
—
NE average5 barns · 1,800 hd
518.00
+13.78
National average180 barns · 14,267 hd
487.55
+44.23
This barn, trailing median14 sales
471.36
+60.42
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

14 sales
546502459415median 471.3603/1205/2809/1010/1210/29
Steers 500–600 lb: high $531.78, low $428.87, median $471.36 across 14 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Every lot

44 lots · USDA AMS · Valentine Livestock Auction - Valentine, NE
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers22 lots · lightest first
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1432607.43/cwt600.00–620.002,62431
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2451570.00/cwt570.00–570.002,57119
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1488569.88/cwt553.00–610.002,781112
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1529546.73/cwt511.00–571.002,892226
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2539519.88/cwt510.00–541.002,80259
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed563537.00/cwt537.00–537.003,023105
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Fancy567544.00/cwt544.00–544.003,08496
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1579519.68/cwt509.00–534.003,009231
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2594489.64/cwt486.00–500.002,90838
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1633480.84/cwt474.00–497.003,044458
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Fancy646500.00/cwt500.00–500.003,230184
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2648445.00/cwt445.00–445.002,88410
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1672459.01/cwt445.00–476.003,085265
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2687434.58/cwt434.00–436.002,98667
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2723405.99/cwt383.00–416.002,93544
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1726442.31/cwt421.00–449.003,211530
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2750377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,83112
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1771403.89/cwt382.50–423.003,11478
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1806415.11/cwt404.00–416.753,346363
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2832383.11/cwt379.00–387.003,18760
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1897367.92/cwt367.25–372.503,30070
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1924366.47/cwt365.00–368.003,386120
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1395520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,05417
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2418515.00/cwt515.00–515.002,1537
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1434570.00/cwt570.00–570.002,4748
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1473549.84/cwt539.00–567.502,601144
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2478492.84/cwt487.50–502.502,35626
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1530501.05/cwt487.50–517.502,656257
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540487.50/cwt487.50–487.502,6336
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1579472.06/cwt455.00–487.502,733339
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2589452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,66520
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1617448.81/cwt435.00–481.002,769149
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fancy623481.29/cwt480.00–483.002,99850
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2625430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,68822
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement665471.00/cwt471.00–471.003,13261
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1672423.51/cwt410.00–457.502,846183
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2684398.12/cwt390.00–405.002,72351
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1720416.00/cwt416.00–416.002,99518
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2735379.10/cwt377.50–385.002,78632
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Replacement759415.00/cwt415.00–415.003,15017
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1790362.00/cwt362.00–362.002,86051
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Replacement807366.56/cwt363.00–370.002,95853
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1893358.00/cwt358.00–358.003,19755
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,065290.00/cwt290.00–290.003,0895

This sale against other markets

Nebraska weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Nebraska auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.