Valentine Livestock Auction posted a historical picture on their Facebook page September 4, 2025, showing not one but two records set at the auction that day.
By Chris Docter
Cattle prices around the country have been climbing to record heights and locally things are no different. In fact, at the Valentine, Nebraska Livestock Auction held on Thursday, September 4, two records were smashed, including both 7 an 8 weight cattle.
The national record for 7 weight steers, set August 20 of this year at Coffeyville Stockyards in Coffeyville, Kan. was $3.9975 per lb. Valentine Livestock had several lots break that record, including Neil and Theresa Ewing with 6 black steers that sold for $4.05 per lb at 724 lbs.; Adamson Cattle Company with 95 black steers that sold for $4.37 per lb. at 721 lbs.; Frauen Rn with 27 black white faced steers that sold for $4.20 per lb. at 795 lbs., and a lot of 24 Angus steers sold by Mark Mundorf for $4.20 per lb. at 782 lbs.
The excitement didn’t end there however, as several lots of 8 weight cattle went well above the previously held record of $3.9050 per lb. set by Magness Livestock Auction of Huron, S.D. on August 29 of this year.
In Valentine, September 4, Adamson Cattle Company sold 68 black 802 lb. steers for $4.0850 per lb.; almost $20 per/100 lb. more than the previous record. Mark Mundorf also had another broken record with 66 847 lb. Angus steers that sold for $3.99 per lb., almost $10 per/100 lb. above the last record.
Valentine Auction manager, Greg Arendt attributes the historically high sales to three main factors. First, the cash cattle market is up in general. Cattle are high throughout the U.S.
The second is the drop in corn prices.
Finally, says Arendt, “the quality of cattle being brought to the sale right now helps raise the price.” He says that the high quality makes it a no brainer for bidders to want to pay top dollar whether they are bidding in person or online.
He does caution however, that “It’s not hard to break the record the way cattle are going up.” He continues that he isn’t surprised by the numbers, “Every sale since May has been higher than the last one.”
As for the future of cattle, Arendt says it looks good. He is confident that the market will remain high for a year to a year and a half...maybe even longer.