Early access, free.
Cownty

Home › Nebraska › Lincoln County

Lincoln County, NE

Cattle prices near Lincoln County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is North Platte in North Platte, NE, about 5 miles away. On Nov 3, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $445.93 per hundredweight on 457 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

Check a bid with Ring Price

Change county
CRP emergency haying & grazing: Lincoln County is on FSA's list (since Sep 1, 2026). Check with your FSA county office first. Details · FSA list as of Nov 5, 2026.
Drought ModerateD1 · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 4 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county North Platte 5-wt steers $446▼ $23 since last sale

Lincoln County rain, outlook and forecast

Most of Lincoln County, NE was in moderate drought (D1) on the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map; 100% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, the same as four weeks earlier. Rain has run 86% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal) and 130% over 90 days, so the past month has been drier than the season so far; the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain) and the best rain chance this week is 64% on Friday (high 61°). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Lincoln County with up to 4 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is North Platte, 5 miles away.

Rain vs normal

  • Last 30 days 86% of normal
  • Last 60 days not read yet
  • Last 90 days 130% of normal

NOAA river forecast center rain (radar plus gauges) at the county center, Nov 15, 2026. Source.

Rain outlook

  • 6-10 day outlook (Nov 20–24) Leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain)
  • 8-14 day outlook (Nov 22–28) Leans wetter than normal (33% chance of above-normal rain)

NOAA Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlook, issued Nov 14, 2026. Source.

Next 7 days

  1. Today Mostly Sunny, high 50°, low 31°, 1% rain, wind 15 mph
  2. Monday Patchy Fog then Mostly Sunny, high 54°, low 34°, 0% rain, wind 15–20 mph
  3. Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 55°, low 39°, 0% rain, wind 15–25 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 61°, low 30°, 3% rain, wind 5–20 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 55°, low 39°, 10% rain, wind 0–15 mph
  6. Friday Slight Chance Rain Showers, high 61°, low 34°, 64% rain, wind 10–20 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Rain And Snow Showers, high 49°, low 24°, 33% rain, wind 10–20 mph

National Weather Service forecast for the county center, updated Nov 15, 2026. Wind, warnings and burn bans.

PRF pasture insurance: sign up by Dec 1, 2026

The 2027 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance sales closing date for Lincoln County is Dec 1, 2026, 16 days from today. PRF (Rainfall Index) pays on a rainfall index for your grid, not on your own rain gauge. You buy it through a crop insurance agent.

How PRF works · PRF 2027 sign-up · Find your grid on RMA's PRF tool

Date from USDA RMA's actuarial data, read Aug 28, 2026 · RMA dates map. Your agent confirms the date for your policy.

Lincoln County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Lincoln County grew about 2,055 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 118% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,746 pounds per acre. That was the 6th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,131 pounds per acre; worst: 2002 at 1,165.

Pounds per acre of new grass and forbs each year on rangeland and pasture, from the Rangeland Analysis Platform (satellite-based estimates). See every year on the Land tab.

Open loss windows

No open loss windows in Lincoln County right now. A 30-day window opens when the county first hits severe drought (D2), jumps to D3 or D4, or after a blizzard, extreme heat or cold, flood or ice warning, a wildfire, or a USDA disaster designation. Keep a Drought Ledger.

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Cownty sends nothing to FSA.

Drought-sale tax flag IRS list

Lincoln County is on IRS Notice 2026-54 (severe or worse drought, Sep 1, 2025 to Aug 31, 2026).

Why it matters: if you sold breeding, dairy or draft livestock because of drought, the tax code may let you put off the gain (more time to buy replacement animals, or report the extra-sale income a year later). Your tax preparer decides whether either applies.

Work out your numbers and print a page for your preparer

Information only; not financial, tax or legal advice. Ask your tax preparer. FSA decides program eligibility. IRS Notice 2026-54 (PDF)

5-wt steers, nearest barns

Steers 500–599 lb, $/cwt, weekly average.

BarnLast sale5-wt steers
North Platte 5 miNov 3$446
Ogallala 51 miNov 12$450
Lexington 55 miNov 13$443
How to read this

Each line is one barn's head-weighted average for 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) in that week; gaps are weeks with no sale or no lots that size. Past sales, not a bid.

Dollars per hundredweight ($/cwt, per 100 lb), calculated from USDA AMS Market News sale reports (Medium & Large 1 and 1-2). Not a USDA-published average. ≈ $/head = $/cwt × the middle of the weight class ÷ 100.

Guide: How to read a USDA sale barn report

Price history · Barn map · Fed vs feeder cattle

All weights at the 3 nearest barns

North Platte 5 mi

North Platte, NE
Sale of Nov 3, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb145414.17$1,860
Heifers 500-599 lb102391.73$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb8325.00$2,110
Steers 400-499 lb212484.67$2,180
Steers 500-599 lb457445.93$2,450
Steers 600-699 lb350384.95$2,500
Steers 700-799 lb13355.50$2,670

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Ogallala 51 mi

Ogallala, NE
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb311453.24$2,040
Heifers 500-599 lb316386.55$2,130
Heifers 600-699 lb79343.29$2,230
Heifers 700-799 lb145342.48$2,570
Steers 400-499 lb346514.18$2,310
Steers 500-599 lb903450.25$2,480
Steers 600-699 lb426398.90$2,590
Steers 700-799 lb91377.77$2,830

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Lexington 55 mi

Lexington, NE
Sale of Nov 13, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb67434.21$1,950
Heifers 500-599 lb265390.81$2,150
Heifers 600-699 lb92342.11$2,220
Steers 400-499 lb87496.53$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb265443.29$2,440
Steers 600-699 lb285407.81$2,650
Steers 700-799 lb41361.83$2,710

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

11 more within 200 mi: Imperial (60 mi), Kearney (90 mi), Burwell (97 mi), Ericson (118 mi), Bassett (123 mi), Valentine (127 mi), Sterling (131 mi), Gordon (143 mi), Brush (161 mi), Crawford (178 mi), Torrington WY (191 mi).

Text me Lincoln County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. North Platte Stockyards North Platte, NE 5 mi · sells Tuesdays · latest USDA report Nov 3, 2026
  2. Ogallala Livestock Auction Ogallala, NE 51 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  3. Lexington Livestock Market Lexington, NE 55 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 13, 2026
  4. Imperial Auction Market Imperial, NE 60 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026
  5. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 90 mi · sells Wednesdays · latest USDA report Nov 11, 2026

Miles are straight-line from the county center. Sale days come from the barns' recent USDA AMS reports; call the barn to confirm. All barns

Other barns nearby (not USDA-reported)

These barns are not in a USDA AMS report, so Cownty shows no prices for them. Sale days and phones come from the barns' own sites or public listings; call the barn to confirm. More barns

Printable county brief (PDF) · Everything on one page · Hay prices in Nebraska

Common questions and nearby counties

Is Lincoln County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Lincoln County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 4 monthly payments for some pasture types. FSA decides each operation's eligibility; apply at your county FSA office by March 1 after the loss year.

Source: FSA LFP county file of Nov 5, 2026

What is the drought level in Lincoln County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Lincoln County was in moderate drought (D1), and the worst part was moderate drought (D1) on 100% of the county. 0 straight weeks with some severe drought (D2) or worse.

Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, map of Nov 10, 2026

Is there a burn ban in Lincoln County?

No official statewide list to check: Cownty doesn't read an official statewide burn-ban list for Nebraska; county commissions, sheriffs and fire districts post local fire restrictions, so check your county's own notices.

What sale barns are near Lincoln County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: North Platte (5 mi), last report Nov 3, 2026; Ogallala (51 mi), last report Nov 12, 2026; Lexington (55 mi), last report Nov 13, 2026.

Source: USDA AMS Market News reports

What are the upcoming FSA and farm deadlines?

Next: Nov 20, 2026: Micro Farm 2027: last day to buy crop insurance; Nov 20, 2026: Whole Farm Revenue Protection 2027: last day to buy crop insurance. FSA program dates not posted officially are marked "confirm at source" on the calendar.

Source: official agency pages (see Calendar)

Information only; not financial or legal advice. FSA decides eligibility. Always check the linked official source.