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Saunders County, NE

Cattle prices near Saunders County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is West Point in West Point, NE, about 43 miles away. On Nov 2, 5-weight steers (500–599 lb) averaged $432.85 per hundredweight on 78 head (USDA). Check a bid against your own costs with Ring Price.

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Drought No droughtNone · most of county Drought pay (LFP) Eligibleup to 1 payment Burn ban Checkcall the county West Point 5-wt steers $433▲ $8 since last sale

Saunders County rain, outlook and forecast

On the Nov 10 U.S. Drought Monitor map, most of Saunders County, NE showed no drought. Rain has run 86% of normal over the last 30 days (near normal); the best rain chance this week is 74% on Friday (high 65°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain). FSA's 2026 LFP list includes Saunders County with up to 1 monthly payment, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is West Point, 43 miles away.

Rain vs normal

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

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 Sunny, high 52°, low 32°, 0% rain, wind 6–8 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 55°, low 41°, 1% rain, wind 6–15 mph
  3. Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 57°, low 46°, 0% rain, wind 13–20 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 63°, low 39°, 14% rain, wind 3–23 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 57°, low 44°, 14% rain, wind 2–9 mph
  6. Friday Chance Rain Showers, high 65°, low 48°, 74% rain, wind 10–18 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 54°, low 31°, 29% rain, wind 6–17 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 Saunders 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.

Saunders County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Saunders County grew about 2,326 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 119% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,954 pounds per acre. That was the 3rd best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2021 at 2,435 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,055.

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 Saunders 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

Saunders 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
West Point 43 miNov 2$433
Dunlap IA 69 miNov 6$377
Denison IA 86 miNov 12$410
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

West Point 43 mi

West Point, NE
Sale of Nov 2, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb49448.23$2,020
Heifers 500-599 lb80403.35$2,220
Heifers 600-699 lb30354.27$2,300
Heifers 700-799 lb9303.00$2,270
Steers 400-499 lb46496.59$2,230
Steers 500-599 lb78432.85$2,380
Steers 600-699 lb90377.27$2,450
Steers 700-799 lb18325.00$2,440

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Dunlap IA 69 mi

Dunlap, IA
Sale of Nov 6, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb15388.68$1,750
Heifers 500-599 lb57341.25$1,880
Heifers 600-699 lb21300.18$1,950
Heifers 700-799 lb20299.15$2,240
Steers 500-599 lb45376.52$2,070
Steers 600-699 lb77336.36$2,190
Steers 700-799 lb91335.69$2,520

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

Denison IA 86 mi

Denison, IA
Sale of Nov 12, 2026
CattleHead$/cwt≈ $/head
Heifers 400-499 lb35396.90$1,790
Heifers 500-599 lb98352.12$1,940
Heifers 600-699 lb108363.21$2,360
Heifers 700-799 lb36296.00$2,220
Steers 400-499 lb12430.83$1,940
Steers 500-599 lb90410.35$2,260
Steers 600-699 lb232387.93$2,520
Steers 700-799 lb72363.75$2,730

USDA report (PDF) · Price history

11 more within 200 mi: Ericson (112 mi), Kearney (132 mi), Burwell (135 mi), Worthing SD (146 mi), Lamoni IA (148 mi), Lexington (165 mi), Salina (174 mi), Bassett (176 mi), Russell IA (180 mi), Mitchell SD (187 mi), Unionville MO (197 mi).

Text me Saunders County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 43 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  2. Dunlap Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Dunlap, IA 69 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026
  3. Denison Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Denison, IA 86 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  4. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 112 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 2026
  5. Huss Livestock Market Kearney, NE 132 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 Saunders County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Saunders County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 1 monthly payment 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 Saunders County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Saunders County was in no drought, and the worst part was no drought on 0% 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 Saunders 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 Saunders County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: West Point (43 mi), last report Nov 2, 2026; Dunlap IA (69 mi), last report Nov 6, 2026; Denison IA (86 mi), last report Nov 12, 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.