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Thurston County, NE

Cattle prices near Thurston County, Nebraska. The closest sale barn with a recent report is West Point in West Point, NE, about 24 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 2 payments Burn ban Checkcall the county West Point 5-wt steers $433▲ $8 since last sale

Thurston County rain, outlook and forecast

As of the Nov 10 Drought Monitor, most of Thurston County, NE showed no drought; 0% of the county is in moderate drought (D1) or worse, down from 12% four weeks earlier. Friday carries the week's highest rain chance at 83% (high 60°) and the 6-10 day outlook for Nov 20–24 leans wetter than normal (60% chance of above-normal rain). Thurston County is on FSA's 2026 LFP list with up to 2 monthly payments, and the nearest USDA-reported sale barn is West Point, 24 miles away.

Rain vs normal

Rain totals: not read yet.

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 50°, low 34°, 1% rain, wind 9–13 mph
  2. Monday Sunny, high 54°, low 41°, 1% rain, wind 12–18 mph
  3. Tuesday Partly Sunny, high 55°, low 46°, 0% rain, wind 17–25 mph
  4. Wednesday Mostly Sunny, high 62°, low 39°, 14% rain, wind 8–29 mph
  5. Thursday Sunny, high 53°, low 41°, 14% rain, wind 2–12 mph
  6. Friday Rain Showers Likely, high 60°, low 45°, 83% rain, wind 13–21 mph
  7. Saturday Chance Rain Showers, high 50°, low 29°, 39% rain, wind 9–22 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 Thurston 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.

Thurston County grass production

In 2025, grassland and pasture in Thurston County grew about 2,200 pounds per acre of grass and forbs, 120% of the county's 1991-2020 normal of 1,837 pounds per acre. That was the 5th best of 40 years on record (1986-2025). Best year: 2016 at 2,297 pounds per acre; worst: 1986 at 1,003.

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 Thurston 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

Thurston 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 24 miNov 2$433
Dunlap IA 52 miNov 6$377
Denison IA 61 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 24 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 52 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 61 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

9 more within 200 mi: Worthing SD (82 mi), Ericson (113 mi), Mitchell SD (133 mi), Burwell (136 mi), Bassett (156 mi), Kearney (166 mi), Lamoni IA (172 mi), Russell IA (190 mi), Lexington (192 mi).

Text me Thurston County changes

Nearest USDA-reported sale barns

  1. West Point Livestock (feeder cattle) West Point, NE 24 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 2, 2026
  2. Dunlap Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Dunlap, IA 52 mi · sells Fridays · latest USDA report Nov 6, 2026
  3. Denison Livestock Auction (feeder cattle) Denison, IA 61 mi · sells Thursdays · latest USDA report Nov 12, 2026
  4. Sioux Falls Regional Livestock Inc. Worthing, SD 82 mi · sells Mondays · latest USDA report Nov 9, 2026
  5. Ericson Livestock Market Ericson, NE 113 mi · sells Saturdays · latest USDA report Nov 14, 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 Thurston County eligible for LFP in 2026?

Yes. Thurston County is on FSA's 2026 Livestock Forage Disaster Program county list, with up to 2 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 Thurston County this week?

On the Drought Monitor map of Nov 10, 2026, most of Thurston 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 Thurston 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 Thurston County?

The nearest USDA-reported sale barns: West Point (24 mi), last report Nov 2, 2026; Dunlap IA (52 mi), last report Nov 6, 2026; Denison IA (61 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.