Cattle Market Pulse

Creston Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Creston, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 3, 2023

1,692 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Creston Livestock Feeder Cattle report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $237.84/cwt -4.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,463/hd at 615 lb · 92 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $270.21/cwt +29.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,389/hd at 514 lb · 89 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $205.37/cwt -2.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,493/hd at 727 lb · 81 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,692 1,445 2,432
Feeder cattle 1,692 1,445 2,432

No trend established as the previous feeder calf auction was back in mid April. Trade was active. Demand was good for today's moderate offering of long time weaned, vaccinated fall feeder calves. Light test on yearling cattle.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 7 258.00 $258.00 $975
415–449 441 42 258.00–280.00 $272.36 $1,201 +25.15
454–490 461 20 273.00–275.00 $274.10 $1,264 +34.82
501–540 514 89 243.00–280.00 $270.21 $1,389 +29.68
550–590 572 66 237.00–266.00 $255.63 $1,462 +17.38
600–630 615 92 231.00–249.00 $237.84 $1,463 -4.42
671–692 682 51 207.00–225.25 $216.25 $1,475 -6.42
703–747 727 81 187.50–215.00 $205.37 $1,493 -2.45
788–791 790 34 191.50–200.00 $197.26 $1,558
815–835 833 68 200.50–203.25 $203.01 $1,691 -3.49
932 932 58 193.00 $193.00 $1,799 +1.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
359–376 363 14 232.00–251.00 $236.22 $857 +9.22
453–488 475 16 185.00–242.00 $221.61 $1,053
548 548 7 239.00 $239.00 $1,310 +23.32
573 573 6 182.00 $182.00 $1,043

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 7 256.00 $256.00 $1,004 +23.00
400–445 415 68 225.00–254.00 $242.92 $1,008 +2.92
456–497 478 61 210.00–234.00 $224.68 $1,074 +3.51
506–534 521 75 200.00–229.00 $221.25 $1,153 +3.21
551–594 569 25 200.00–230.00 $219.74 $1,250 +11.34
612–643 622 45 192.00–215.00 $202.59 $1,260 +1.31
670–699 678 62 188.00–217.00 $193.50 $1,312 -5.04
700–710 702 31 185.00–196.50 $192.90 $1,354 +9.86
760 760 13 182.25 $182.25 $1,385
817 817 7 180.00 $180.00 $1,471 -4.50
864–893 875 8 174.00–183.50 $179.86 $1,574
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
426–446 432 13 207.00–225.00 $211.58 $914 +10.58
470 470 3 170.00 $170.00 $799
586 586 16 169.50 $169.50 $993

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What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.