Cattle Market Pulse

Creston Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Creston, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 13, 2023

1,949 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 $256.91/cwt +10.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,577/hd at 614 lb · 221 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $234.62/cwt +13.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,342/hd at 572 lb · 188 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $238.78/cwt +11.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,642/hd at 688 lb · 160 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,949 2,504 2,403
Feeder cattle 1,949 2,504 2,403

SPECIAL " ALL VACC CALF & YEARLING" AUCTION TODAY. Compared to last week's sale, 500 - 600 lb steer calves were 8.00 to 12.00 higher, 800 weight cattle were 12.00 to 15.00 higher. 500 - 600 lb heifer calves were as much as 20.00 higher. Exceptional offering today of quality, LTW, double vaccinated feeder calves available in load lots. Demand was very good for today's moderate supply. Trade was very active.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–382 379 9 238.00–297.00 $271.05 $1,027
390 unweaned 390 4 294.00 $294.00 $1,147
408 unweaned 408 5 306.00 $306.00 $1,248 +18.73
440 440 9 278.00 $278.00 $1,223
458–487 473 15 292.00–303.00 $295.75 $1,399 +9.75
503–514 unweaned 507 23 297.00–305.00 $301.01 $1,526 +21.51
503–542 517 92 250.00–302.50 $288.30 $1,491 +22.57
561–567 unweaned 566 40 242.00–279.50 $273.93 $1,550 +8.80
550–597 567 68 254.50–283.00 $274.73 $1,558 +25.19
604–630 613 209 235.00–264.50 $257.62 $1,579 +9.81
631 unweaned 631 12 244.50 $244.50 $1,543 +13.50
663 unweaned 663 19 237.00–239.00 $237.32 $1,573 +3.51
665–699 691 141 215.00–243.50 $238.98 $1,651 +15.91
701–725 713 137 226.00–239.50 $234.69 $1,673 +15.67
740–745 unweaned 743 19 216.00–225.00 $221.70 $1,647
752–771 757 68 216.00–230.50 $227.40 $1,721 +26.80
818 unweaned 818 9 208.00 $208.00 $1,701
817–840 822 84 206.75–225.00 $221.26 $1,819 +23.70
852 852 65 220.75 $220.75 $1,881
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945 945 62 205.85 $205.85 $1,945
1058 1058 6 197.00 $197.00 $2,084
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362–393 375 7 200.00–235.00 $219.29 $822
526 526 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,315
663 663 3 204.00 $204.00 $1,353 +14.00

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376–380 378 11 210.00–241.00 $224.01 $847 +3.01
406–433 416 16 227.00–247.00 $235.29 $979 +12.29
447 unweaned 447 10 246.00 $246.00 $1,100 -1.55
467–489 477 71 242.00–256.00 $248.42 $1,185 +13.03
506–516 unweaned 514 15 235.00–244.00 $240.20 $1,235 +4.55
516–540 523 44 232.00–247.50 $240.62 $1,258 +14.40
553–586 570 143 220.00–245.75 $234.15 $1,335 +17.28
574–585 unweaned 578 45 228.50–240.00 $236.12 $1,365 +8.04
605–648 630 73 187.00–228.75 $218.31 $1,375 +7.83
641 unweaned 641 10 187.50 $187.50 $1,202 -21.91
656–687 673 98 216.00–223.00 $219.47 $1,477 +17.85
672–685 unweaned 680 29 192.00–197.00 $193.87 $1,318 -10.13
712 712 36 197.50 $197.50 $1,406 +2.24
884 884 9 205.00 $205.00 $1,812
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,042
570–585 unweaned 581 11 199.00–200.00 $199.27 $1,158

↑ Back to top

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.