Cattle Market Pulse

Creston Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Creston, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 20, 2024

1,359 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $264.88/cwt +8.72 vs last sale · ≈ $2,071/hd at 782 lb · 141 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $250.15/cwt +8.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,784/hd at 713 lb · 140 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $222.09/cwt -3.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,810/hd at 815 lb · 99 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,359 1,719 1,549
Feeder cattle 1,359 1,719 1,549

Market comments — USDA reporter

SPECIAL "ALL VACC CALF & YEARLING" AUCTION - - - - Compared to the auction 2 weeks ago, 400 - 500 lb light weight steer calves were 8.00 to 11.00 higher, 600 - 700 lb calves were 7.00 to 12.00 higher and eight weight cattle were fully 10.00 higher. Heifer trade saw 400 - 500 lb light weight calves 6.00 to 8.00 higher and 600 -700 lb heifer calves 6.00 to 9.00 higher. Many home raised, quality, long time weaned feeder calves were in today's moderate offering. Demand was very good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354 354 12 377.00 $377.00 $1,335 —
400–433 412 8 330.00–334.00 $332.42 $1,370 -32.58
470–475 471 24 357.00–378.00 $370.94 $1,747 +28.82
488 unweaned 488 13 342.00 $342.00 $1,669 —
527 527 22 345.00 $345.00 $1,818 +9.54
550–561 unweaned 558 12 290.00–306.00 $302.06 $1,685 —
561–593 581 25 330.00–332.00 $330.69 $1,921 +0.42
600–644 617 38 296.00–318.00 $304.34 $1,878 +0.38
683 fancy 683 9 300.00 $300.00 $2,049 —
650–689 686 47 288.00–304.50 $300.94 $2,064 +14.30
710–725 718 11 277.00–287.00 $282.51 $2,028 +8.07
771–797 782 141 250.50–269.25 $264.88 $2,071 +8.72
817 fancy 817 14 259.00 $259.00 $2,116 —
816–846 836 40 249.25–250.50 $249.53 $2,086 +3.44
859–869 862 95 241.50–250.50 $249.48 $2,151 +19.45
916 916 56 241.50 $241.50 $2,212 +10.53
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
478 478 7 348.00 $348.00 $1,663 —
515 515 10 303.00 $303.00 $1,560 —
587 587 4 301.00 $301.00 $1,767 -14.00
588 unweaned 588 9 270.00 $270.00 $1,588 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–395 376 17 318.00–330.00 $322.59 $1,213 +9.59
410–437 424 23 298.00–319.00 $309.48 $1,312 +24.06
450–477 470 12 290.00–311.00 $305.98 $1,438 +6.13
475 unweaned 475 6 295.00 $295.00 $1,401 —
500–547 524 72 284.00–302.50 $293.98 $1,540 -2.02
554–560 unweaned 556 16 286.00 $286.00 $1,590 +22.00
562–590 571 35 272.00–286.00 $283.06 $1,616 +11.05
602–637 608 53 255.00–271.00 $268.44 $1,632 +4.60
680 680 18 255.50 $255.50 $1,737 -0.07
706–722 713 140 240.25–272.50 $250.15 $1,784 +8.42
762 fancy 762 12 233.75 $233.75 $1,781 +0.75
814–816 815 99 221.00–224.50 $222.09 $1,810 -3.91
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
462 462 8 270.00 $270.00 $1,247 -19.00
703–716 707 19 235.00–237.00 $235.64 $1,666 —

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Reading this report

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.