Cattle Market Pulse

Creston Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Creston, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 20, 2026

1,081 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $321.30/cwt -34.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,872/hd at 894 lb · 149 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $345.90/cwt -4.04 vs last sale · ≈ $3,241/hd at 937 lb · 144 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $338.95/cwt -19.04 vs last sale · ≈ $2,688/hd at 793 lb · 133 head
Creston, IA 8-weight heifers sold at $321/cwt, down $22 from the late-April peak of $343 across the state class. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,081 1,845 0
Feeder cattle 1,081 1,845 0

No comparison stated as the previous feeder auction was in April. Available in today's offering were 2 large consignments of quality, reputation yearling cattle selling in load lots. Also, many packages of home-raised, LTW'd and double vaccinated lighter feeder calves. Demand was very good for today's moderate supply. Internet bidding 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
418–432 426 9 560.00–580.00 $568.73 $2,423 -34.19
456 456 3 537.50 $537.50 $2,451 -25.82
505–542 530 27 495.00–518.00 $501.98 $2,660 -4.34
570–594 587 11 440.00–475.00 $449.26 $2,637 -45.66
600–636 611 46 432.00–460.00 $453.33 $2,770 +2.91
656 656 4 442.00 $442.00 $2,900 +5.24
747 747 11 389.00–399.00 $395.36 $2,953
756–782 775 87 383.00–396.00 $392.34 $3,041 +9.73
858 858 49 355.50 $355.50 $3,050 -11.16
935–940 937 144 340.00–348.00 $345.90 $3,241 -4.04
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 4 472.00 $472.00 $2,487
648 648 13 428.00 $428.00 $2,773 +6.52
695 695 5 401.00 $401.00 $2,787

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
426 426 3 496.00 $496.00 $2,113 +51.00
456 456 3 462.50 $462.50 $2,109 -53.31
517–519 518 19 470.00–477.50 $471.98 $2,445 +4.95
563–578 567 18 438.00–440.00 $439.43 $2,492 -5.53
602–639 620 33 404.00–414.00 $409.10 $2,536 +3.31
654–685 663 18 385.00–390.00 $388.41 $2,575 -4.59
744 744 9 339.50 $339.50 $2,526 -26.96
791–796 793 133 336.50–341.50 $338.95 $2,688
861–898 894 149 319.00–325.00 $321.30 $2,872 -34.20
900 900 62 325.00 $325.00 $2,925
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 6 360.50 $360.50 $2,495

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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.