Cattle Market Pulse

Denison Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Denison, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 3, 2026

1,713 head sold ·Official USDA report

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $342.72/cwt +4.33 vs last sale · ≈ $2,971/hd at 867 lb · 388 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $336.07/cwt +2.97 vs last sale · ≈ $3,072/hd at 914 lb · 138 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $345.47/cwt -11.03 vs last sale · ≈ $2,829/hd at 819 lb · 126 head
Denison, IA 8-weight steers sold at $343/cwt, the highest of the 5 yards reporting the class and $9/cwt above the IA average ($334). IA 8-weight steers are down $21/cwt from their late July peak of $358. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,713 1,427 0
Feeder cattle 1,713 1,427 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Special Calf & Yearling Sale. No trend applicable, as the previous auction was three weeks ago. The sale consisted of eleven full loads and seven half loads of yearlings along with plenty of smaller strings. Good demand, especially on the load lots of yearling steers. The next feeder auction will be September 24.

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
415–439 425 17 440.00–484.00 $459.62 $1,953 —
481 481 6 445.00 $445.00 $2,140 —
481–498 unweaned 489 41 427.50–440.00 $432.52 $2,115 —
536–540 538 20 422.00–430.00 $423.20 $2,277 —
603–638 618 74 376.00–400.00 $388.91 $2,403 -17.34
626 unweaned 626 20 368.50 $368.50 $2,307 —
656 656 5 374.00 $374.00 $2,453 +3.98
723–732 726 14 347.00–361.50 $352.22 $2,557 -13.32
761–778 764 27 350.00–365.50 $363.16 $2,775 +13.78
812–842 819 126 336.50–353.00 $345.47 $2,829 -11.03
857–890 867 388 334.00–351.75 $342.72 $2,971 +4.33
904–915 914 138 334.00–336.25 $336.07 $3,072 +2.97
964–975 974 105 300.00–324.50 $323.35 $3,149 -5.21
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
333 333 3 1,825.00 $1,825.00 —
372 unweaned 372 4 1,985.00 $1,985.00 —
410 410 3 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–494 473 35 387.50–422.00 $404.88 $1,915 —
513–547 525 29 375.00–383.00 $378.28 $1,986 -23.83
581–593 unweaned 589 40 350.00–351.00 $350.63 $2,065 —
600 unweaned 600 11 361.00 $361.00 $2,166 —
675–682 681 41 335.00–344.00 $343.35 $2,338 -0.65
750–796 792 79 310.00–337.00 $312.27 $2,473 -12.76
807 807 70 310.50 $310.50 $2,506 -15.11
880 880 23 307.75 $307.75 $2,708 -2.54
937 937 24 289.50 $289.50 $2,713 -1.50
963–969 967 76 280.50–289.00 $286.10 $2,767 -2.31
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
578 578 16 349.00 $349.00 $2,017 —
601–608 604 8 334.00–336.00 $335.24 $2,025 —
708 708 3 301.00 $301.00 $2,131 —
878 878 5 271.00 $271.00 $2,379 -13.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
371 unweaned 371 4 1,925.00 $1,925.00 —
416 416 3 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —
787 787 4 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 10 274.00 $274.00 $2,891 —

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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.