Denison Livestock Feeder Cattle Special Market Report

Denison, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock (Special)

Sale of Monday, January 5, 2026

1,616 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $391.74/cwt -0.81 vs last sale · ≈ $2,836/hd at 724 lb · 187 head

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $380.39/cwt +26.59 vs last sale · ≈ $3,169/hd at 833 lb · 187 head

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $347.47/cwt +16.25 vs last sale · ≈ $2,665/hd at 767 lb · 133 head

Denison 7-weight steers at $384/cwt are mid-pack for the state, $1/cwt above the IA average ($383) and $10/cwt under Russell, IA ($394). The class has remained flat since the early January peak of $389. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Head itemized in priced lots	1,616	—	—

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
418–433	426	33	485.00–522.50	$503.18	$2,144	+33.18
486–495	490	26	452.50–495.00	$478.04	$2,342	-0.47
500–533	519	47	489.00–520.00	$498.58	$2,588	+17.75
560–591	578	67	456.00–488.00	$472.22	$2,729	+3.51
602–647	628	67	399.00–432.50	$413.60	$2,597	-17.61
654–694	668	84	389.00–417.50	$399.34	$2,668	+5.15
703–745	724	187	371.00–410.25	$391.74	$2,836	-0.81
763–797	781	110	358.00–380.00	$371.74	$2,903	-5.72
815–849	833	187	368.50–392.00	$380.39	$3,169	+26.59
850–855	853	49	374.50–375.00	$374.71	$3,196	+19.15
905	905	14	352.50	$352.50	$3,190	-1.10

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
512–526	515	19	422.00–465.00	$454.15	$2,339	+10.15
565–591	582	12	412.00–412.50	$412.16	$2,399	+12.16
613–630	622	10	380.00–386.00	$381.80	$2,375	-12.30
778	778	3	343.00	$343.00	$2,669	-1.05
801–838	820	6	337.00–351.00	$343.84	$2,819	+22.84

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
368–398	380	9	1,975.00–2,050.00	$2,007.91	—
418	418	3	1,925.00	$1,925.00	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
405–416	411	10	467.50–502.50	$485.23	$1,994	-4.77
456–494	476	62	430.00–470.00	$449.00	$2,137	-19.25
521–548	532	40	395.00–427.50	$415.41	$2,210	-10.38
555–583	571	48	388.00–428.00	$416.22	$2,377	+3.20
603–643	623	120	370.00–408.50	$390.96	$2,436	-0.47
651–669	665	88	354.00–387.00	$364.07	$2,421	-12.55
701–733	715	84	332.50–348.00	$345.31	$2,469	+7.32
745	745	14	360.00	$360.00	$2,682	+22.01
750–797	767	133	331.00–361.00	$347.47	$2,665	+16.25
800–821	806	18	337.00–341.00	$339.87	$2,739	+9.50
883	883	11	335.00	$335.00	$2,958	+9.00
901	901	5	311.00	$311.00	$2,802	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
443	443	3	442.50	$442.50	$1,960	—
581	581	11	377.00	$377.00	$2,190	+22.00
684–686	685	26	332.00–349.00	$338.53	$2,319	+8.48

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
370	370	5	1,900.00	$1,900.00	—
461	461	5	2,200.00	$2,200.00	—

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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.