Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 17, 2021

2,545 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $165.25/cwt +2.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,203/hd at 728 lb · 306 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $167.65/cwt +3.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,138/hd at 679 lb · 295 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $154.70/cwt +9.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,046/hd at 676 lb · 199 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,545 1,430 2,679
Feeder cattle 2,545 1,430 2,679

This was their Western Iowa Preconditioned Calf and Yearling sale. Compared to last week steer calves under 650 lbs. ended mixed; 650-800 lbs. 1.00-3.00 higher; over 800 lbs. 7.00 lower. Heifer calves 500-650 lbs. mostly 4.00-11.00 higher. The heavier heifers did not have the volumes both weeks to compare. Demand was good for the moderate offerings. Trade was active.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383–387 386 13 215.00–222.00 $217.14 $838
403–442 422 41 203.00–224.00 $212.21 $896
494 494 6 210.00 $210.00 $1,037
506–545 533 119 181.00–199.50 $188.07 $1,002 +12.14
555–599 572 180 174.00–184.50 $180.47 $1,032 +0.02
600–649 630 161 168.00–179.00 $174.59 $1,100 -6.09
660–698 679 295 156.50–172.25 $167.65 $1,138 +3.48
700–740 728 306 158.50–170.00 $165.25 $1,203 +2.36
751–797 767 87 155.00–160.75 $158.70 $1,217 +1.15
804–838 817 130 157.50–162.00 $160.85 $1,314 -7.48
922 922 5 154.00 $154.00 $1,420 +0.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 3 195.00 $195.00 $725
404 404 6 191.00 $191.00 $772 +20.00
493 493 5 187.00 $187.00 $922 +19.00
501 501 4 169.00 $169.00 $847 +4.01
643 643 4 158.00 $158.00 $1,016 -3.98
650 650 22 149.50 $149.50 $972

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 3 180.00 $180.00 $616
406–436 419 12 179.00–180.00 $179.57 $752 +15.78
453–492 478 100 168.00–177.00 $173.07 $827 +4.05
503–548 529 115 155.00–170.50 $161.69 $855 +1.29
554–598 585 181 150.00–163.50 $158.48 $927 +3.71
604–649 621 173 151.00–161.50 $158.84 $986 +11.31
650–694 676 199 149.00–157.00 $154.70 $1,046 +9.20
700–746 730 103 147.00–152.50 $150.22 $1,097
756 756 14 145.50 $145.50 $1,100
838 838 21 143.00 $143.00 $1,198 -3.18
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 3 162.00 $162.00 $700
453 453 4 161.00 $161.00 $729
561 561 5 140.00 $140.00 $785 ±0.00
568 568 6 147.00 $147.00 $835 +7.00
600–607 604 6 146.50–148.00 $147.25 $889 +8.75
689 689 14 140.00 $140.00 $965

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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.