Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 15, 2024

1,918 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $249.24/cwt +14.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,814/hd at 728 lb · 209 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $282.22/cwt +7.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,640/hd at 581 lb · 201 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $305.95/cwt +29.99 vs last sale · ≈ $2,047/hd at 669 lb · 198 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,918 1,202 2,207
Feeder cattle 1,918 1,202 2,207

Western Iowa Precondition Sale. Spring winter weather came to the area last Friday and the sale was not covered. No comparison today. Upward trend noted. Several load lots in the offering today. Demand good in the stands and on the internet, especially on light cattle.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
379 379 8 387.50 $387.50 $1,469 -2.50
424 424 9 370.00 $370.00 $1,569 +4.80
452–496 488 62 366.25–397.50 $369.39 $1,803 +19.49
514–541 534 48 351.00–385.00 $362.01 $1,933 +4.21
554–565 561 21 350.00–355.00 $351.64 $1,973 +36.22
603–644 627 44 307.00–325.50 $317.57 $1,991 +19.13
651–698 669 198 284.00–312.50 $305.95 $2,047 +29.99
701–736 718 92 267.00–285.50 $277.87 $1,995 +16.39
754–799 776 132 250.00–270.00 $263.96 $2,048 +3.74
808–833 815 79 244.00–259.50 $257.10 $2,095 +9.15
860 860 19 248.50 $248.50 $2,137 +2.62
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 7 347.50 $347.50 $1,498
475–489 483 29 330.00–354.00 $343.41 $1,659
521–543 538 19 314.00–347.50 $340.75 $1,833
550–595 583 43 289.00–310.00 $299.77 $1,748
608–634 620 13 272.00–290.00 $285.53 $1,770 +5.53
690 690 6 266.00 $266.00 $1,835 +12.77
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1036 1036 4 211.50 $211.50 $2,191

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 4 377.50 $377.50 $1,302 +26.48
361 361 4 346.00 $346.00 $1,249 +8.38
418–436 428 40 345.00–352.00 $347.97 $1,489
456–477 466 21 303.00–332.00 $322.94 $1,505 +1.77
503–528 515 67 294.00–325.00 $309.33 $1,593 +19.59
552–599 581 201 270.00–293.00 $282.22 $1,640 +7.48
605–636 614 132 265.00–277.50 $274.49 $1,685 +13.50
659–696 681 193 240.00–263.00 $250.41 $1,705 +11.23
709–744 728 209 238.00–252.25 $249.24 $1,814 +14.28
770–795 783 24 224.00–237.50 $233.59 $1,829
805–815 812 10 229.00–232.50 $231.46 $1,879
955 955 7 210.00 $210.00 $2,006
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412–430 418 14 305.00–316.00 $311.81 $1,303
465–498 477 8 290.00–296.00 $293.65 $1,401 -10.35
580–596 588 6 250.00–261.00 $255.43 $1,502
770–779 775 10 210.00–212.00 $210.99 $1,635

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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.