Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 4, 2024

1,732 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $291.74/cwt -7.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,680/hd at 576 lb · 213 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $283.78/cwt +11.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,782/hd at 628 lb · 209 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $263.93/cwt -11.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,508/hd at 571 lb · 180 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,732 1,025 2,433
Feeder cattle 1,732 1,025 2,433

Compared to the sale two weeks ago: Steers 400-550 lbs were 6.00-10.00 lower, with a majority of the light steers coming off cows today. Too light a test for heavier steer calves and yearlings, no comparison. Heifers 450 lbs 5.00-7.00 lower with many being unweaned. Not enough yearling heifers either week for comparison. Two load lots of 730 lb heifers, along with many strings of light calves in the offering today. Demand was good throughout the sale, both in the arena and online.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408–443 429 75 332.00–356.00 $343.16 $1,472 -5.84
460–498 479 91 312.00–343.00 $325.75 $1,560 -6.97
505–549 537 142 296.00–324.00 $305.93 $1,643 -9.87
550–598 576 213 274.00–301.50 $291.74 $1,680 -7.50
603–647 628 209 265.00–292.00 $283.78 $1,782 +11.16
659–692 675 60 260.00–273.00 $267.05 $1,803
707–732 716 34 238.50–252.00 $249.58 $1,787 +2.72
767 767 25 250.00 $250.00 $1,918
908 908 11 238.50 $238.50 $2,166
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 387 8 329.00 $329.00 $1,273
490–498 492 12 300.00–310.00 $307.47 $1,513 +6.47
505–548 519 18 285.00–294.00 $290.03 $1,505 -2.60
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
365–387 380 9 1,275.00–1,380.00 $1,308.65 -109.64

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 3 314.00 $314.00 $1,036
355–392 372 21 300.00–311.00 $306.39 $1,140
412–441 428 40 290.00–320.00 $309.10 $1,323 +10.28
452–499 477 101 275.00–301.00 $284.78 $1,358 -6.95
500–541 514 105 270.00–290.50 $281.09 $1,445 -1.63
550–591 569 158 260.00–267.00 $263.05 $1,497 -12.77
578–596 589 22 268.00–273.50 $270.21 $1,592 -5.61
619 619 30 271.00 $271.00 $1,677 +20.70
601–640 621 26 246.00–259.00 $251.04 $1,559 +0.74
662 662 7 249.00 $249.00 $1,648
736 736 139 245.25 $245.25 $1,805
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
428–445 440 14 271.00–287.00 $280.58 $1,235
502–542 522 22 251.00–265.00 $260.90 $1,362 +0.90
565 565 9 254.00 $254.00 $1,435 +4.00

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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.