Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 6, 2024

3,570 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 $322.08/cwt +20.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,852/hd at 575 lb · 342 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $278.89/cwt +21.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,735/hd at 622 lb · 311 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $289.82/cwt +35.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,942/hd at 670 lb · 261 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,570 1,140 1,839
Feeder cattle 3,570 1,140 1,839

Western Iowa Precondition Sale. Compared to the sale last week: steers 600-700 lbs 14.00 to sharply higher. Limited number of steers 750 lbs and over last week, no comparison. Heifers 450-600 lbs 10.00 to sharply higher, 650 lbs 3.00 higher. Light number of heifers 700 lbs and over last week, no comparison. Most of the sale consisted of half loads, along with a couple load lots of yearling steers and heifers. Good demand on this quality offering today.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 3 417.50 $417.50 $1,161
306–337 322 8 406.00–435.00 $419.80 $1,352 -40.20
373–383 379 8 370.00–397.50 $380.14 $1,441 -8.83
443 443 4 385.00 $385.00 $1,706 +11.00
457–485 465 33 322.50–343.00 $333.61 $1,551 -14.49
500–541 527 54 310.00–337.50 $321.66 $1,695 +4.97
551–598 575 342 308.50–332.00 $322.08 $1,852 +20.39
600–647 626 153 287.00–316.00 $305.10 $1,910 +26.68
651–695 670 261 274.50–302.00 $289.82 $1,942 +35.81
711–748 729 209 274.00–301.00 $280.77 $2,047 +14.33
750–775 758 172 274.00–295.00 $280.93 $2,129 +28.38
824–842 837 71 246.00–260.00 $251.81 $2,108 +11.81
858–880 879 79 236.00–255.75 $254.56 $2,238 +7.11
920–937 935 36 236.00–245.50 $244.20 $2,283 +3.70
969 969 48 240.50 $240.50 $2,330
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314 314 5 385.00 $385.00 $1,209
438–442 440 15 340.00–345.00 $342.99 $1,509
553–568 561 6 300.00–301.00 $300.51 $1,686
701–737 724 95 267.50–271.00 $269.46 $1,951 +30.46
753–779 776 33 257.00–262.00 $257.59 $1,999 +27.59

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326–343 337 8 357.00–357.50 $357.18 $1,204
351–390 373 21 337.50–353.00 $344.11 $1,284 +14.35
412–449 420 27 320.00–330.00 $322.80 $1,356 -4.70
462–495 476 77 305.00–337.00 $319.95 $1,523 +26.71
503–548 531 173 291.00–318.00 $299.19 $1,589 +10.37
550–589 572 244 272.00–302.00 $287.65 $1,645 +20.22
603 603 15 301.00 $301.00 $1,815 +44.02
602–636 623 296 266.75–296.00 $277.77 $1,731 +20.79
652–699 672 153 249.00–271.00 $264.09 $1,775 +2.76
705–748 734 212 247.50–258.00 $252.13 $1,851 +13.69
753–788 768 156 237.00–255.00 $252.76 $1,941 +12.76
811 811 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,946
842–848 844 62 252.00–255.00 $253.17 $2,137
861 861 42 234.75 $234.75 $2,021 +4.54
869 869 16 245.50 $245.50 $2,133 +15.29
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 427 4 307.50 $307.50 $1,313
461–495 479 28 286.00–301.00 $291.50 $1,396
610–646 637 57 256.00–263.50 $260.25 $1,658 +10.25

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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.