Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, January 3, 2025

3,635 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 $270.03/cwt +8.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,942/hd at 719 lb · 322 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $302.38/cwt +6.71 vs last sale · ≈ $2,047/hd at 677 lb · 297 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $294.71/cwt -3.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,707/hd at 579 lb · 296 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,635 2,651 3,357
Feeder cattle 3,635 2,651 3,357

Western Iowa Precondition Sale. Compared to the sale two weeks ago; 500-600 lb steers mostly 16.00-18.00 higher, 650-750 lbs 6.00-9.00 higher, 800 lbs 11.00 higher. Heifers 400 lbs 4.00 higher, 550-600 lbs 4.00-5.00 lower, 650 lbs 11.00 higher, 700-750 lbs 5.00 to sharply higher. Limited number of heavier heifers. Several load lots, along with plenty of half loads and smaller strings. Big crowd today. Active demand throughout the sale for this quality offering.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337–342 340 14 422.50–465.00 $443.59 $1,508
375 375 6 430.00 $430.00 $1,612
403–410 408 20 410.50–420.00 $413.32 $1,686 +40.11
455–497 486 58 347.50–369.00 $354.14 $1,721 -17.03
500–547 519 147 330.00–357.00 $344.65 $1,789 +16.17
551–597 581 113 316.00–335.00 $322.78 $1,875 +4.76
603–646 628 186 305.00–334.00 $316.34 $1,987 +17.99
650–694 677 297 288.50–335.00 $302.38 $2,047 +6.71
722–747 735 144 269.50–293.00 $286.59 $2,106 +6.44
754–795 776 253 265.00–284.75 $277.95 $2,157 +8.77
801–847 821 295 259.50–279.50 $269.68 $2,214 +10.58
853–892 861 88 261.00–269.00 $267.36 $2,302 +26.67
972 972 32 256.00 $256.00 $2,488
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
361–393 386 15 400.00–405.00 $404.06 $1,560
430 430 4 377.00 $377.00 $1,621
477 477 10 335.00 $335.00 $1,598 +8.46
507 507 6 320.00 $320.00 $1,622 +10.00
570–595 589 22 301.00–304.00 $301.53 $1,776 +5.53
610–648 643 39 291.00–300.00 $294.93 $1,896 +22.56
655–695 676 43 274.00–286.00 $281.62 $1,904 +7.51
735 735 22 260.50 $260.50 $1,915
895 895 4 241.50 $241.50 $2,161
996 996 13 230.00 $230.00 $2,291
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1059 1059 10 230.00 $230.00 $2,436

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–379 377 29 353.00–377.50 $363.07 $1,369 +18.07
403–447 433 21 337.00–371.00 $349.62 $1,514 +14.23
458–497 480 102 317.00–343.00 $330.79 $1,588 +11.15
500–537 513 77 299.00–326.00 $313.36 $1,608 +3.73
558–597 579 271 284.00–305.00 $293.53 $1,700 -4.38
580 580 25 307.50 $307.50 $1,784 +9.59
604–643 625 264 280.00–304.00 $286.38 $1,790 -4.72
657–698 670 117 261.00–289.00 $275.27 $1,844 +10.87
713 713 45 299.00 $299.00 $2,132 +38.79
700–744 720 277 256.00–278.50 $265.32 $1,910 +5.11
751–782 773 222 237.00–261.00 $257.93 $1,994 +19.82
837–840 840 43 240.25–241.50 $240.45 $2,020
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,022
415–439 431 14 307.50–330.00 $316.61 $1,365
487–496 491 7 307.50–312.50 $310.33 $1,524
547 547 7 291.00 $291.00 $1,592 +4.32
595 595 25 275.00–280.00 $277.80 $1,653
600–620 606 15 260.50–279.00 $268.93 $1,630 -0.15
650–695 669 27 248.00–257.00 $252.91 $1,692
720 720 3 246.00 $246.00 $1,771
798 798 4 227.50 $227.50 $1,815
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
291 291 3 1,275.00 $1,275.00
361 361 5 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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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.