Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 16, 2024

112 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 112 131 138
Slaughter cattle 112 131 138

Compared to last week, Choice Slaughter Steers were 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Choice Slaughter Heifer trade saw the market 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Today's offering of slaughter cattle was the highest quality throughout seen in recent weeks. Demand was very good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1122–1127 1123 12 180.00–185.00 $184.42 $2,071
1318–1555 1395 26 181.50–186.75 $183.91 $2,566
1409–1430 1413 10 185.00–185.50 $185.40 $2,620 +3.27

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1204–1482 1345 26 185.00–186.25 $185.41 $2,494
1364–1520 1389 23 181.00–186.25 $183.58 $2,550 +1.09

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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.