Cattle Market Pulse

Dunlap Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Dunlap, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 20, 2026

101 head sold ·Official USDA report

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 101 96 196
Slaughter cattle 101 96 196

Compared to the sale TWO weeks ago: Choice slaughter steers 3.00+ higher. Choice slaughter heifers 5.00-6.00 higher. No implant cattle bringing a premium. Two half loads of heifers, along with plenty of smaller packages in the offering today. Good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1193 1193 3 236.00 $236.00 $2,815 —
1245–1495 1428 5 220.00–220.50 $220.31 $3,146 -3.28
1345–1472 1430 3 224.00–226.00 $224.63 $3,212 +1.04
1489 1489 10 226.25 $226.25 $3,369 —
1500–1570 1535 2 220.50 $220.50 $3,385 +4.94
1512–1552 1540 16 224.50–226.25 $225.71 $3,476 +10.15
1560 1560 1 222.00 $222.00 $3,463 —
1822 1822 2 220.25 $220.25 $4,013 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1110 1065 8 237.00–251.00 $239.15 $2,547 —
1075–1200 1117 3 238.00–243.50 $241.53 $2,698 +16.81
1278–1316 1311 22 223.50–226.25 $225.88 $2,961 +6.00
1270–1432 1395 24 224.50–225.75 $225.51 $3,146 —

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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.