Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock · usually sells Mondays

Sale of Monday, July 13, 2026

2,786 head sold ·Official USDA report · Past reports (296)

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $345.44/cwt -23.56 vs last sale · ≈ $3,047/hd at 882 lb · 275 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $338.06/cwt -20.74 vs last sale · ≈ $3,110/hd at 920 lb · 248 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $380.92/cwt +3.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,929/hd at 769 lb · 150 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,786 1,993 3,058
Feeder cattle 2,383 718 1,525
Slaughter cattle 403 1,275 1,533

Trade activity Light on Moderate to Very Good demand. In the feeder supply, steers under 550 lbs sold sharply higher on a light test, 550-650 lbs sold 6.00 to 10.00 lower, 650-800 lbs were 3.00 to 9.00 higher, and over 800 lbs sold sharply lower. Feeder heifers across all weight classes were sharply lower on a light test with the exception of 700-850 lbs heifers trading unevenly steady. Average dressing slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 5.00 lower, while average dressing slaughter bulls sold 11.00 higher.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406–438 425 27 505.00–535.00 $516.18 $2,194
465–496 483 16 495.00–570.00 $523.90 $2,530 +18.90
512 unweaned 512 5 457.50 $457.50 $2,342
510–548 536 67 475.00–503.00 $496.79 $2,663 +26.79
570–589 578 31 435.00–460.00 $447.81 $2,588 -5.19
600–649 630 111 415.00–455.00 $438.48 $2,762 -9.73
652–685 672 123 396.00–433.00 $423.52 $2,846 +9.00
701 fancy 701 37 427.00 $427.00 $2,993
706–745 730 111 385.00–395.50 $389.90 $2,846
755–771 769 150 350.00–383.50 $380.92 $2,929 +3.84
807–814 812 74 357.25–362.00 $358.27 $2,909
856–898 882 275 322.00–354.00 $345.44 $3,047 -23.56
910–945 920 248 334.75–340.00 $338.06 $3,110 -20.74
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1170 1109 5 221.00–248.00 $237.63 $2,635
1035–1225 1168 13 239.00–270.00 $253.40 $2,960
1220–1360 1273 7 240.00–241.00 $240.57 $3,062
1305 1305 1 229.00 $229.00 $2,988
1290–1361 1343 4 237.00–237.50 $237.38 $3,188
1356 1356 4 244.00 $244.00 $3,309 -7.78
1175–1525 1365 50 233.00–241.50 $239.77 $3,273 -12.01
1195–1593 1459 84 239.00–244.50 $242.73 $3,541
1375–1650 1483 51 242.00–247.00 $243.27 $3,608
1607–1676 1640 8 242.25–244.50 $243.18 $3,988
1639–1745 1645 17 235.50–245.00 $242.36 $3,987
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 493 3 500.00 $500.00 $2,465
535–542 539 39 425.00–452.50 $444.21 $2,394
557–580 569 14 381.00–422.50 $402.17 $2,288
628 628 3 370.00 $370.00 $2,324 -58.00
697 697 7 390.00 $390.00 $2,718
795 795 8 341.00 $341.00 $2,711

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314 314 7 545.00 $545.00 $1,711
391 391 6 426.00 $426.00 $1,666
403–411 409 14 400.00–550.00 $518.35 $2,120
460–495 473 75 425.00–490.00 $469.00 $2,218
473 unweaned 473 6 410.00 $410.00 $1,939
503–548 522 74 370.00–455.00 $432.61 $2,258 -24.89
563–579 574 87 394.00–422.00 $416.25 $2,389 -21.25
604–649 625 111 355.00–390.00 $374.50 $2,341 -30.45
662–688 671 103 342.50–369.00 $367.03 $2,463 -15.15
701–718 712 43 333.00–355.00 $337.28 $2,401 -34.60
774 774 52 338.00 $338.00 $2,616 +1.20
817 817 23 322.00 $322.00 $2,631 -3.00
864–885 879 102 317.00–323.25 $322.36 $2,834
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1115 1106 25 237.75–260.00 $239.03 $2,644
1075–1135 1110 3 239.00–240.00 $239.34 $2,657
1140–1333 1253 32 230.00–241.00 $238.08 $2,983
1185–1592 1358 45 238.50–243.50 $241.57 $3,281
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
486–494 490 20 429.00–434.00 $431.14 $2,113 +38.64
552–598 572 7 325.00–367.50 $348.45 $1,993
635–645 641 9 339.00–347.50 $343.75 $2,203
670 670 4 332.50 $332.50 $2,228 -2.50

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 282 5 555.00 $555.00 $1,565
348 348 3 485.00 $485.00 $1,688
421 421 5 432.50 $432.50 $1,821
521 521 5 446.00 $446.00 $2,324
607 607 3 344.00 $344.00 $2,088 -83.50
776 776 5 317.50 $317.50 $2,464
914 914 4 277.50 $277.50 $2,536

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1495 1435 75-80% 4 184.00–227.50 $197.06 $2,828
1340–1970 1601 75-80% 10 173.00–182.00 $177.79 $2,846
1320–1870 1638 75-80% 6 185.00–208.00 $189.87 $3,110 -6.85
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–950 893 80-85% 4 227.50–290.00 $274.03 $2,447
1005–1275 1200 80-85% 8 167.00–224.00 $186.69 $2,240
1380–1485 1433 80-85% 4 164.00–171.00 $168.02 $2,408 +28.27
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1265 1171 85-90% 7 118.00–160.00 $142.00 $1,663

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,634
1135–1280 1208 2 190.00–221.00 $206.43 $2,494
1545–2175 1862 5 226.00–237.00 $230.17 $4,286 -20.08

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high 434.41 low 338.96 Jul 2025 Jul 2026

700–749 lb Medium and Large 1 steers — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.

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.

← Previous sale (Jul 6, 2026)