Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 23, 2020

8,344 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $143.76/cwt +2.31 vs last sale · ≈ $966/hd at 672 lb · 562 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $147.64/cwt +1.52 vs last sale · ≈ $921/hd at 624 lb · 550 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $144.04/cwt +3.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,054/hd at 732 lb · 488 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,344 15,060 10,596
Feeder cattle 7,494 10,827 9,827
Slaughter cattle 850 4,233 769

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice steers and heifers sold 2.00 higher. Feeder steers 300/599 lbs 5.00 higher to 6.00 lower, 600/949 lbs steady to 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers 300/449 lbs 3.00 to 8.00 lower, 450/699 lbs 5.00 lower to 6.00 higher, 700/950 lbs 1.00 higher to 9.00 lower.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317–347 336 38 183.00–196.50 $189.39 $636 +5.35
355–393 375 38 168.00–191.00 $178.03 $668 -6.37
403–445 425 30 160.00–178.00 $170.63 $725 -0.68
439–442 unweaned 441 14 173.00–182.50 $176.38 $778 +7.51
450–495 476 181 160.00–184.00 $167.85 $799 +2.54
465–499 unweaned 487 128 152.00–167.00 $163.62 $797 -4.89
500–549 526 72 146.00–164.00 $156.42 $823 -6.21
539 fancy 539 43 166.00 $166.00 $895 —
553–594 570 316 143.00–164.00 $153.58 $875 -0.27
553–582 unweaned 577 103 140.00–156.00 $145.28 $838 -6.34
604–646 624 455 134.00–157.75 $147.11 $918 +0.10
606–629 fancy 624 42 159.00–162.50 $161.77 $1,009 —
615–645 unweaned 624 53 136.00–144.00 $140.97 $880 -1.85
651–680 unweaned 671 27 131.00–139.00 $133.97 $899 -6.68
650–697 672 535 135.00–149.50 $144.25 $969 +2.49
714 unweaned 714 7 133.50 $133.50 $953 -2.00
703–747 732 481 125.25–151.25 $144.19 $1,055 +3.07
777 thin fleshed 777 11 136.75 $136.75 $1,063 —
755–795 783 243 125.00–145.00 $139.35 $1,091 +2.22
801–846 820 443 132.00–148.25 $143.06 $1,173 +2.66
853–868 855 464 128.50–145.25 $143.03 $1,223 +0.74
900–942 921 175 134.50–140.75 $137.01 $1,262 +3.20
955–996 970 19 116.00–131.00 $125.33 $1,216 —
1001–1047 1006 30 117.00–122.75 $121.35 $1,221 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1330 1177 28 84.00–105.75 $99.48 $1,171 —
1055–1268 1193 7 90.50–97.00 $94.28 $1,125 —
1040–1375 1238 25 100.00–106.00 $104.21 $1,290 —
1235–1485 1364 12 94.50–102.00 $99.98 $1,364 -1.32
1215–1745 1472 292 102.00–109.75 $107.09 $1,576 +12.91
1600–1785 1690 10 91.00–102.50 $99.47 $1,681 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 3 170.00 $170.00 $456 —
337 337 5 177.50 $177.50 $598 —
365–373 unweaned 367 8 172.00–176.00 $173.02 $635 —
410–448 437 10 150.00–159.00 $154.92 $677 +0.03
455–498 482 49 150.00–162.00 $156.14 $753 +3.02
505–548 529 21 140.00–144.00 $141.76 $750 -2.75
554–592 577 38 131.00–144.50 $139.73 $806 -1.29
593–595 unweaned 594 15 134.00–140.00 $138.40 $822 —
625 unweaned 625 13 130.25 $130.25 $814 -0.75
618–649 637 29 129.00–141.00 $136.64 $870 +1.91
670–695 689 9 126.00–132.50 $129.98 $896 +1.66
735–746 742 11 130.00–132.50 $130.90 $971 +4.10
760–773 764 9 127.50–132.50 $129.19 $987 -4.19
820–842 833 10 131.00–133.00 $131.79 $1,098 —
922 922 6 125.50 $125.50 $1,157 +10.50
973 973 4 116.00 $116.00 $1,129 —
1058 1058 4 105.00 $105.00 $1,111 —
1163 1163 3 100.50 $100.50 $1,169 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
563–597 580 42 131.00–144.50 $137.44 $797 —
674–698 687 11 130.00–134.00 $131.78 $905 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–293 282 22 139.00–162.50 $156.88 $442 -7.55
308–338 329 14 141.00–158.00 $150.02 $494 -15.18
360–399 385 46 135.00–170.00 $148.20 $571 -7.88
396 unweaned 396 5 143.00 $143.00 $566 -5.36
420 unweaned 420 11 138.00 $138.00 $580 -17.06
406–445 425 42 138.00–163.00 $150.45 $639 -2.94
444 fancy 444 4 160.00 $160.00 $710 -6.67
451–459 unweaned 451 68 136.00–140.75 $140.47 $634 +0.47
475–476 fancy 475 19 162.00–165.00 $163.74 $778 —
451–495 476 181 137.00–160.25 $150.67 $717 +6.43
510–525 unweaned 521 15 127.00–135.00 $129.09 $673 -8.45
505–549 534 243 131.00–154.50 $140.33 $749 -0.50
563–593 unweaned 571 46 123.00–129.50 $127.54 $728 -3.02
554–598 579 319 129.00–144.00 $136.36 $790 +1.50
614 fancy 614 46 147.00 $147.00 $903 —
604–647 625 315 120.00–143.00 $133.27 $833 -0.31
651–693 667 206 120.00–135.00 $129.29 $862 -5.62
692 unweaned 692 9 128.50 $128.50 $889 +6.63
699 699 8 117.00 $117.00 $818 -17.91
715 unweaned 715 5 118.00 $118.00 $844 -2.00
700–747 722 247 124.75–140.00 $133.07 $961 -1.62
769–796 787 134 124.25–134.00 $130.29 $1,025 +1.08
832–835 833 63 125.00–132.00 $129.25 $1,077 -1.60
856 856 30 146.00 $146.00 $1,250 +12.84
873 873 55 125.75 $125.75 $1,098 -7.41
916–947 928 46 118.50–123.10 $121.05 $1,123 -9.56
1004–1040 1017 11 106.00–106.50 $106.19 $1,080 -19.60
1153 1153 3 105.00 $105.00 $1,211 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1240 1134 8 80.00–96.00 $88.96 $1,009 -5.03
1034–1324 1154 53 100.00–108.50 $106.38 $1,228 —
1080–1250 1165 2 95.00–97.00 $95.93 $1,118 —
1002–1458 1227 16 94.00–102.00 $98.40 $1,207 +4.74
1155–1590 1349 285 103.00–110.00 $107.17 $1,446 +1.90
1457–1465 1458 6 83.00–86.00 $85.50 $1,247 —
1675–1685 1680 2 98.00–99.25 $98.63 $1,657 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 9 162.50 $162.50 $526 +30.22
351 unweaned 351 4 161.00 $161.00 $565 +15.64
428–444 435 19 132.00–148.00 $142.78 $621 +6.38
462–497 487 52 130.00–147.50 $138.87 $676 +7.84
500–518 515 29 121.00–137.00 $130.40 $672 -1.58
553–597 579 43 120.00–130.50 $126.64 $733 +4.15
602–644 633 26 121.00–131.50 $129.40 $819 +5.89
653–688 682 26 124.50–129.50 $127.93 $872 +6.52
701–724 706 30 126.50–128.50 $128.09 $904 +6.55
771 771 6 121.25 $121.25 $935 +1.25
802 802 5 122.00 $122.00 $978 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–439 428 17 140.00–150.00 $145.17 $621 +0.85
538 unweaned 538 6 145.00 $145.00 $780 +9.00
538 unweaned 538 6 145.00 $145.00 $780 +9.00
555–594 577 27 120.00–145.00 $127.72 $737 -1.21
627–636 633 10 121.00–129.00 $126.62 $802 —
799 799 9 98.00 $98.00 $783 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
232 232 5 460.00 $460.00 —
288 288 3 500.00 $500.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1705 1351 80-85% 24 49.00–59.00 $54.42 $735 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1330 1144 85-90% 10 22.00–31.00 $27.43 $314 —
855–1445 1197 85-90% 7 35.00–44.00 $39.34 $471 +7.75
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1750 1508 75-80% 10 60.00–69.00 $65.81 $992 +2.39
1325–1675 1512 75-80% 3 70.00–74.00 $71.54 $1,082 +8.12

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1155 1113 2 42.00–43.00 $42.52 $473 —
1355–1725 1578 3 69.00–74.00 $71.89 $1,134 —

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Reading this report

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.