Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 8, 2021

11,747 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $131.99/cwt +1.97 vs last sale · ≈ $952/hd at 721 lb · 1,024 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $134.89/cwt +0.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,101/hd at 816 lb · 869 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $129.95/cwt -0.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,142/hd at 879 lb · 768 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 11,747 18,712 9,709
Feeder cattle 9,605 16,526 8,606
Slaughter cattle 2,142 2,186 1,103

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers steady. Feeder steers 400/599 lbs steady to 4.00 higher, 600/799 lbs 1.00 to 5.00 lower, 800/999 lbs steady to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers 400/699 lbs steady to 3.00 lower, 700/949 lbs 2.00 higher to 1.00 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
327–349 337 11 190.00–198.00 $194.23 $655 +13.18
360–383 375 11 164.00–179.00 $173.06 $649 -12.68
403–441 425 56 173.00–189.00 $184.11 $782 +2.82
453–466 unweaned 462 10 157.00–164.00 $158.88 $734 —
451–497 479 45 160.00–187.00 $178.64 $856 +4.47
508 unweaned 508 4 167.00 $167.00 $848 +8.00
500–548 523 177 164.00–185.00 $176.68 $924 +5.23
550–577 unweaned 555 18 153.00–155.00 $154.65 $858 -2.31
551–594 578 152 152.00–175.00 $164.04 $948 +0.32
601–647 625 286 140.00–161.50 $154.83 $968 -1.03
632 unweaned 632 14 144.00 $144.00 $910 -4.83
657 fancy 657 17 150.25 $150.25 $987 —
652–698 672 454 136.25–156.50 $145.62 $979 -4.95
703 fancy 703 148 153.10 $153.10 $1,076 —
701–749 723 451 130.00–148.00 $141.35 $1,022 -3.54
751–797 773 661 120.00–147.00 $138.91 $1,074 -2.45
801–847 816 869 120.00–138.85 $134.89 $1,101 +0.65
853–898 879 768 119.00–132.75 $129.95 $1,142 -0.76
903–940 919 211 123.00–131.25 $128.35 $1,180 +1.27
952–990 976 77 117.00–125.00 $119.61 $1,167 -4.71
1029 1029 17 118.50 $118.50 $1,219 —
1072 1072 14 105.00 $105.00 $1,126 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090 1090 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,068 —
950–1310 1146 28 92.00–108.50 $103.14 $1,182 —
990–1393 1262 32 101.00–110.00 $107.60 $1,358 -4.70
1065–1595 1270 79 100.00–110.75 $107.82 $1,369 +4.82
1175–1777 1428 492 105.25–117.85 $114.07 $1,629 +8.16
1337–1493 1451 77 102.00–113.75 $107.10 $1,554 +15.10
1518–1616 1546 35 111.00–115.25 $113.17 $1,750 —
1502–1673 1591 28 103.00–109.50 $107.70 $1,714 -2.04
1890 1890 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,890 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–448 437 12 155.00–174.00 $167.91 $734 +3.83
512–547 538 24 151.00–169.50 $160.07 $861 +5.74
555–576 568 28 144.00–156.50 $150.88 $857 +1.69
615–648 632 13 135.00–145.00 $139.38 $881 -6.37
649 unweaned 649 7 130.00 $130.00 $844 —
658–699 689 21 130.00–140.00 $134.99 $930 -3.48
715–728 721 7 120.00–130.00 $125.67 $906 -7.33
750–783 765 28 125.00–133.00 $128.26 $981 -2.18
838 838 3 124.00 $124.00 $1,039 +5.00
879 879 9 115.00 $115.00 $1,011 -8.02
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474 474 6 166.50 $166.50 $789 —
598 598 12 135.00 $135.00 $807 —
710 710 4 134.00 $134.00 $951 —
951 951 12 113.50 $113.50 $1,079 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014 1014 7 124.00 $124.00 $1,257 +3.00
1072 1072 9 114.50 $114.50 $1,227 -1.50
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
253 253 3 400.00 $400.00 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–348 unweaned 332 4 146.00–150.00 $147.90 $491 —
346 346 5 160.00 $160.00 $554 -12.59
350–380 356 19 148.00–167.50 $162.01 $577 +9.06
351–398 unweaned 375 8 140.50–145.00 $142.89 $536 —
413–448 430 67 143.00–167.00 $154.06 $662 -0.11
462–497 484 80 138.00–151.75 $145.98 $707 -3.66
501–548 526 161 138.00–152.00 $146.79 $772 -1.57
508–541 unweaned 529 46 128.00–140.00 $136.61 $723 -5.39
555 unweaned 555 3 129.00 $129.00 $716 -13.09
567 fancy 567 6 152.00 $152.00 $862 —
552–599 575 293 131.00–149.00 $142.49 $819 +0.22
600–646 622 442 132.00–145.00 $138.53 $862 +0.17
621–646 unweaned 639 27 129.00–130.00 $129.71 $829 +4.71
659–690 fancy 660 323 143.00–144.10 $144.05 $951 —
650–698 675 334 122.00–140.00 $132.60 $895 -2.49
716–733 fancy 720 46 134.00–135.50 $135.17 $973 —
700–749 721 969 122.50–137.85 $131.95 $951 +1.93
727 727 9 120.00 $120.00 $872 -10.02
769 769 11 145.50 $145.50 $1,119 +18.44
751–796 770 383 117.00–130.50 $125.38 $965 -1.68
800–847 817 322 119.00–128.00 $125.52 $1,025 +2.10
851–899 881 167 120.50–125.50 $122.21 $1,077 +2.10
889 889 55 114.25 $114.25 $1,016 -5.86
903–941 914 28 113.00–115.00 $114.17 $1,044 -1.50
989 989 16 114.00 $114.00 $1,127 +1.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–1190 1027 22 79.00–106.00 $95.11 $977 -3.25
930–1265 1113 15 94.00–101.50 $98.54 $1,097 —
1020–1340 1194 32 103.00–111.50 $108.37 $1,294 —
1025–1570 1217 41 100.00–110.50 $107.88 $1,313 —
1202–1378 1293 26 90.00–108.50 $104.17 $1,347 -0.95
1114–1718 1337 448 105.00–118.50 $114.01 $1,524 -0.47
1415–1430 1423 2 87.00–88.00 $87.50 $1,245 —
1414–1518 1457 61 100.00–115.25 $110.01 $1,603 +1.09
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 137.00 $137.00 $473 -12.43
357–394 385 19 128.00–150.00 $142.01 $547 +1.53
415–430 423 3 130.00–135.00 $132.03 $558 -9.48
459 459 4 138.00 $138.00 $633 +1.37
526–546 533 17 134.00–138.00 $136.45 $727 -0.88
550–598 571 69 128.00–142.00 $137.44 $785 +11.02
605–625 618 12 127.00–129.00 $128.35 $793 +2.11
694–699 696 31 125.00–127.75 $125.89 $876 -0.07
725 725 3 113.00 $113.00 $819 -4.32
800–837 818 13 110.75–118.00 $114.12 $934 —
870 870 12 110.00 $110.00 $957 ±0.00
918 918 3 109.00 $109.00 $1,001 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 10 134.00 $134.00 $706 —
632 632 11 129.50 $129.50 $818 —
702–738 723 7 121.25–121.50 $121.35 $877 —
832 832 6 114.00 $114.00 $948 —
900 900 8 100.00 $100.00 $900 —
1029 1029 17 101.00 $101.00 $1,039 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406 406 14 141.00–146.00 $143.50 $583 —
1038 1038 5 103.00 $103.00 $1,069 -6.00
1075 1075 4 107.00 $107.00 $1,150 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
330 330 4 385.00 $385.00 —
377 377 4 425.00 $425.00 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 2 175.00 $175.00 $700 —
465–498 487 3 151.00–156.00 $152.59 $743 +7.34
550 550 1 152.00 $152.00 $836 —
614 unweaned 614 4 137.50 $137.50 $844 —
603–640 617 7 123.00–141.00 $132.93 $820 —
700 unweaned 700 4 118.00 $118.00 $826 —
848 848 4 100.00 $100.00 $848 -18.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1890 1410 80-85% 122 52.00–67.00 $60.79 $857 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700–1590 1152 85-90% 21 23.00–49.00 $34.79 $401 -8.49
845–1555 1221 85-90% 59 40.00–59.00 $50.88 $621 -2.46
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–2045 1507 75-80% 50 60.00–75.00 $66.28 $999 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1570 1493 65-75% 2 90.00–100.00 $95.26 $1,422 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1860 1397 6 41.00–77.00 $67.09 $937 —
1700 1700 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,717 —
1095–2575 1880 38 73.00–98.00 $86.10 $1,619 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1087–1195 1119 10 80.50–82.50 $81.86 $916 —
1070–1640 1293 9 72.00–77.00 $74.69 $966 —
1180–1775 1336 28 82.00–90.00 $87.37 $1,167 —
1275–1825 1513 134 90.00–103.00 $95.31 $1,442 —

↑ Back to top

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.