Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 29, 2021

10,152 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $163.44/cwt -3.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,030/hd at 630 lb · 613 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $152.84/cwt +0.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,103/hd at 722 lb · 612 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $159.10/cwt -0.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,072/hd at 674 lb · 593 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,152 8,014 6,618
Feeder cattle 8,619 6,224 6,071
Slaughter cattle 1,533 1,790 547

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Feeder steers 400/449 lbs 5.00 lower, 450/499 lbs 8.00 higher, 500/599 lbs steady to 1.00 higher, 600/999 lbs 1.00 higher to 3.00 lower mostly steady. Feeder heifers 400/899 lbs steady to 3.00 lower.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
153 unweaned 153 3 170.00 $170.00 $260 —
281 281 4 193.00 $193.00 $542 —
310–340 333 8 152.50–190.00 $180.63 $601 -18.22
353–396 unweaned 382 21 188.00–201.00 $195.70 $748 —
370–396 382 35 180.00–202.00 $194.42 $743 —
400–443 427 35 182.00–212.50 $193.50 $826 -4.93
405–445 unweaned 433 40 180.00–205.00 $198.77 $861 —
453–499 475 181 179.00–197.00 $189.77 $901 +8.79
452–498 unweaned 476 27 170.00–208.00 $189.15 $900 —
502–549 527 257 167.00–193.00 $180.38 $951 +0.04
507–548 unweaned 536 67 169.00–184.25 $178.74 $958 —
551–580 unweaned 562 52 150.00–179.00 $169.57 $953 —
550–598 580 264 161.00–181.00 $170.20 $987 +1.09
600–648 630 609 152.50–169.50 $163.54 $1,030 -3.72
638 unweaned 638 4 148.00 $148.00 $944 —
650–695 674 590 145.50–167.00 $159.23 $1,073 -0.46
683 unweaned 683 3 134.00 $134.00 $915 —
708 unweaned 708 10 140.75 $140.75 $997 —
700–749 722 602 140.00–163.75 $153.04 $1,105 +0.24
750–799 781 519 134.00–151.75 $145.57 $1,137 +0.22
801–843 819 542 131.00–144.00 $140.66 $1,152 +0.10
855–895 874 228 122.50–138.35 $133.73 $1,169 -0.98
900–932 923 210 117.00–134.75 $131.96 $1,218 +1.05
998 998 10 117.50 $117.50 $1,173 -6.83
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1180 1124 18 104.00–113.00 $107.85 $1,212 +7.33
1265 1265 2 116.00 $116.00 $1,467 +2.50
1145–1570 1339 36 108.00–116.50 $114.52 $1,533 +4.75
1312–1497 1430 55 107.00–123.50 $117.82 $1,685 —
1185–1682 1442 267 116.00–124.75 $120.18 $1,733 —
1500–1613 1552 35 111.00–122.50 $118.51 $1,839 —
1697–1990 1727 26 106.00–112.50 $109.88 $1,898 +4.22
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 unweaned 365 6 169.00 $169.00 $617 —
363–389 383 30 170.00–176.00 $172.21 $660 —
419–442 unweaned 422 21 170.00–177.50 $176.38 $744 —
415–442 431 12 170.00–181.00 $173.30 $747 —
455–494 472 18 156.00–178.00 $171.15 $808 +16.15
508–539 529 21 159.00–168.00 $163.82 $867 —
551–599 589 57 153.00–171.00 $158.94 $936 +6.94
644 644 4 146.50 $146.50 $943 -8.50
663 unweaned 663 5 139.00 $139.00 $922 —
660–693 679 55 135.00–148.00 $143.01 $971 -1.78
710–744 730 12 120.00–138.00 $130.70 $954 -10.01
776 776 3 132.00 $132.00 $1,024 -4.35
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
730 730 4 138.50 $138.50 $1,011 —
1041–1049 1045 73 107.25–118.25 $112.80 $1,179 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–230 225 3 182.50–185.00 $184.20 $414 —
265 265 2 175.00 $175.00 $464 —
327 unweaned 327 3 173.00 $173.00 $566 —
307–347 334 15 151.50–177.00 $168.54 $563 +4.54
352–398 376 47 152.00–175.00 $161.64 $608 —
385 unweaned 385 2 171.00 $171.00 $658 —
407–446 unweaned 427 63 146.50–184.00 $161.93 $691 —
412–449 433 142 144.00–178.75 $163.25 $707 +0.29
450–495 unweaned 470 29 135.00–171.00 $156.41 $735 —
451–492 478 113 140.00–166.00 $154.83 $740 -2.31
500–548 525 277 136.00–162.75 $150.42 $790 -0.14
511–547 unweaned 527 41 132.50–169.00 $150.59 $794 —
550–585 unweaned 571 30 128.00–150.00 $136.48 $779 —
550–599 579 275 131.00–153.75 $145.55 $843 -3.11
600 unweaned 600 3 140.00 $140.00 $840 —
608–616 fancy 612 91 154.00–154.25 $154.13 $943 —
600–649 627 421 126.00–152.00 $144.42 $906 -2.00
652 fancy 652 32 148.00 $148.00 $965 —
652 652 13 161.00 $161.00 $1,050 +22.79
650–697 674 478 127.00–145.50 $137.15 $924 -1.06
700–749 721 373 120.00–141.00 $132.99 $959 -3.52
726–728 727 32 143.00–143.50 $143.27 $1,042 +6.76
752–797 766 212 120.00–142.00 $131.26 $1,005 -0.28
770–787 781 79 142.50–153.00 $149.40 $1,167 +17.86
804–841 823 14 116.00–141.00 $128.78 $1,060 -1.39
837 837 14 123.50 $123.50 $1,034 -6.67
905–930 913 5 110.00–119.50 $112.54 $1,027 -6.60
955 955 5 117.50 $117.50 $1,122 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1208 1113 13 83.00–111.00 $103.81 $1,155 —
1160–1195 1166 18 102.00–108.00 $106.97 $1,247 —
1225–1395 1293 46 102.00–117.00 $112.24 $1,451 -0.76
1105–1625 1337 209 115.50–124.00 $119.93 $1,603 +7.99
1100–1595 1388 39 110.00–115.50 $112.45 $1,561 -5.22
1406–1489 1459 54 115.75–119.00 $116.99 $1,707 +5.90
1525–1655 1564 10 103.00–121.00 $115.92 $1,813 +31.17
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
401 401 6 161.00 $161.00 $646 —
450–493 475 24 130.00–150.00 $140.03 $665 -0.97
475 unweaned 475 6 150.00 $150.00 $712 +10.00
522–531 unweaned 525 14 146.00–151.00 $147.45 $774 —
500–547 534 31 120.00–146.00 $134.94 $721 -5.06
537 537 4 130.00 $130.00 $698 -10.00
550–595 576 53 115.00–137.00 $133.54 $769 -5.71
590 unweaned 590 6 133.00 $133.00 $785 —
605 unweaned 605 11 130.50 $130.50 $790 —
600–647 626 52 122.00–137.00 $133.35 $835 -3.52
671 unweaned 671 4 120.00 $120.00 $805 —
652–695 672 32 115.00–129.00 $122.16 $821 -8.84
724–749 732 27 115.00–126.00 $119.84 $877 —
780–787 783 13 118.00–120.00 $119.23 $934 -1.76
800–835 825 4 111.00–117.00 $113.24 $934 -7.76
868 868 4 115.00 $115.00 $998 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 177.00 $177.00 $761 —
455–475 465 2 165.00–174.00 $169.40 $788 +8.40
450–474 unweaned 466 6 173.00–178.00 $176.39 $822 —
559 unweaned 559 12 168.50 $168.50 $942 —
576 576 6 160.00 $160.00 $922 —
603 603 3 149.00 $149.00 $898 —
670 unweaned 670 3 141.00 $141.00 $945 —
670–696 684 9 134.00–146.00 $139.22 $952 -1.28
821 821 4 113.00 $113.00 $928 -4.00

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 75-80% 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,064 —
1105–2105 1469 75-80% 123 66.00–79.00 $72.13 $1,060 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–1915 1289 80-85% 84 56.00–69.00 $65.85 $849 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630–1450 990 85-90% 11 30.00–49.00 $40.03 $396 —
630–1490 1043 85-90% 44 47.00–62.00 $56.19 $586 —

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1990 1428 6 67.00–77.00 $74.15 $1,059 —
1150–2620 1713 33 78.00–99.00 $88.47 $1,515 —
1890–2345 2064 5 100.00–105.00 $102.34 $2,112 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1008–1275 1160 37 70.00–100.50 $77.62 $900 —
1250 1250 1 77.50 $77.50 $969 —
1035–1670 1330 20 80.00–93.50 $86.24 $1,147 +0.81
1088–1835 1386 106 90.00–105.00 $97.31 $1,349 —
1193–1527 1410 34 101.00–107.00 $104.38 $1,472 —
1610–1645 1626 9 103.50–110.00 $104.89 $1,706 —

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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.