Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 24, 2021

7,306 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $142.45/cwt +2.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,181/hd at 829 lb · 462 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $150.07/cwt +12.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,156/hd at 770 lb · 425 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $137.24/cwt +5.75 vs last sale · ≈ $984/hd at 717 lb · 314 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,306 10,349 9,073
Feeder cattle 5,575 7,930 8,791
Slaughter cattle 1,731 2,419 282

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers steady to weak, Feeder steers 400/449 lbs 7.00 lower, 450/549 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher,550/649 lbs 1.00 to 3.00 lower, 650/999 lbs steady to 7.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400/449 lbs 2.00 lower,450/649 lbs, steady to 4.00 higher, 650/699 lbs 1.00 lower, 700/849 lbs 5.00 to7.00 higher.

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
387 387 4 200.00 $200.00 $774 +12.17
403–442 430 61 167.50–198.00 $177.11 $762 -7.51
463–499 unweaned 476 28 166.00–185.00 $173.34 $825 +4.48
480–483 481 22 180.00 $180.00 $866 +1.83
500–547 522 193 169.00–186.00 $179.89 $939 +2.83
536 unweaned 536 11 170.00 $170.00 $911 -0.43
553 unweaned 553 5 157.00 $157.00 $868 -1.95
550–598 569 155 156.50–178.50 $171.03 $973 -1.31
602–644 624 272 155.00–168.00 $162.87 $1,016 -2.72
628–644 unweaned 640 39 155.00–162.75 $160.23 $1,025 -1.27
659–695 673 121 143.50–160.50 $153.19 $1,031 -0.63
700–749 734 205 144.00–154.85 $152.32 $1,118 +7.19
750–794 770 425 145.00–153.50 $150.07 $1,156 +21.07
807–840 829 462 136.00–146.00 $142.45 $1,181 +2.91
881–891 886 130 134.25–138.85 $136.43 $1,209 +5.13
929 929 34 129.75 $129.75 $1,205 +2.48
964 964 58 132.00 $132.00 $1,272 +7.17
1103 1103 47 124.25 $124.25 $1,370 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1385 1138 22 85.00–112.00 $103.34 $1,176 —
955–1368 1250 40 108.00–116.00 $113.14 $1,414 +15.22
1352 1352 3 124.00 $124.00 $1,676 —
1115–1592 1361 132 97.00–119.50 $116.86 $1,590 +1.49
1350–1401 1391 5 118.00–118.75 $118.60 $1,650 +3.23
1359–1412 1394 12 105.00–115.50 $108.41 $1,511 -6.96
1270–1690 1402 396 112.25–125.50 $120.47 $1,689 +12.18
1459–1572 1485 29 119.00–123.50 $122.75 $1,823 +4.88
1618–1629 1626 8 121.00–123.00 $122.50 $1,992 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–447 428 7 157.00–180.00 $169.69 $726 -0.45
487–492 489 18 154.00–169.00 $162.15 $793 +4.06
518–545 535 29 157.00–163.50 $158.91 $850 +18.51
545 unweaned 545 5 156.00 $156.00 $850 —
557–596 586 36 147.50–158.00 $150.16 $880 -4.90
607 607 7 152.00 $152.00 $923 +5.89
693 693 12 135.00 $135.00 $936 -4.80
725 725 7 138.00 $138.00 $1,000 +16.00
758–793 763 48 129.00–137.25 $135.40 $1,033 +14.40
803 803 3 127.00 $127.00 $1,020 +14.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–240 225 4 165.00–197.50 $188.83 $425 —
260 260 10 165.00 $165.00 $429 —
343 343 2 150.00 $150.00 $514 —
405–425 412 12 124.00–146.00 $138.43 $570 —
468 468 3 115.00 $115.00 $538 —
504–517 508 22 105.00–122.50 $109.86 $558 —
554–571 563 12 100.00–110.00 $104.69 $589 —
828 828 6 105.00 $105.00 $869 —
859 859 10 105.00 $105.00 $902 —
946 946 6 102.50 $102.50 $970 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
331 331 8 115.00 $115.00 $381 —
363–394 376 17 92.50–125.00 $110.20 $414 —
434 434 12 112.50 $112.50 $488 —
552–563 554 11 85.00–86.00 $85.82 $475 —
643 643 2 82.50 $82.50 $530 —
848 848 3 80.00 $80.00 $678 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 9 165.00 $165.00 $599 +5.27
420–433 428 29 157.00–159.00 $157.74 $675 -2.73
456–481 unweaned 465 20 143.50–149.00 $145.39 $676 -5.27
454–496 474 98 145.00–160.00 $153.29 $727 +0.95
509 unweaned 509 6 144.00 $144.00 $733 +8.98
506–548 531 196 142.00–166.50 $150.78 $801 +2.05
551–595 565 104 138.00–152.25 $144.49 $816 +4.48
608–618 unweaned 614 30 132.00–134.25 $133.28 $818 +13.28
603–648 621 154 134.00–148.00 $139.33 $865 +0.45
646 646 7 130.00 $130.00 $840 -8.88
652–692 668 71 131.50–135.25 $133.52 $892 -1.40
711 thin fleshed 711 74 139.85 $139.85 $994 —
714–748 719 240 126.50–141.50 $136.43 $981 +4.73
756–779 762 134 129.50–134.25 $133.49 $1,017 +7.16
801–831 821 64 116.00–126.00 $121.88 $1,001 -6.44
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
858–1205 1051 17 97.00–107.50 $100.91 $1,061 +2.77
985–1278 1111 46 78.50–109.00 $100.43 $1,116 —
935–1303 1188 88 108.75–117.50 $114.22 $1,357 +11.72
1016–1515 1229 129 110.00–119.50 $116.46 $1,431 +0.42
1041–1493 1294 186 111.00–123.75 $120.81 $1,563 +8.20
1308–1398 1340 22 100.00–112.00 $107.33 $1,438 -13.50
1330–1385 1369 27 116.00–121.50 $119.35 $1,634 +0.27
1401–1438 1417 7 116.25–118.75 $117.66 $1,667 +4.79
1405–1510 1458 2 75.00–79.00 $77.07 $1,124 -40.77
1459 1459 11 123.50 $123.50 $1,802 +5.66
1580 1580 1 105.75 $105.75 $1,671 -7.88
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
259 259 4 152.50 $152.50 $395 —
341 341 5 157.00 $157.00 $535 —
368–395 372 29 147.00–150.50 $149.99 $558 +1.22
401–449 433 40 136.00–150.00 $144.23 $625 -1.89
458–471 466 23 137.00–143.00 $141.58 $660 +5.69
491 unweaned 491 8 140.00 $140.00 $687 —
510–546 530 27 130.00–149.50 $141.64 $751 +8.23
555–595 578 18 128.00–139.00 $134.73 $779 +8.43
612–641 627 26 129.00–130.00 $129.89 $814 +1.72
655–697 672 10 121.00–124.00 $122.91 $826 -1.33
737–744 739 14 114.00–122.00 $116.30 $859 -6.16
780–783 782 6 118.00–123.00 $120.50 $942 +2.41
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 386 4 126.00 $126.00 $486 —
516 516 10 115.00 $115.00 $593 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–428 417 5 152.50–165.00 $157.30 $656 +10.30
670–686 678 25 129.00–129.50 $129.24 $876 +10.41
727 727 6 132.00 $132.00 $960 +12.00
780–782 782 12 119.00–123.00 $122.00 $954 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1690 1314 80-85% 104 55.00–69.00 $64.65 $850 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–2080 1498 75-80% 87 67.00–77.00 $72.53 $1,086 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1560 1134 85-90% 24 45.00–62.00 $55.21 $626 +0.28
970–1415 1179 85-90% 7 24.00–43.00 $32.06 $378 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–1860 1602 65-75% 6 79.00–82.00 $80.00 $1,282 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–2415 1653 16 77.00–98.00 $88.57 $1,464 —
1680–2325 1966 11 100.00–108.00 $103.67 $2,038 —
YG3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985 985 1 76.00 $76.00 $749 —

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Dairy Heifers

Small 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 19 48.00 $48.00 $324 —
723 723 5 55.00 $55.00 $398 —
829 829 28 51.00 $51.00 $423 —
932 932 13 58.00 $58.00 $541 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 3 92.50 $92.50 $328 —
493 493 10 83.00 $83.00 $409 —
702 702 22 79.00 $79.00 $555 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1510 1444 27 91.00–103.00 $100.87 $1,457 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
531 531 9 126.00 $126.00 $669 —
568 568 12 120.00 $120.00 $682 —
609–636 617 23 82.00–84.00 $83.37 $514 —
688 688 3 86.00 $86.00 $592 —
753–779 769 34 82.00–88.00 $83.40 $641 —
807–846 843 120 81.00–87.00 $81.44 $687 —
863–897 878 33 84.00 $84.00 $738 —
928 928 23 84.00 $84.00 $780 —
986 986 18 76.00 $76.00 $749 —
1029 1029 28 80.00 $80.00 $823 —
1075 1075 15 72.00 $72.00 $774 —
1121 1121 19 76.00 $76.00 $852 —
1261 1261 4 85.00 $85.00 $1,072 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226 226 8 140.00 $140.00 $316 —
310–341 338 25 97.50–107.50 $103.40 $349 —
350–368 352 15 100.00–117.50 $102.44 $361 —
434–446 440 78 100.00–120.00 $102.08 $449 —
465–497 490 15 97.50–100.00 $98.35 $482 —
500–535 529 28 85.00–95.00 $91.85 $486 —
566 566 36 80.00–94.00 $90.89 $514 —
612–628 616 27 75.00–79.00 $77.58 $478 —
702–744 711 19 71.00–76.00 $74.90 $533 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1004–1382 1107 11 74.00–75.00 $74.34 $823 -8.63
1050–1330 1178 7 85.00–96.00 $90.77 $1,069 —
1225–1605 1412 12 90.50–99.00 $96.78 $1,367 —
1353–1477 1415 6 84.50–87.50 $86.07 $1,218 —
1265–1725 1476 59 100.00–107.50 $103.13 $1,522 -0.21
1420–1575 1557 17 101.50–106.00 $101.78 $1,585 —
Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–294 275 26 85.00–125.00 $117.75 $324 —
372–390 377 4 70.00–85.00 $81.12 $306 —
420–435 434 10 85.00–91.00 $90.42 $392 —
457–490 472 9 67.50–70.00 $68.65 $324 —
578 578 6 76.00 $76.00 $439 —
Small 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
486 486 8 80.00 $80.00 $389 —
590 590 14 66.00 $66.00 $389 —
713–743 728 10 62.50–67.50 $65.05 $474 —

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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.