Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 30, 2021

8,586 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 $162.45/cwt +0.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,326/hd at 816 lb · 581 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $155.35/cwt +3.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,044/hd at 672 lb · 365 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $164.57/cwt -0.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,279/hd at 777 lb · 358 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,586 7,070 10,931
Feeder cattle 6,444 5,583 8,786
Slaughter cattle 2,142 1,487 2,145

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers 3.00 higher. Feeder steers 350 to 549 lbs 2.00 to 12.00 hgr, 550 to 699 lbs steady to 5.00 lower , 700 to 749 lbs 2.00 higher, 750 to 799 lbs 1.00 lower, 800 to 999 lbs 1.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400 to 549 lbs 1.00 higher to 5.00 lower, 550 to 699 lbs 2.00 to 4.00 higher, 700 to 999 steady to 6.00 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
322–346 340 18 200.00–216.00 $207.27 $705 -17.73
371–397 389 31 190.00–219.00 $204.54 $796 +1.79
400–449 426 126 181.00–212.00 $200.48 $854 +5.80
463 unweaned 463 5 207.00 $207.00 $958 +39.00
450–498 474 110 179.00–205.00 $196.21 $930 +12.46
500–548 529 327 171.00–196.25 $188.24 $996 +9.10
540 unweaned 540 13 187.50 $187.50 $1,012 +12.50
552–598 576 144 169.00–189.00 $176.61 $1,017 -0.42
600–635 618 119 164.00–177.50 $169.21 $1,046 -5.57
653–696 675 204 154.00–175.00 $166.21 $1,122 -5.05
698 unweaned 698 11 149.00 $149.00 $1,040 —
703–748 723 223 160.00–171.35 $167.90 $1,214 +2.57
765 fancy 765 70 170.35 $170.35 $1,303 —
751–799 780 288 157.50–166.10 $163.17 $1,273 -1.52
800–848 816 581 155.50–165.00 $162.45 $1,326 +0.84
879–896 890 221 136.50–163.25 $159.33 $1,418 +3.48
900–945 928 126 139.50–158.50 $153.19 $1,422 +2.90
954–977 965 148 142.50–151.00 $147.15 $1,420 -2.06
1194 1194 20 128.75 $128.75 $1,537 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1215 1114 13 105.00–108.00 $107.08 $1,193 -14.58
990–1335 1147 18 97.00–127.25 $116.05 $1,331 —
945–1395 1273 112 115.50–128.75 $121.12 $1,542 -1.15
1030–1620 1292 221 112.00–127.75 $125.63 $1,623 +3.36
1194–1765 1415 448 117.50–135.25 $130.00 $1,840 +0.41
1770 1770 2 95.50 $95.50 $1,690 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–431 421 17 148.00–175.00 $159.15 $670 -0.85
475–494 486 15 160.50–174.00 $164.01 $797 -0.46
524 unweaned 524 7 170.00 $170.00 $891 —
523–549 531 46 164.00–180.00 $174.75 $928 +7.71
561–585 571 49 158.50–170.00 $161.58 $923 -3.42
610–645 617 32 146.00–172.50 $159.13 $982 +14.04
655–692 678 23 143.00–156.00 $146.70 $995 -12.04
715–719 718 6 146.00–148.00 $146.33 $1,051 -11.38
761–797 784 28 130.00–137.00 $132.83 $1,041 -11.92
828 828 2 135.00 $135.00 $1,118 -6.58
855–895 885 8 139.00–148.00 $145.83 $1,291 +0.87
922–939 935 29 130.00–142.00 $132.86 $1,242 —
975 975 4 129.00 $129.00 $1,258 -10.28
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 8 148.00 $148.00 $830 —
646 646 4 153.00 $153.00 $988 —
766 766 5 150.00 $150.00 $1,149 -5.50
1049 1049 6 129.50 $129.50 $1,358 —
1084 1084 4 120.00 $120.00 $1,301 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
293 unweaned 293 4 660.00 $660.00 —
355–388 374 7 685.00–700.00 $693.90 —
407 407 4 675.00 $675.00 —
488 488 3 750.00 $750.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 4 170.00 $170.00 $578 -15.00
354–391 369 22 170.00–184.00 $176.42 $651 -26.08
415 thin fleshed 415 7 180.00 $180.00 $747 —
403–440 417 85 160.00–182.00 $176.46 $736 -4.89
450–484 467 113 161.00–176.00 $169.85 $793 +1.04
518 unweaned 518 6 162.00 $162.00 $839 —
500–545 525 220 145.50–169.00 $156.34 $821 -5.40
550–596 578 313 145.50–166.25 $162.23 $938 +1.87
601–645 632 116 150.00–165.00 $158.01 $999 +3.73
653–698 672 360 144.00–159.00 $155.58 $1,045 +3.93
676 unweaned 676 5 139.00 $139.00 $940 —
701–749 728 241 139.00–158.50 $149.31 $1,087 -2.40
750–794 783 183 142.50–151.00 $147.58 $1,156 -1.74
801–847 819 75 133.00–153.50 $143.29 $1,174 -4.69
855–883 867 216 135.50–148.00 $144.80 $1,255 +0.36
905–947 923 70 130.00–142.00 $135.29 $1,249 -2.08
956–983 963 136 135.00–137.10 $136.50 $1,314 -5.44
1002–1048 1034 82 126.50–138.50 $134.99 $1,396 +4.09
1185 1185 13 127.25 $127.25 $1,508 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1165 1035 7 106.50–115.00 $112.02 $1,159 —
815–1290 1041 35 94.00–124.00 $114.26 $1,189 —
918–1332 1159 72 117.00–135.75 $123.81 $1,435 —
1015–1535 1222 203 107.50–127.75 $124.37 $1,520 +4.94
995–1625 1288 504 120.00–135.00 $129.49 $1,668 —
1490 1490 1 86.50 $86.50 $1,289 —
1590 1590 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,876 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 9 161.00 $161.00 $547 —
410–413 411 12 145.00–152.00 $149.66 $615 -3.86
474–498 487 84 142.00–158.00 $152.80 $744 +1.46
505–547 537 40 135.00–155.50 $150.15 $806 +2.39
573–599 587 12 134.00–151.00 $141.35 $830 -10.68
605–646 630 77 137.00–153.50 $151.30 $953 +10.63
652–697 674 36 126.00–151.00 $145.52 $981 —
700–745 723 64 131.50–144.50 $139.62 $1,009 +1.62
751–794 775 112 120.00–144.00 $138.77 $1,075 +2.77
865–895 882 15 130.50–141.50 $133.67 $1,179 +1.79
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
267 unweaned 267 8 585.00 $585.00 —
333 unweaned 333 4 620.00 $620.00 —
342 342 4 635.00 $635.00 —
381–389 384 15 600.00–670.00 $641.65 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1950 1304 80-85% 78 59.00–70.00 $64.55 $842 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1990 1463 75-80% 49 70.00–79.00 $74.96 $1,097 -0.76
1250–1755 1577 75-80% 21 80.00–83.00 $81.44 $1,284 +0.32
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1430 1085 85-90% 21 20.00–49.00 $37.83 $410 +0.52
925–1605 1235 85-90% 32 50.00–60.00 $55.20 $682 -0.37
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1705 1520 65-75% 3 85.00–86.00 $85.66 $1,302 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1775 1649 6 57.00–71.00 $66.59 $1,098 —
1050–2275 1713 38 73.00–97.00 $84.72 $1,451 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–1625 1435 11 101.00–109.00 $106.57 $1,529 +6.08
1325–1890 1600 60 110.25–119.00 $114.89 $1,838 —

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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.