Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 20, 2021

13,026 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 $158.48/cwt -0.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,311/hd at 827 lb · 1,581 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $161.82/cwt -2.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,176/hd at 727 lb · 793 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $147.75/cwt -3.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,067/hd at 722 lb · 703 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 13,026 6,162 5,587
Feeder cattle 11,423 4,023 3,431
Slaughter cattle 1,603 2,139 2,156

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers steady to 1.00 higher. Feeder steers 400 to 649 lbs 2.00 to 8.00 lower, 650 to 699 lbs 2.00 higher, 700 to 849 lbs steady to 3.00 lower, 850 to 999 lbs steady to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400 to 449 lbs 2.00 higher, 450 to 799 lbs steady to 3.00 lower, 800 to 849 lbs 6.00 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
193 193 4 201.00 $201.00 $388 —
339–345 343 21 195.00–211.00 $200.24 $687 -12.95
359–391 373 38 193.00–215.00 $202.51 $755 -9.72
410–441 unweaned 419 43 199.00–210.00 $202.23 $847 —
405–449 428 168 190.00–209.00 $203.48 $871 -2.85
454 fancy 454 85 208.50 $208.50 $947 —
453–462 unweaned 459 11 181.00–202.00 $194.46 $893 —
450–498 480 131 174.50–193.00 $182.13 $874 -8.84
507–549 unweaned 522 67 162.00–185.25 $175.43 $916 —
503–548 529 407 161.00–188.00 $180.83 $957 -1.80
550–599 568 460 150.00–185.00 $171.13 $972 -7.67
568–594 unweaned 578 67 145.00–173.00 $155.96 $901 —
604–648 632 544 153.00–169.00 $163.99 $1,036 -7.04
650–693 675 278 157.00–166.25 $162.58 $1,097 +2.24
700–747 727 793 152.00–170.00 $161.82 $1,176 -2.41
750–799 767 583 147.00–168.10 $159.48 $1,223 -3.29
801–849 827 1,581 145.00–164.60 $158.48 $1,311 -0.25
851–888 869 317 147.00–159.75 $153.02 $1,330 +0.15
875 875 63 146.00 $146.00 $1,278 -6.87
902–938 910 389 140.25–154.50 $151.62 $1,380 +4.10
954–997 969 145 133.00–147.75 $144.08 $1,396 -0.36
1027–1043 1036 25 125.00–134.00 $128.93 $1,336 —
1110 1110 3 126.00 $126.00 $1,399 —
1158 1158 6 128.00 $128.00 $1,482 —
1206 1206 11 113.00 $113.00 $1,363 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1300 1149 20 100.00–117.00 $110.94 $1,275 —
1065–1310 1202 5 107.50–112.00 $109.20 $1,313 +0.17
825–1291 1257 52 114.50–123.00 $120.94 $1,520 —
1130–1540 1297 52 100.50–121.50 $115.53 $1,498 —
1410 1410 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,311 -30.28
1190–1646 1421 498 114.50–131.00 $124.37 $1,767 +1.09
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 unweaned 278 10 184.00 $184.00 $512 —
353 unweaned 353 4 186.00 $186.00 $657 —
413–433 427 24 181.00–187.00 $184.46 $788 +10.08
431–449 unweaned 441 13 176.00–187.00 $182.03 $803 —
458–483 unweaned 474 31 164.00–177.00 $169.42 $803 —
478–493 486 16 160.00–176.50 $171.76 $835 -0.61
501–549 516 37 155.00–170.00 $159.51 $823 -2.09
553–597 587 62 137.00–163.00 $159.32 $935 +2.11
591 unweaned 591 13 145.00 $145.00 $857 —
611 unweaned 611 11 150.00 $150.00 $916 —
610–643 619 45 150.00–163.00 $155.06 $960 +10.11
651–682 673 63 149.00–150.00 $149.69 $1,007 +3.69
688 unweaned 688 5 144.00 $144.00 $991 —
703–749 724 69 138.00–152.00 $147.87 $1,071 -0.37
750–785 774 78 140.00–151.00 $144.72 $1,120 -1.49
808–836 825 44 140.00–145.00 $143.15 $1,181 -1.85
886 886 7 138.00 $138.00 $1,223 —
923 923 4 134.00 $134.00 $1,237 +7.43
966 966 3 100.00 $100.00 $966 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
521 521 5 162.00 $162.00 $844 —
602 unweaned 602 7 152.00 $152.00 $915 —
616 616 16 146.00 $146.00 $899 —
802 802 5 137.00 $137.00 $1,099 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
280–281 281 7 485.00–600.00 $550.81 —
356 356 4 450.00 $450.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312 unweaned 312 3 220.00 $220.00 $686 —
302–345 325 23 161.00–205.00 $186.64 $607 +6.64
350–395 378 88 160.00–186.00 $173.37 $655 -3.62
391 unweaned 391 7 180.00 $180.00 $704 —
405–423 unweaned 411 13 164.00–175.00 $171.51 $705 —
408–446 425 102 155.00–186.00 $173.74 $738 +2.89
468 fancy 468 14 179.00 $179.00 $838 —
456–498 475 229 150.00–175.00 $162.48 $772 -2.50
500–545 unweaned 521 48 140.50–156.50 $146.69 $764 —
503–543 524 223 147.00–177.00 $159.75 $837 -0.50
550–596 577 260 147.00–166.00 $156.28 $902 -2.91
582–598 unweaned 589 16 131.00–145.00 $138.38 $815 —
615 unweaned 615 7 141.00 $141.00 $867 —
602–648 620 435 146.00–158.50 $152.90 $948 -0.07
655–694 676 631 141.00–156.00 $151.45 $1,024 -1.76
701–748 722 703 138.00–152.00 $147.75 $1,067 -1.34
750–787 763 119 139.00–149.00 $144.24 $1,101 -0.15
784 784 17 140.00 $140.00 $1,098 -4.39
801–832 816 132 134.00–144.75 $141.75 $1,157 +5.95
849 849 7 134.50 $134.50 $1,142 —
853–891 879 84 137.50–147.50 $139.78 $1,229 +4.89
903–935 910 96 135.00–139.10 $137.79 $1,254 -0.84
954–980 958 74 136.25–138.00 $137.06 $1,313 +3.06
1007 1007 3 131.00 $131.00 $1,319 —
1055 1055 3 121.00 $121.00 $1,277 —
1129 1129 8 116.00 $116.00 $1,310 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–1190 1044 6 100.00–109.50 $106.15 $1,108 —
780–1275 1064 22 80.00–119.00 $106.73 $1,136 -0.89
780–1242 1074 38 112.00–126.50 $117.78 $1,265 +10.16
1040–1420 1196 80 113.00–121.50 $118.19 $1,414 —
1061–1610 1285 404 112.50–130.00 $123.61 $1,588 +7.53
1505–1564 1557 8 106.50–108.50 $108.26 $1,686 +24.26
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 unweaned 350 3 165.00 $165.00 $578 —
363–389 382 14 140.00–155.00 $150.92 $577 +3.42
425 425 3 165.00 $165.00 $701 —
455–493 478 44 135.00–158.00 $147.84 $707 +8.75
524–546 532 21 133.00–146.00 $141.26 $752 -5.91
555 unweaned 555 4 132.00 $132.00 $733 —
575–592 583 27 134.00–147.00 $142.76 $832 +1.24
600–643 625 28 140.00–142.00 $140.73 $880 -1.43
635 635 5 130.00 $130.00 $826 -12.16
650–668 658 25 133.00–140.50 $137.73 $906 +5.77
710–738 722 45 131.50–140.25 $136.67 $987 +2.63
751–783 777 37 125.00–136.00 $128.11 $995 —
817–833 826 11 124.00–129.00 $126.25 $1,043 —
1042 1042 7 103.00 $103.00 $1,073 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
757–776 764 32 134.50–139.50 $136.25 $1,041 —
1005–1012 1009 91 130.85–133.35 $132.39 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
278–288 283 18 365.00–560.00 $527.88 —
302–327 310 13 570.00–575.00 $573.38 —
369 369 4 630.00 $630.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
321 321 6 270.00 $270.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 unweaned 508 3 141.00 $141.00 $716 —
608 608 4 134.00 $134.00 $815 -20.00

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1935 1455 75-80% 61 70.00–79.00 $73.42 $1,068 -1.48
1325–1750 1565 75-80% 6 80.00–81.00 $80.51 $1,260 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–1420 1045 85-90% 23 20.00–49.00 $39.45 $412 —
895–1510 1174 85-90% 41 49.00–59.00 $55.02 $646 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1740 1299 80-85% 62 60.00–69.00 $65.59 $852 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1405 1358 65-75% 2 92.00–95.00 $93.45 $1,269 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1695 1375 2 60.00–71.00 $66.78 $918 —
1205–2155 1751 25 73.00–99.00 $86.18 $1,509 +3.53
1915 1915 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,915 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1240 1138 7 70.00–98.00 $78.70 $896 —
1120–1675 1436 6 100.00–109.00 $104.54 $1,501 -2.30
1205–1970 1502 18 110.00–116.00 $112.93 $1,696 —

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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.