Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 4, 2021

8,598 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $161.54/cwt +2.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,257/hd at 778 lb · 569 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $157.56/cwt +14.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,360/hd at 863 lb · 569 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $158.33/cwt +0.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,297/hd at 819 lb · 551 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,598 3,537 4,269
Feeder cattle 7,077 1,927 2,580
Slaughter cattle 1,521 1,610 1,689

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers and heifers .50 lower to 2.75 higher. Feeder cattle, too few receipts last week for a good market test.

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
267 267 3 219.00 $219.00 $585 —
289 unweaned 289 10 207.50 $207.50 $600 —
320 320 3 205.00 $205.00 $656 —
339–345 unweaned 340 29 197.50–202.50 $201.63 $686 —
363–394 378 38 190.00–215.00 $202.95 $767 —
385–389 unweaned 387 8 190.00–195.00 $192.49 $745 —
409–441 425 17 187.00–198.00 $192.33 $817 —
402–443 unweaned 430 92 186.00–204.00 $195.55 $841 —
458–497 481 119 179.00–191.00 $186.66 $898 +13.73
475–495 unweaned 493 73 184.75–189.50 $185.67 $915 +4.67
503–540 unweaned 519 86 154.00–186.50 $176.85 $918 —
503–545 522 127 155.00–186.50 $174.88 $913 —
554–597 577 165 154.00–180.00 $167.78 $968 +0.78
577–586 unweaned 582 17 165.50–167.00 $166.30 $968 —
620–640 unweaned 628 32 148.00–165.00 $158.50 $995 —
601–646 634 244 154.00–172.50 $164.13 $1,041 +7.17
648 648 25 154.00 $154.00 $998 -2.96
657–697 670 244 154.75–169.75 $165.87 $1,111 +5.46
700–748 728 255 146.00–166.00 $161.55 $1,176 +3.33
759–793 778 569 151.50–166.50 $161.54 $1,257 +2.54
801–847 819 551 144.00–165.00 $158.33 $1,297 +0.61
855 unweaned 855 3 142.00 $142.00 $1,214 —
851–895 863 566 149.00–162.00 $157.64 $1,360 +14.63
902–947 915 150 134.50–148.25 $146.14 $1,337 +5.46
954–998 971 207 130.25–146.50 $143.81 $1,396 -2.19
1014 1014 24 136.00 $136.00 $1,379 —
1196 1196 7 123.50 $123.50 $1,477 —
1256 1256 4 120.00 $120.00 $1,507 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1235 1127 9 75.00–122.00 $101.81 $1,147 —
1100–1250 1179 4 104.00–110.00 $107.24 $1,264 —
1060–1399 1264 43 115.50–123.50 $119.92 $1,516 —
1100–1550 1268 47 110.00–121.50 $118.50 $1,503 —
1442 value added 1442 13 126.75 $126.75 $1,828 —
1135–1870 1450 488 115.00–135.00 $124.57 $1,806 —
1560–1625 1593 2 86.50–88.50 $87.48 $1,394 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 3 192.50 $192.50 $737 —
414–426 unweaned 420 15 166.00–184.00 $169.65 $713 —
456–473 466 31 150.00–172.00 $158.78 $740 -5.42
470 unweaned 470 10 157.50 $157.50 $740 —
515–549 528 36 143.00–168.00 $161.64 $853 —
540 unweaned 540 13 160.00 $160.00 $864 —
570 unweaned 570 3 151.00 $151.00 $861 —
550–597 578 28 147.00–159.00 $154.07 $891 +1.07
611 611 6 153.00 $153.00 $935 +7.09
659–683 unweaned 663 20 141.00–149.00 $147.76 $980 —
651–691 674 53 144.50–152.00 $149.24 $1,006 +1.24
704–726 713 41 135.00–150.00 $147.73 $1,053 +4.76
751–782 771 44 139.00–147.25 $144.64 $1,115 +3.28
846 846 7 146.00 $146.00 $1,235 +9.31
860–880 877 23 142.25–146.00 $142.89 $1,253 +5.89
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–421 unweaned 421 11 150.00–152.50 $151.59 $638 —
547 unweaned 547 18 153.00 $153.00 $837 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252 unweaned 252 7 160.00 $160.00 $403 —
318–341 unweaned 325 23 175.00–191.00 $179.35 $583 —
319–345 328 13 169.00–178.00 $173.41 $569 —
357–387 368 27 163.00–180.00 $172.43 $635 —
351–394 unweaned 372 44 156.50–176.00 $172.18 $641 —
412–439 unweaned 419 64 158.00–169.50 $166.40 $697 —
403–446 423 52 155.00–176.00 $169.26 $716 —
453–469 unweaned 466 74 154.00–170.50 $161.72 $754 —
450–486 475 124 155.00–169.00 $164.48 $781 —
500–546 519 127 140.00–166.00 $154.19 $800 +6.19
506–530 unweaned 522 33 138.00–157.00 $151.50 $791 —
553–573 570 43 173.00–176.00 $175.59 $1,001 —
563–586 unweaned 573 38 140.00–154.00 $147.97 $848 —
552–599 578 164 140.00–157.25 $149.66 $865 —
602 unweaned 602 5 140.00 $140.00 $843 —
606–637 618 137 140.00–149.00 $144.83 $895 -5.13
650–698 658 166 136.00–150.00 $144.33 $950 -3.07
700–746 715 193 132.50–150.75 $144.71 $1,035 -0.24
751–797 775 208 135.25–153.00 $145.66 $1,129 +0.40
800–848 824 82 130.00–144.00 $141.19 $1,163 +3.75
855–893 862 80 143.50–144.00 $143.74 $1,239 +2.81
906–933 926 92 117.00–142.00 $139.39 $1,291 -0.11
963–985 974 117 139.25–140.25 $139.76 $1,361 +18.76
1021–1045 1023 80 130.50–134.50 $134.24 $1,373 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1275 1082 14 73.00–115.50 $91.17 $986 —
1100 1100 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,100 -11.58
970–1325 1209 39 110.00–124.75 $119.28 $1,442 —
1050–1585 1238 55 101.00–121.50 $117.09 $1,450 +2.66
1095–1645 1308 369 118.00–130.00 $123.58 $1,616 +27.58
1495–1518 1507 4 118.75–119.75 $119.25 $1,797 —
1525–1550 1542 3 88.50–92.00 $89.65 $1,382 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 13 130.00 $130.00 $474 —
423–445 437 8 147.00–151.00 $148.45 $649 —
451 unweaned 451 4 145.00 $145.00 $654 —
458–498 473 49 140.00–153.00 $146.59 $693 +1.09
526–546 537 9 140.00–142.00 $140.87 $756 —
562–569 unweaned 564 28 139.00–140.00 $139.22 $785 —
560–576 572 15 135.00–144.00 $141.65 $810 —
612–647 626 24 137.00–144.00 $141.31 $885 +0.80
671–689 675 31 135.75–138.00 $136.21 $919 —
735–744 741 9 138.00 $138.00 $1,023 —
827 827 6 129.00 $129.00 $1,067 +4.00
887 887 9 130.75 $130.75 $1,160 —
960 960 3 125.00 $125.00 $1,200 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 unweaned 364 13 152.00 $152.00 $553 —
495 unweaned 495 18 146.00 $146.00 $723 —
680 680 5 131.00 $131.00 $891 —
1041 1041 56 138.25 $138.25 $1,439 —
1125 1125 4 96.00 $96.00 $1,080 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 8 150.00 $150.00 $544 —
404–449 430 12 120.00–157.00 $142.52 $613 -18.48
456 unweaned 456 4 168.00 $168.00 $766 —
478 478 3 162.00 $162.00 $774 +3.91
562 562 3 141.00 $141.00 $792 +1.00
628 628 2 130.00 $130.00 $816 —
635 unweaned 635 4 136.00 $136.00 $864 —
657 657 3 132.00 $132.00 $867 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785–1445 1142 85-90% 26 20.00–48.00 $37.16 $424 —
955–1675 1301 85-90% 20 49.00–61.00 $54.42 $708 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–2015 1529 75-80% 35 70.00–79.00 $75.47 $1,154 —
1525–1705 1594 75-80% 7 80.00–85.00 $81.27 $1,295 -0.54
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1780 1342 80-85% 36 61.00–70.00 $65.42 $878 —
1260–1500 1387 80-85% 5 55.00–61.00 $58.09 $806 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1490 1352 6 62.00–73.00 $67.58 $914 —
735–2340 1504 18 71.00–95.00 $83.59 $1,257 —
1435–1845 1543 5 100.00–104.00 $101.52 $1,566 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1310 1221 9 74.00–77.00 $76.70 $937 —
1275–1389 1337 22 108.00–110.00 $109.13 $1,459 —
1340 1340 1 86.00 $86.00 $1,152 —
1488–1595 1524 3 113.00–117.00 $114.40 $1,743 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1290 1172 9 94.00–110.00 $106.45 $1,248 —
1278–1370 1326 21 104.50–112.75 $109.54 $1,453 +2.37
1400 1400 2 101.00 $101.00 $1,414 —
1410–1718 1466 36 109.00–117.50 $112.22 $1,645 +3.04
1090–1735 1474 16 95.00–111.00 $106.43 $1,569 -2.75
1165–1605 1492 24 113.00–118.50 $115.23 $1,719 +6.05

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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.