Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 3, 2022

30,424 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $173.08/cwt +8.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,168/hd at 675 lb · 2,569 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $168.55/cwt +4.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,213/hd at 720 lb · 2,308 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $154.74/cwt +2.67 vs last sale · ≈ $966/hd at 624 lb · 2,229 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 30,424 4,356 36,799
Feeder cattle 29,093 3,544 34,803
Slaughter cattle 1,331 812 1,996

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers 3.00 lower and choice heifers 1.00 lower. Feeder steers 400 to 599 lbs 10.00 to15.00 higher, 600 to 799 lbs steady to 4.00 higher, 800 to 849 lbs 5.00 lower, 850 to 949 lbs 5.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400 to 549 lbs 2.00 to 8.00 lower, 550 to 699 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher, 700 to 849 lbs 1.00 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
260–277 268 12 202.50–205.00 $204.19 $547 —
305 unweaned 305 1 215.00 $215.00 $656 —
318–333 327 7 209.00–220.00 $213.59 $698 —
359–399 382 41 187.50–222.00 $205.60 $785 —
403–448 425 199 188.00–220.50 $206.04 $876 +10.31
428–448 unweaned 430 19 192.50–211.50 $209.42 $901 —
453–454 fancy 454 40 216.00–218.00 $217.15 $986 —
450–498 475 422 181.00–218.00 $204.00 $969 +15.59
457–496 unweaned 477 44 185.00–212.00 $194.25 $927 —
505–531 fancy 516 54 203.00–216.50 $209.10 $1,079 —
521 thin fleshed 521 6 195.00 $195.00 $1,016 —
521 unweaned 521 7 164.00 $164.00 $854 —
500–549 525 719 177.00–215.00 $194.90 $1,023 +9.71
551–586 fancy 564 52 198.00–200.00 $199.20 $1,123 —
552–590 unweaned 569 80 160.00–183.00 $173.31 $986 —
550–599 575 1,243 175.00–196.50 $187.55 $1,078 +9.79
600–649 624 2,065 162.00–192.00 $180.63 $1,127 +5.29
627–642 unweaned 639 62 146.00–170.50 $163.97 $1,048 —
650–699 675 2,533 160.00–187.00 $173.27 $1,170 +8.67
677 unweaned 677 36 160.00 $160.00 $1,083 —
715–717 unweaned 716 16 141.00–148.00 $145.82 $1,044 —
715–739 fancy 719 113 173.25–175.10 $174.76 $1,257 —
700–748 720 2,152 154.50–178.50 $168.39 $1,212 +4.16
721 thin fleshed 721 27 168.75 $168.75 $1,217 —
750–799 775 1,863 144.00–172.75 $163.31 $1,266 +0.83
800–845 819 1,336 143.50–167.85 $158.47 $1,298 -4.70
853–899 878 992 145.00–164.25 $157.04 $1,379 +4.91
901–947 922 545 145.00–161.00 $155.27 $1,432 +6.24
951–998 971 254 135.00–155.25 $149.38 $1,450 +9.38
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 6 192.50 $192.50 $651 —
370–371 371 8 164.00–189.00 $179.64 $666 —
421–445 430 16 150.00–193.00 $181.01 $778 -6.49
450–490 478 81 150.00–194.00 $182.70 $873 —
500–549 519 175 150.00–185.00 $176.87 $918 -1.13
553–584 unweaned 568 9 159.00–170.00 $163.12 $927 —
550–599 580 164 160.00–178.50 $171.00 $992 +6.00
603–649 631 190 150.00–172.00 $164.44 $1,038 -1.56
617–647 unweaned 631 11 150.00–154.00 $152.13 $960 —
650–698 682 88 140.00–161.50 $154.20 $1,052 -5.02
703–749 736 180 135.00–157.50 $152.16 $1,120 -2.34
754–797 781 65 137.00–155.50 $149.34 $1,166 -2.66
824–832 826 17 145.50–149.50 $146.68 $1,212 —
860–899 881 48 138.00–146.00 $142.33 $1,254 —
906 906 10 142.00 $142.00 $1,287 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
942–1285 1132 16 110.00–125.00 $118.06 $1,336 —
1105–1580 1372 59 120.00–136.00 $131.60 $1,806 -3.29
1165–1660 1476 324 136.50–145.50 $140.59 $2,075 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570–580 574 11 153.00–155.00 $153.92 $884 —
602–648 628 16 144.00–160.00 $150.46 $945 —
667 667 11 157.00 $157.00 $1,047 —
715–738 730 54 145.00–155.50 $153.16 $1,118 —
814 814 12 140.00 $140.00 $1,140 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685 685 11 152.00 $152.00 $1,041 —
869 869 7 152.00 $152.00 $1,321 —
923–935 929 11 131.00–144.50 $138.22 $1,284 —
1023 1023 3 146.50 $146.50 $1,499 —
1053–1076 1074 53 133.50–150.00 $142.50 $1,530 —
1135 1135 3 139.00 $139.00 $1,578 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557 557 12 174.00 $174.00 $969 —
615 615 4 171.50 $171.50 $1,055 —
633 633 12 167.00 $167.00 $1,057 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 5 193.00 $193.00 $540 —
300 unweaned 300 6 142.00–150.00 $146.00 $438 —
315–342 331 15 153.00–170.00 $160.82 $532 —
352–399 380 62 141.00–185.00 $172.43 $655 —
401–449 426 326 145.00–184.50 $169.89 $724 -7.80
405–449 unweaned 442 23 156.00–177.50 $166.09 $734 —
450–499 477 487 137.00–180.00 $165.01 $787 -2.14
468–491 unweaned 481 21 140.00–161.00 $144.73 $696 —
485 fancy 485 21 177.50 $177.50 $861 —
505–537 unweaned 522 33 140.00–157.50 $148.93 $777 —
500–548 525 999 149.00–175.00 $162.79 $855 -2.57
532 fancy 532 54 171.25 $171.25 $911 —
551–599 574 1,493 140.00–173.50 $158.43 $909 +2.28
550–590 unweaned 577 38 147.50–155.50 $151.58 $875 —
583 583 64 169.50 $169.50 $988 +13.35
600–615 unweaned 607 88 130.00–148.50 $142.21 $863 —
600–649 625 2,119 130.00–164.00 $155.19 $970 +3.12
646 646 22 161.50 $161.50 $1,043 +9.43
666 unweaned 666 6 130.00 $130.00 $866 —
650–699 674 1,790 137.50–161.50 $152.10 $1,025 +2.37
700–749 720 1,139 135.50–159.75 $150.42 $1,083 +1.22
721 fancy 721 7 155.25 $155.25 $1,119 —
752–799 772 633 135.00–154.75 $147.82 $1,141 +0.95
802–848 830 351 134.00–156.00 $147.35 $1,223 +1.24
852–895 869 205 132.50–147.50 $143.06 $1,243 —
893 893 10 165.50 $165.50 $1,478 —
902–944 927 70 133.00–145.50 $140.93 $1,306 —
968–983 978 15 130.00–139.50 $136.06 $1,331 —
1121 1121 6 124.00 $124.00 $1,390 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322–347 335 13 136.00–160.00 $146.63 $491 —
368 unweaned 368 4 147.50 $147.50 $543 —
357–395 385 14 150.00–164.00 $160.13 $617 —
405–444 422 39 148.00–165.00 $156.47 $660 +4.85
463–496 479 73 140.00–165.00 $153.44 $735 —
514 unweaned 514 7 140.00 $140.00 $720 —
505–549 530 66 140.00–157.00 $149.86 $794 —
553–598 585 156 120.00–155.00 $144.08 $843 -1.96
605–645 628 112 120.00–145.00 $139.47 $876 -7.53
638 unweaned 638 7 135.00 $135.00 $861 —
660–696 678 66 135.00–144.00 $140.31 $951 —
703–745 724 31 135.00–144.00 $140.40 $1,016 —
790 790 7 138.00 $138.00 $1,090 +2.50
882 882 7 129.00 $129.00 $1,138 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
804–1249 1075 31 102.00–128.00 $117.40 $1,262 —
1115–1550 1346 68 120.50–136.75 $131.14 $1,765 -2.72
1145–1641 1368 338 136.00–146.00 $140.46 $1,921 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
594 594 4 149.00 $149.00 $885 —
696 696 15 145.50 $145.50 $1,013 —
990 990 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,188 —
1028–1031 1030 8 131.00–139.75 $136.47 $1,406 —
1129 1129 16 126.00 $126.00 $1,423 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
287–297 292 17 500.00–580.00 $551.00 —
347 347 5 600.00 $600.00 —
361 361 3 620.00 $620.00 —
486 486 3 580.00 $580.00 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403 403 4 130.00 $130.00 $524 —
510–542 529 16 140.00–148.50 $144.88 $766 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357–388 373 6 161.00–170.00 $165.31 $617 —
452–486 468 21 168.00–202.00 $185.68 $869 —
505–533 516 5 145.00–163.00 $155.57 $803 —
554–583 573 16 140.00–153.00 $148.82 $853 —
573 unweaned 573 2 131.00 $131.00 $751 —
624–636 628 11 147.00–150.00 $148.90 $935 —
658–667 664 23 147.00–161.00 $156.17 $1,037 —
739 739 12 150.00 $150.00 $1,108 —
791 791 4 139.00 $139.00 $1,099 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–2135 1515 75-80% 77 68.00–76.00 $72.04 $1,091 —
1260–2055 1619 75-80% 15 77.00–85.00 $79.07 $1,280 +1.09
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1885 1366 80-85% 81 54.00–67.00 $62.07 $848 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1295 1062 85-90% 14 22.00–44.50 $37.29 $396 —
1010–1495 1218 85-90% 25 45.00–56.00 $50.91 $620 +2.10
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1930 1688 65-75% 23 83.00–110.00 $91.38 $1,542 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–2095 1611 7 45.00–65.00 $57.95 $934 —
1105–2360 1741 38 68.00–92.50 $79.39 $1,382 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315 1315 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,407 +16.92
1435–1710 1505 12 113.00–116.75 $114.41 $1,722 +0.22

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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.