Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 17, 2022

19,816 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 $171.34/cwt +0.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,162/hd at 678 lb · 1,777 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $159.03/cwt -1.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,237/hd at 778 lb · 1,357 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $165.15/cwt -0.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,195/hd at 724 lb · 1,311 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 19,816 29,694 25,135
Feeder cattle 18,483 27,881 22,923
Slaughter cattle 1,333 1,813 2,212

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Choice steers to weak and choice heifers1.00 lower. Feeder steers 400 to 499 lbs 1.00 to 5.00 higher, 500 to899 lbs steady to 4.00 lower, 900 to999 lbs steady to 6.00 higher. Feeder heifers 400 to 749 lbs steady to 6.00 lower, 750 to 949 lbs steady to 7:00 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
268 268 6 200.00 $200.00 $536 -5.02
333–343 336 17 195.00–228.00 $205.56 $691 +0.24
355–398 381 60 185.00–215.00 $203.81 $777 -1.73
363–397 unweaned 387 7 170.00–202.50 $178.70 $692 —
400–449 426 123 188.00–221.00 $202.54 $863 -5.58
470 unweaned 470 1 176.00 $176.00 $827 -21.66
450–498 476 333 172.00–220.00 $198.51 $945 -1.21
500–507 unweaned 505 32 181.50–197.00 $188.92 $954 -9.08
505–548 528 490 174.00–204.00 $191.25 $1,010 -4.63
564–576 unweaned 571 21 171.00–177.00 $173.54 $991 +1.86
550–599 574 847 168.50–198.00 $183.21 $1,052 -1.02
600–648 624 1,284 160.00–186.75 $176.69 $1,103 +1.08
637 unweaned 637 15 163.50 $163.50 $1,041 -2.31
651–658 fancy 655 61 182.75–184.00 $183.36 $1,201 +2.11
650–698 679 1,716 158.50–179.75 $170.91 $1,160 +0.32
704 unweaned 704 14 154.50 $154.50 $1,088 +12.51
701–749 724 1,297 148.00–173.10 $165.27 $1,197 -0.27
750–799 778 1,357 143.50–168.25 $159.03 $1,237 -1.84
800 fancy 800 35 157.50 $157.50 $1,260 —
800–847 826 838 136.25–164.00 $157.22 $1,299 -0.92
839 unweaned 839 6 134.00 $134.00 $1,124 —
850–897 865 857 140.50–161.00 $155.70 $1,347 +0.29
906–949 925 224 142.00–156.30 $150.32 $1,390 +0.05
983–996 993 84 134.00–148.50 $147.41 $1,464 -6.47
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–335 323 2 150.00–170.00 $159.61 $516 -27.63
350–392 382 8 150.00–200.00 $188.80 $721 +8.13
420–430 423 3 175.00–182.50 $177.54 $751 +0.22
455–481 470 13 180.00–185.00 $183.46 $862 -0.61
500–547 534 71 157.00–186.00 $176.82 $944 -4.16
550–599 580 140 150.00–175.00 $164.60 $955 -1.20
603–648 627 87 146.00–169.00 $163.69 $1,026 +2.06
657–696 680 114 151.00–160.50 $156.48 $1,064 +0.21
703–749 726 125 141.00–156.75 $151.54 $1,100 -2.55
800–830 805 13 133.00–147.00 $143.86 $1,158 -4.83
873 873 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,222 -1.72
930–937 936 11 131.00–140.00 $139.19 $1,303 +6.72
950–968 966 9 135.00–140.00 $139.45 $1,347 +14.45
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1017–1195 1078 12 100.00–119.00 $112.30 $1,211 —
1028–1333 1229 49 130.00–136.75 $134.48 $1,653 —
1155–1675 1399 74 121.00–135.50 $131.04 $1,833 —
1205–1675 1493 305 134.00–145.25 $140.46 $2,097 -0.81
1910 1910 1 103.50 $103.50 $1,977 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456–494 475 26 156.00–180.00 $165.65 $787 —
500 unweaned 500 6 163.00 $163.00 $815 —
539 539 10 161.00 $161.00 $868 —
570–598 586 10 163.00–165.00 $163.70 $959 —
605–618 614 12 146.00–153.00 $148.91 $914 -5.97
652–693 691 36 152.00–161.00 $152.47 $1,054 -4.96
713–741 726 15 132.00–141.00 $135.81 $986 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 4 168.00 $168.00 $991 —
661 661 18 155.00 $155.00 $1,025 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
320 320 3 560.00 $560.00 —
390 390 4 630.00 $630.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 4 160.00 $160.00 $432 —
318–347 338 35 156.00–186.00 $175.20 $592 +0.46
356 unweaned 356 4 152.00 $152.00 $541 -12.98
365–395 384 35 157.50–174.00 $163.63 $628 -8.31
400–435 unweaned 425 18 143.00–160.00 $149.60 $636 -18.16
402–443 426 294 147.00–179.00 $167.71 $714 -4.43
455–495 478 255 146.00–178.00 $164.26 $785 -6.48
458–488 unweaned 481 22 142.50–170.00 $162.31 $781 +2.28
520 520 8 173.00 $173.00 $900 +5.87
500–548 522 741 142.50–206.50 $165.20 $862 -1.93
538 unweaned 538 7 138.00 $138.00 $742 -24.81
553–576 560 40 174.75–175.00 $174.83 $979 +15.21
550–593 unweaned 571 28 134.00–147.00 $140.75 $804 -6.30
551–599 574 757 140.00–170.00 $155.88 $895 -3.74
616 thin fleshed 616 14 156.50 $156.50 $964 —
601–649 625 1,244 133.50–166.75 $153.15 $957 -0.87
667 fancy 667 15 157.25 $157.25 $1,049 —
669–671 670 39 152.00–159.75 $155.19 $1,040 +4.59
650–696 673 875 136.50–159.00 $149.45 $1,006 -1.15
700–748 725 797 138.00–154.25 $146.38 $1,061 -1.52
701–741 726 46 154.00–167.00 $158.55 $1,151 +10.65
736 fancy 736 27 163.00 $163.00 $1,200 —
750 fancy 750 46 150.50 $150.50 $1,129 —
754–758 757 84 160.00–160.25 $160.19 $1,213 +15.52
754–797 771 258 135.00–150.00 $144.36 $1,113 -0.31
800–846 819 142 137.00–151.75 $145.23 $1,189 +6.04
850–879 856 111 128.00–141.50 $137.39 $1,176 -0.65
910–916 914 10 130.00–138.00 $135.71 $1,240 +7.06
1140 1140 4 128.50 $128.50 $1,465 -2.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–338 335 4 140.00–170.00 $162.72 $545 +3.71
351–395 375 29 141.00–170.00 $155.60 $584 -4.80
411–439 428 17 138.50–152.50 $145.39 $622 -11.71
460–495 476 33 134.00–152.00 $144.54 $688 -8.63
507 unweaned 507 10 155.00 $155.00 $786 -2.00
500–549 522 105 131.00–165.00 $152.41 $796 +5.43
554–596 577 149 139.00–155.00 $148.17 $855 +2.65
607 unweaned 607 15 142.00 $142.00 $862 —
602–648 625 111 131.00–147.50 $143.22 $895 +3.12
663–688 672 25 139.00–141.00 $140.10 $941 +2.99
716–749 729 28 131.00–138.50 $137.44 $1,002 +1.83
760–776 772 34 130.00–142.50 $135.42 $1,045 +2.94
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1230 1091 5 110.00–115.00 $113.04 $1,233 -2.21
1000–1275 1170 3 122.00–125.00 $123.56 $1,446 —
1010–1308 1194 40 127.00–133.75 $130.58 $1,559 —
1080–1520 1345 82 123.00–134.25 $130.62 $1,757 —
1130–1640 1381 280 132.50–146.50 $139.26 $1,923 -1.25
1510–1590 1550 2 127.00–132.00 $129.56 $2,008 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1062–1095 1085 11 118.00–128.00 $124.18 $1,347 +1.99
1158 1158 21 121.50 $121.50 $1,407 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 15 126.00 $126.00 $441 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
333–348 339 7 560.00–600.00 $577.58 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 2 166.00 $166.00 $697 —
430 unweaned 430 4 217.50 $217.50 $935 +23.50
478 unweaned 478 6 160.00 $160.00 $765 —
490 490 1 155.00 $155.00 $760 +2.24
550–554 553 9 150.00–151.00 $150.89 $834 -1.98
635 unweaned 635 6 123.50 $123.50 $784 —
660–676 673 6 127.00–127.50 $127.42 $858 -21.58
673–689 unweaned 686 17 119.00–135.00 $132.23 $907 —
700–702 701 4 129.00–131.00 $130.00 $911 —
958 958 2 113.00 $113.00 $1,083 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–2265 1346 80-85% 99 54.50–67.00 $61.74 $831 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1975 1509 75-80% 73 68.00–75.00 $70.64 $1,066 -8.23
1480–1650 1541 75-80% 5 76.00–84.00 $79.19 $1,220 +8.05
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
730–1530 1053 85-90% 22 20.00–46.00 $36.65 $386 —
970–1840 1259 85-90% 29 45.00–55.00 $50.55 $636 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1510 1424 65-75% 4 88.00–98.00 $91.40 $1,302 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–2160 1710 8 59.00–67.00 $63.41 $1,084 +7.47
880–2340 1731 26 69.00–99.00 $83.07 $1,438 +27.13

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1270 1183 2 110.00–112.00 $110.93 $1,312 —
1330–1485 1422 5 107.00–110.00 $108.59 $1,544 —
1310–1680 1447 15 112.00–120.00 $115.64 $1,673 —

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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.