Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 21, 2022

6,225 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 $153.70/cwt +1.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,260/hd at 820 lb · 493 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $170.07/cwt -0.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,228/hd at 722 lb · 428 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $140.62/cwt -0.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,165/hd at 828 lb · 337 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,225 8,290 8,014
Feeder cattle 5,166 6,746 6,224
Slaughter cattle 1,059 1,544 1,790

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder steers under 550 lbs steady to 2.00 higher; 550 to 750 lbs 3.00 to 6.00 lower; over 750 lbs steady to 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers overall sold 2.00 to 5.00 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
258–278 264 7 225.00–231.00 $229.19 $605 —
332–334 333 10 218.00–230.00 $225.18 $750 -11.47
362–399 376 28 207.50–245.50 $235.39 $885 +19.95
423 unweaned 423 4 196.00 $196.00 $829 -13.50
402–447 424 81 203.00–237.00 $223.41 $947 -2.33
475 thin fleshed 475 15 209.50 $209.50 $995 —
453–498 479 97 181.00–230.00 $215.73 $1,033 +0.71
513 unweaned 513 4 171.00 $171.00 $877 —
501–547 519 109 196.50–221.00 $212.40 $1,102 +2.30
553 553 8 179.00 $179.00 $990 -20.25
551–597 573 174 183.00–201.00 $195.20 $1,118 -4.05
602–646 619 191 164.50–197.00 $185.84 $1,150 -2.37
658 thin fleshed 658 24 181.75 $181.75 $1,196 —
665 fancy 665 38 173.00 $173.00 $1,150 —
650–692 672 167 145.00–184.00 $173.03 $1,163 -6.22
700–739 716 137 153.00–173.00 $163.54 $1,171 -2.59
704–733 thin fleshed 725 291 172.50–175.25 $173.15 $1,255 —
756–798 775 171 148.75–164.75 $157.15 $1,218 +0.03
801–849 820 493 144.75–158.75 $153.70 $1,260 +1.35
850–892 868 128 140.00–155.00 $150.57 $1,307 -3.26
906–931 914 119 140.00–148.75 $145.17 $1,327 +2.63
952–961 954 43 138.50–147.75 $147.05 $1,403 —
1026 1026 19 131.00 $131.00 $1,344 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1265 1150 11 137.00–140.00 $138.28 $1,590 —
1128–1342 1223 6 125.00–130.00 $127.06 $1,554 +7.26
1130–1640 1339 35 122.00–140.00 $135.50 $1,814 +1.81
1380–1495 1428 3 101.00–110.00 $105.79 $1,511 —
1200–1763 1456 220 138.75–149.50 $145.44 $2,118 +29.45
1760–1845 1799 4 136.00–140.00 $137.73 $2,478 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 6 219.00 $219.00 $631 —
453–491 475 7 175.00–187.00 $182.09 $865 -6.15
510–546 535 29 167.50–195.00 $182.16 $975 +0.74
550–599 579 33 160.00–183.00 $173.01 $1,002 -9.62
623 623 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,053 -3.39
666 666 5 168.00 $168.00 $1,119 +2.93
726–738 735 13 153.50–160.75 $156.66 $1,151 +2.33
766–783 775 9 139.00–141.00 $140.12 $1,086 -11.42
809 809 4 132.50 $132.50 $1,072 —
880 880 34 136.50 $136.50 $1,201 -4.77
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
637–648 639 9 159.00–160.00 $159.77 $1,021 —
654 654 8 165.00 $165.00 $1,079 —
758 758 3 144.00 $144.00 $1,092 —
851–891 861 16 130.00–139.50 $137.04 $1,180 —
968 968 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,239 —
1060 1060 13 134.00 $134.00 $1,420 —
1185 1185 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,576 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
734 734 4 145.00 $145.00 $1,064 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 286 4 207.00 $207.00 $592 —
300 300 2 198.00 $198.00 $594 -17.74
350–395 377 78 179.00–204.00 $192.31 $725 +6.05
402–448 428 45 170.00–188.00 $180.95 $774 -7.70
434 fancy 434 12 195.00 $195.00 $846 —
463 unweaned 463 3 160.00 $160.00 $741 -14.00
472–486 fancy 476 37 193.00–195.75 $194.99 $928 —
453–496 480 99 161.00–182.00 $174.76 $839 -4.04
501–545 522 114 166.00–189.00 $176.60 $922 -1.92
551–598 573 230 141.00–179.75 $165.96 $951 -4.96
610 thin fleshed 610 30 167.00 $167.00 $1,019 —
600–647 625 178 145.00–164.75 $156.79 $980 -5.33
650–697 669 253 136.50–163.75 $152.79 $1,022 -3.71
671 671 5 128.00 $128.00 $859 -28.50
700–743 732 169 132.00–152.00 $142.55 $1,043 +7.05
751–783 768 143 130.50–151.75 $139.00 $1,068 -2.21
816–822 820 100 140.50–157.00 $145.51 $1,193 +6.19
805–845 832 237 128.25–145.25 $138.56 $1,153 -17.44
873–886 883 67 136.75–139.00 $136.89 $1,209 +1.57
907–918 912 85 131.00–136.75 $133.40 $1,217 +7.90
972 972 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,244 -2.00
1003–1014 1012 14 123.00–124.00 $123.86 $1,253 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–1225 1086 9 108.00–129.00 $122.55 $1,331 —
1043–1285 1131 8 129.00–135.10 $132.92 $1,503 +18.13
1087–1288 1238 32 132.00–139.50 $137.85 $1,707 +11.29
1310–1335 1323 2 110.00–111.00 $110.50 $1,462 +7.97
1095–1640 1330 49 121.50–140.50 $132.27 $1,759 +29.74
1122–1633 1362 262 137.50–150.00 $145.11 $1,976 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 3 152.50 $152.50 $511 -13.50
364 364 4 142.50 $142.50 $519 -25.00
405 405 6 141.00 $141.00 $571 -13.98
450–490 469 32 130.00–165.00 $154.64 $725 -7.00
500–530 513 34 135.00–162.00 $150.70 $773 -1.18
618 618 3 151.00 $151.00 $933 +7.15
676–681 678 13 120.00–144.00 $132.33 $897 -11.07
751–792 776 41 122.00–136.00 $131.98 $1,024 -2.02
917 917 3 102.00 $102.00 $935 —
1135 1135 2 92.50 $92.50 $1,050 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
608 608 13 131.50 $131.50 $800 —
709–748 734 26 120.00–131.00 $123.33 $905 —
1020–1046 1035 53 132.25–133.50 $132.98 $1,376 —
1080–1081 1080 11 117.00–128.50 $124.32 $1,343 —
1193 1193 4 121.00 $121.00 $1,444 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
378 378 3 710.00 $710.00 —
416 416 3 750.00 $750.00 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1141 1141 3 101.00 $101.00 $1,152 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–2045 1469 75-80% 53 78.00–85.00 $82.75 $1,216 —
1110–1905 1471 75-80% 74 86.00–95.00 $88.84 $1,307 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1820 1347 80-85% 52 66.00–79.00 $74.21 $1,000 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640–1220 956 85-90% 6 30.00–51.00 $43.07 $412 —
830–1495 1198 85-90% 20 57.00–65.00 $61.12 $732 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1710 1477 65-75% 3 98.00–105.00 $100.52 $1,485 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–1695 1355 4 60.00–66.00 $62.19 $843 —
1150–2355 1921 20 80.00–109.00 $101.31 $1,946 —
1080–2465 1942 18 111.00–122.00 $115.90 $2,251 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1097–1100 1098 3 107.00–108.00 $107.67 $1,182 —
1110–1175 1150 6 117.00–118.00 $117.58 $1,352 —
1400 1400 4 119.75 $119.75 $1,676 -0.02
1435 1435 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,277 -30.77
1355–1847 1552 21 120.00–130.00 $126.83 $1,968 —

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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.