Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 4, 2022

10,731 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 $158.47/cwt +1.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,304/hd at 823 lb · 621 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $148.50/cwt -7.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,008/hd at 679 lb · 474 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $157.19/cwt -4.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,220/hd at 776 lb · 465 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,731 9,133 13,875
Feeder cattle 9,147 8,116 12,255
Slaughter cattle 1,584 1,017 1,620

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold steady to 1.00 higher. Feeder steers under 650 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower; 650 to 850 lbs sold on a light test with a weak undertone; over 850 lbs sold on a light test with a firm undertone. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold on a light test with a firm undertone; 600 to 750 lbs steady to 2.00 lower; over 750 lbs sold 2.00 to 5.00 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
240 240 4 230.00 $230.00 $552 —
285 285 3 220.00 $220.00 $627 —
300–323 unweaned 317 4 222.50–227.50 $226.32 $717 +12.78
305–347 338 33 195.00–227.50 $210.28 $711 -12.72
353–395 381 113 200.00–238.00 $224.21 $854 -8.38
390 unweaned 390 29 198.00 $198.00 $772 -35.72
400 unweaned 400 14 224.50 $224.50 $898 +7.24
410–447 435 279 202.00–239.00 $218.22 $949 -4.85
450–499 475 275 191.00–233.00 $213.48 $1,014 -5.13
481–493 unweaned 488 51 189.00–209.00 $194.96 $951 +0.31
500–545 527 332 190.00–217.00 $208.07 $1,097 +0.27
555–592 576 269 182.00–203.50 $192.46 $1,109 -3.54
600 unweaned 600 24 178.00 $178.00 $1,068 +11.68
600–647 623 191 168.00–195.00 $180.94 $1,127 -5.86
654 unweaned 654 16 161.50 $161.50 $1,056 +0.50
650–696 672 216 161.00–186.00 $174.05 $1,170 +1.18
708–747 725 203 148.00–176.25 $162.13 $1,175 -6.32
753–798 776 465 140.00–166.00 $157.19 $1,220 -4.25
801–839 823 621 140.00–163.75 $158.47 $1,304 -0.43
859–889 869 419 143.00–155.50 $153.42 $1,333 +7.42
908–941 923 406 134.00–160.00 $147.31 $1,360 +0.16
957–983 966 25 138.50–144.50 $140.70 $1,359 +0.07
1016–1025 1020 215 137.85–139.75 $138.80 $1,416 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
853–1350 932 10 110.00–119.00 $116.28 $1,084 —
955–1245 1145 3 130.00–132.00 $130.56 $1,495 —
1024–1363 1237 35 135.00–145.00 $138.57 $1,714 -1.72
1110–1540 1379 64 125.00–141.50 $137.79 $1,900 —
1215–1895 1466 281 137.00–150.50 $145.21 $2,129 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
346 346 3 175.00 $175.00 $606 —
385–399 397 7 182.50–187.50 $186.81 $742 -15.04
410–420 417 13 160.00–190.00 $171.34 $714 -28.66
450–495 479 61 165.00–195.00 $179.54 $860 -23.35
523 unweaned 523 8 167.50 $167.50 $876 —
505–543 531 24 170.00–191.00 $181.43 $963 +0.12
550–588 577 27 160.00–180.00 $173.09 $999 -2.24
604–647 616 156 149.00–177.25 $173.07 $1,066 -2.06
655–698 683 18 150.00–166.00 $156.54 $1,069 -5.78
713–747 731 7 130.00–150.00 $146.31 $1,070 +0.53
814–846 826 11 145.00–147.00 $146.25 $1,208 ±0.00
885 885 2 121.00–122.00 $121.50 $1,075 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 180.00 $180.00 $711 —
458 458 8 180.00 $180.00 $824 —
538 538 3 155.00 $155.00 $834 —
580–590 585 4 150.00–154.00 $152.02 $889 —
1000–1023 1014 82 131.00–143.25 $141.91 $1,439 +3.89
1280 1280 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,664 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–347 334 46 165.00–197.50 $186.20 $622 +9.87
366–390 unweaned 371 11 167.50–185.00 $175.38 $651 -3.90
353–397 384 64 180.00–196.00 $189.82 $729 -10.93
400–449 426 175 170.00–214.00 $190.34 $811 +9.80
429–446 unweaned 436 58 165.00–179.00 $170.63 $744 -1.90
458–465 thin fleshed 460 11 178.00–183.00 $181.62 $835 —
453–499 474 185 161.00–195.00 $180.48 $855 +7.85
526 thin fleshed 526 20 187.35 $187.35 $985 —
500–549 527 369 165.00–194.00 $174.46 $919 +7.03
554–576 unweaned 559 40 140.00–148.50 $146.56 $819 -6.87
551–598 567 343 155.00–175.00 $165.37 $938 +0.39
601–649 618 417 155.00–174.00 $163.43 $1,010 -0.07
651–698 679 474 137.00–157.00 $148.50 $1,008 -7.17
702–748 721 436 135.00–158.00 $147.13 $1,061 -1.53
741 741 22 158.00 $158.00 $1,171 +9.34
756 756 16 165.00 $165.00 $1,247 +23.23
750–798 765 432 132.00–151.00 $143.09 $1,095 +1.32
794 794 6 126.00 $126.00 $1,000 -15.77
810 810 45 154.00 $154.00 $1,247 +17.15
817–836 823 71 134.00–150.00 $142.08 $1,169 +5.23
855 855 11 156.00 $156.00 $1,334 +20.39
850–882 859 120 130.00–147.50 $140.82 $1,210 +5.21
903 903 30 133.00 $133.00 $1,201 +3.32
965 965 24 139.75 $139.75 $1,349 +5.65
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–1215 1008 40 96.00–127.25 $107.48 $1,083 —
964–1318 1106 43 127.00–139.00 $133.01 $1,471 +6.03
955–1330 1116 26 116.00–125.50 $120.20 $1,341 -6.78
1075–1590 1306 71 124.50–141.75 $135.95 $1,776 -8.65
1140–1588 1336 331 134.00–153.00 $145.41 $1,943 +0.81
1480 1480 2 115.00 $115.00 $1,702 —
1580 1580 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,643 —
1655–1850 1753 2 125.00–128.00 $126.42 $2,216 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 3 181.00 $181.00 $480 —
365–368 367 14 165.00–177.00 $171.88 $631 +0.86
400–448 432 71 127.50–183.00 $167.23 $722 +3.74
450–498 484 62 140.00–172.50 $163.80 $793 +11.55
516 unweaned 516 10 145.00 $145.00 $748 —
513–548 525 42 140.00–161.00 $155.54 $817 +0.90
550–595 576 61 130.00–160.00 $148.42 $855 -10.58
600–645 630 42 135.00–150.00 $146.78 $925 +2.17
653–697 689 35 120.00–142.00 $133.54 $920 -4.45
708–738 717 12 120.00–137.00 $128.20 $919 -11.25
755–781 771 8 124.00–129.00 $127.16 $980 —
807 807 9 132.50 $132.50 $1,069 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
265 265 3 500.00 $500.00 —
300 300 3 600.00 $600.00 —
398 398 4 650.00 $650.00 —
405–428 417 6 650.00–700.00 $675.69 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 1 210.00 $210.00 $640 —
435 unweaned 435 5 192.00 $192.00 $835 —
505 unweaned 505 3 178.00 $178.00 $899 —
620–649 638 13 144.50–145.00 $144.69 $923 —
694 694 16 140.00 $140.00 $972 —
822 822 3 125.00 $125.00 $1,028 —
850 850 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,114 —
985 985 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,202 —
1045 1045 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,170 —
1070 1070 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,284 —
1125 1125 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,271 —
1225 1225 2 110.00 $110.00 $1,348 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 180.00 $180.00 $585 —
355 355 1 166.00 $166.00 $589 —
514 514 4 156.00 $156.00 $802 —
585 585 1 142.00 $142.00 $831 —
900 900 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,008 —
950 950 3 91.00 $91.00 $864 —
1024 1024 11 97.00 $97.00 $993 —
1180 1180 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,074 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1875 1442 75-80% 87 80.00–87.00 $82.98 $1,197 -0.29
1225–1800 1492 75-80% 54 86.00–94.00 $88.50 $1,320 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1905 1314 80-85% 103 66.00–79.00 $73.97 $972 -1.26
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1040 933 85-90% 4 35.00–45.00 $40.56 $378 —
785–1655 1156 85-90% 55 50.00–69.00 $62.57 $723 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360 1360 65-75% 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,333 —
1470 1470 65-75% 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,558 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1325 1140 2 64.00–76.00 $69.03 $787 —
1095–2225 1612 24 83.00–110.50 $103.66 $1,671 —
1005–2360 1829 18 112.00–126.00 $118.69 $2,171 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410 1410 1 90.50 $90.50 $1,276 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1210 1198 3 99.00–112.00 $107.29 $1,285 —
1270–1620 1376 7 106.00–119.00 $113.97 $1,568 —
1300–1735 1462 39 122.00–132.00 $126.72 $1,853 +7.64

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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.