Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 18, 2022

4,349 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 $164.90/cwt +8.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,339/hd at 812 lb · 233 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $164.58/cwt -2.48 vs last sale · ≈ $951/hd at 578 lb · 196 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $157.52/cwt +6.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,065/hd at 676 lb · 193 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,349 14,105 8,017
Feeder cattle 2,801 12,700 6,246
Slaughter cattle 1,548 1,405 1,771

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder steers sold on a light test with a firm undertone. Feeder heifers sold on a light test with a weak undertone.

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
359–362 360 19 207.50–241.00 $235.40 $847 +8.10
404–438 424 38 185.00–223.00 $208.99 $886 -12.88
460 unweaned 460 5 184.00 $184.00 $846 -17.16
458–496 478 64 185.00–216.00 $205.14 $981 -3.19
507–542 524 95 181.00–219.00 $201.28 $1,055 +1.49
555–590 574 73 168.00–204.00 $189.75 $1,089 -2.28
605–648 625 135 151.00–199.50 $186.56 $1,166 +4.65
659–693 669 91 157.00–177.50 $169.29 $1,133 -5.44
701–737 714 126 163.00–177.00 $169.64 $1,211 +4.08
763–795 769 179 150.25–168.25 $163.65 $1,258 +2.31
810–849 812 233 147.00–168.25 $164.90 $1,339 +8.67
861–898 881 193 152.50–156.25 $155.13 $1,367 +7.27
903 903 27 137.50 $137.50 $1,242 -7.30
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
938–1335 1067 19 100.00–125.00 $112.50 $1,200 —
1035–1315 1236 18 122.50–135.50 $130.40 $1,612 —
1107–1348 1240 27 130.00–148.75 $144.88 $1,797 —
1040–1678 1336 81 130.00–142.00 $136.79 $1,828 —
1225–1825 1459 355 133.00–155.50 $149.28 $2,178 —
1475–1570 1523 2 99.00–113.00 $105.78 $1,611 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
463–497 485 14 162.00–175.00 $170.73 $828 -16.14
517–549 540 17 154.00–175.00 $165.89 $896 -13.49
559–596 581 17 154.00–183.00 $171.12 $994 -1.30
631–635 632 20 175.00–177.50 $175.38 $1,108 +7.97
674–690 682 8 151.00–153.00 $152.01 $1,037 -2.54
808 808 5 148.00 $148.00 $1,196 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1029 1029 55 141.25 $141.25 $1,453 +9.57
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 4 171.00 $171.00 $848 —
628 628 14 151.00 $151.00 $948 —
674 674 7 144.00 $144.00 $971 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–323 321 7 180.00–215.00 $210.17 $675 +15.42
351–388 367 12 160.00–201.00 $179.07 $657 -9.95
403–440 421 55 154.00–194.00 $176.44 $743 -3.89
424 unweaned 424 4 160.00 $160.00 $678 -30.00
455–496 484 52 166.00–181.00 $173.66 $841 -0.34
497 unweaned 497 10 152.00 $152.00 $755 -13.88
501–549 525 104 159.00–174.50 $169.05 $888 -1.37
572 unweaned 572 3 148.00 $148.00 $847 -20.53
551–595 578 193 150.00–170.00 $164.84 $953 -1.13
600–641 625 82 143.50–165.00 $159.02 $994 -0.86
666–668 667 44 166.00–166.20 $166.15 $1,108 +14.69
657–695 679 149 141.00–164.00 $154.97 $1,052 +3.51
705–749 721 153 132.00–148.00 $141.08 $1,017 -5.74
763–765 764 13 139.00–140.00 $139.61 $1,067 -3.20
812–843 826 52 131.00–145.00 $139.23 $1,150 -15.01
853–876 860 39 138.25–143.25 $141.91 $1,220 -9.07
903–936 931 27 126.50–137.50 $135.92 $1,265 +13.60
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
931–1125 1014 12 90.00–123.00 $100.70 $1,021 —
985–1295 1176 7 127.50–137.00 $133.16 $1,566 +5.64
855–1328 1201 60 130.00–150.00 $144.25 $1,732 —
1035–1460 1280 43 120.00–140.00 $131.34 $1,681 -6.12
1148–1563 1389 233 138.00–155.50 $147.80 $2,053 +13.97
1330–1510 1411 4 91.00–121.00 $111.91 $1,579 -0.98
1545–1750 1613 4 113.50–126.00 $121.38 $1,958 -12.62
1870 1870 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,683 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312–345 329 6 157.50–160.00 $158.69 $522 -4.98
358 358 2 152.50 $152.50 $546 -18.95
414 414 4 166.00 $166.00 $687 -6.58
505–548 536 17 148.00–160.00 $156.28 $838 -0.07
665–695 678 16 131.00–150.00 $135.62 $920 -1.22
839 839 18 120.00 $120.00 $1,007 -3.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
482 482 6 150.00 $150.00 $723 —
588 588 10 130.00 $130.00 $764 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1108–1138 1126 5 120.00–122.50 $121.52 $1,368 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 3 162.00 $162.00 $786 —
695 695 3 136.00 $136.00 $945 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1855 1448 75-80% 76 80.00–86.50 $83.29 $1,206 -0.13
1275–1965 1591 75-80% 36 87.00–96.00 $90.81 $1,445 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1970 1372 80-85% 67 71.00–79.00 $75.62 $1,038 —
1350–1595 1450 80-85% 5 65.00–69.00 $66.95 $971 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1465 1071 85-90% 8 51.00–59.00 $55.41 $593 —
860–1635 1147 85-90% 36 53.00–71.00 $65.54 $752 +1.77
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430–1865 1574 65-75% 4 97.50–115.00 $108.44 $1,707 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1305 1183 3 64.00–76.00 $71.68 $848 —
920–2415 1685 26 84.00–111.00 $104.50 $1,761 —
1270–2130 1771 14 112.00–120.00 $115.48 $2,045 —
YG3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1127–1365 1184 24 93.00–99.50 $95.49 $1,131 —
1620–2325 1904 5 99.00–105.00 $102.64 $1,954 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1124–1300 1139 12 112.00–124.50 $113.19 $1,289 —
1558–1650 1569 10 110.00–122.00 $111.73 $1,753 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1163–1372 1288 5 105.00–108.00 $106.92 $1,377 —
1328–1455 1394 36 110.50–120.00 $116.17 $1,619 —
1455–1615 1535 4 101.00–103.00 $101.47 $1,558 —
1495–1730 1563 41 114.00–121.50 $117.47 $1,836 -2.71
1280–1770 1571 40 123.00–131.75 $126.65 $1,990 +6.47
1575–1716 1641 30 123.00–140.00 $131.58 $2,159 —

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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.