Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 17, 2022

7,360 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $178.19/cwt -0.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,562/hd at 877 lb · 623 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $180.12/cwt -4.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,497/hd at 831 lb · 376 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $211.01/cwt +9.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,113/hd at 528 lb · 370 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,360 3,912 10,569
Feeder cattle 5,472 2,066 9,521
Slaughter cattle 1,888 1,846 1,048

Compared to last week, slaughter choice steers and heifers sold 3.00 to 4.00 lower. Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold 3.00 to 4.00 lower; 500 to 600 lbs 7.00 to 8.00 higher; 600 to 900 lbs 1.00 to 4.00 lower; over 900 lbs sold on a light test with a firm undertone noted. Feeder heifers overall sold on a light test with a higher undertone noted.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 unweaned 330 3 220.00 $220.00 $726 —
343–347 346 10 195.00–220.00 $202.44 $700 -25.06
353–384 unweaned 367 22 229.00–240.00 $230.89 $847 —
350–396 370 7 210.00–216.00 $212.75 $787 -19.51
410 unweaned 410 3 217.50 $217.50 $892 +1.50
415–447 430 70 205.00–231.50 $226.24 $973 —
443 fancy 443 31 234.00 $234.00 $1,037 +13.00
453–495 unweaned 466 64 210.00–235.00 $230.46 $1,074 +17.46
452–488 467 43 170.00–215.00 $202.97 $948 -3.54
512–539 fancy 518 51 174.50–223.00 $186.37 $965 —
500–545 527 98 188.00–218.00 $209.08 $1,102 +7.88
501–545 unweaned 530 221 121.00–230.50 $217.56 $1,153 +13.42
555–558 fancy 556 62 192.00–216.00 $212.03 $1,179 —
550–587 unweaned 568 77 165.00–206.00 $200.37 $1,138 +17.37
550–596 577 140 170.00–199.00 $185.98 $1,073 +7.94
603–626 unweaned 611 28 141.00–200.25 $184.99 $1,130 +14.99
618 fancy 618 15 188.50 $188.50 $1,165 +0.56
601–644 622 108 161.50–188.00 $177.71 $1,105 -3.32
652–676 unweaned 657 45 166.00–186.00 $178.80 $1,175 -3.20
653–699 686 195 159.00–192.75 $180.84 $1,241 -4.40
711–719 unweaned 715 39 164.50–165.50 $164.96 $1,179 —
731 fancy 731 8 174.00 $174.00 $1,272 —
700–747 733 166 162.25–186.00 $178.83 $1,311 -8.83
769 fancy 769 14 171.00 $171.00 $1,315 -23.50
761–781 775 198 170.00–185.00 $180.80 $1,401 +5.39
811 fancy 811 72 183.50 $183.50 $1,488 -2.75
831 unweaned 831 12 150.00 $150.00 $1,246 —
805–848 836 292 151.00–185.00 $180.52 $1,509 -1.23
859–899 874 552 156.00–182.50 $178.09 $1,557 -0.96
899 fancy 899 71 179.00 $179.00 $1,609 —
900 900 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,197 -38.00
903–922 917 193 160.00–180.40 $177.93 $1,632 +6.93
953–995 982 251 157.25–176.50 $170.89 $1,678 +1.39
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1054–1245 1105 9 137.00–143.00 $141.21 $1,560 —
1040–1195 1118 2 136.50–137.00 $136.73 $1,529 —
1000–1324 1218 28 110.00–149.00 $135.62 $1,652 —
1240 1240 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,500 —
1120–1695 1383 124 127.00–146.75 $141.03 $1,950 +29.03
1250–1720 1495 577 138.00–155.25 $145.96 $2,182 -3.56
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 9 165.00 $165.00 $528 —
413–418 416 7 160.00–174.00 $168.04 $699 —
475 475 7 150.00 $150.00 $712 —
491 unweaned 491 6 200.00 $200.00 $982 —
505–533 519 28 188.00–190.00 $189.03 $981 —
574–575 575 8 153.00–175.00 $164.01 $943 —
639 639 16 155.00 $155.00 $990 -21.00
715 unweaned 715 4 141.00 $141.00 $1,008 —
801 801 6 151.50 $151.50 $1,214 —
868 868 6 158.00 $158.00 $1,371 +4.35
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1093 1077 7 129.00–142.00 $134.65 $1,450 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 unweaned 300 9 242.00 $242.00 $726 —
334–339 337 10 202.00–215.00 $207.15 $698 +2.15
374–388 381 27 186.00–190.00 $188.13 $717 -9.96
372–390 unweaned 382 9 185.00–191.00 $188.40 $720 —
408–446 unweaned 426 58 177.00–215.00 $196.88 $839 —
406–449 432 52 184.00–201.00 $189.42 $818 +9.11
456 456 29 188.50 $188.50 $860 +17.45
455–499 473 69 172.00–190.00 $180.51 $854 +9.46
470–486 unweaned 476 13 185.00 $185.00 $881 +9.93
502–535 unweaned 507 168 167.00–211.00 $197.23 $1,000 —
502–547 521 64 162.00–180.00 $171.58 $894 -4.80
544 544 41 190.00 $190.00 $1,034 +13.62
545 fancy 545 10 190.00 $190.00 $1,036 —
550–597 571 104 142.00–184.50 $173.04 $988 -2.96
551–593 unweaned 572 54 160.00–190.25 $181.89 $1,040 +12.39
606–608 unweaned 608 24 150.00–163.00 $160.30 $975 —
613 613 20 161.50 $161.50 $990 +10.93
600–646 630 134 152.00–185.50 $172.82 $1,089 +22.25
646 fancy 646 7 170.00 $170.00 $1,098 —
657–687 666 95 154.00–180.25 $174.71 $1,164 +19.15
668–682 unweaned 671 21 158.00 $158.00 $1,060 —
701 unweaned 701 13 154.00 $154.00 $1,080 —
702–744 713 220 156.50–177.10 $168.47 $1,201 +5.39
767–793 786 14 148.00–157.00 $154.49 $1,214 -13.42
786 unweaned 786 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,100 —
817 unweaned 817 11 131.00 $131.00 $1,070 —
812–826 821 49 151.00–172.50 $162.61 $1,335 -9.64
856–881 875 26 144.00–161.50 $153.27 $1,341 —
908–947 911 66 125.00–165.75 $162.54 $1,481 -1.81
952–995 961 155 121.50–164.75 $156.58 $1,505 -0.17
1025 1025 54 156.25 $156.25 $1,602 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1220 1042 19 120.00–138.00 $134.05 $1,397 +7.24
928–1234 1101 43 137.00–144.50 $139.92 $1,541 +7.47
835–1285 1103 34 110.00–137.50 $129.74 $1,431 -2.71
1108–1533 1316 85 127.00–146.25 $142.26 $1,872 +1.36
1200–1605 1361 449 137.00–157.25 $147.01 $2,001 —
1420 1420 1 125.50 $125.50 $1,782 +6.57
1720 1720 1 124.00 $124.00 $2,133 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 unweaned 360 3 160.00 $160.00 $576 —
413 413 5 155.00 $155.00 $640 —
463–476 470 8 152.50–165.00 $158.66 $746 +4.82
490 unweaned 490 4 166.00 $166.00 $813 —
552 unweaned 552 5 163.00 $163.00 $900 —
565–578 568 32 149.00–181.00 $168.80 $959 —
607 unweaned 607 4 131.00 $131.00 $795 —
649 649 4 156.00 $156.00 $1,012 —
651–660 653 37 154.50–177.00 $172.70 $1,128 +30.20
703 unweaned 703 3 130.00 $130.00 $914 —
740 740 6 137.00 $137.00 $1,014 —
793 793 4 137.00 $137.00 $1,086 —
816–832 819 21 112.00–171.00 $159.58 $1,307 +30.58
886 886 4 95.00 $95.00 $842 —
950 950 4 153.00 $153.00 $1,454 —
1006 1006 3 118.00 $118.00 $1,187 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1149 1149 4 88.00 $88.00 $1,011 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 4 217.50 $217.50 $772 —
502 unweaned 502 4 171.00 $171.00 $858 —
538 538 4 162.00 $162.00 $872 -16.60
625–642 630 10 145.00–158.00 $154.03 $970 -12.97
698 unweaned 698 6 134.00 $134.00 $935 —
793 793 4 131.00 $131.00 $1,039 —
1111 1111 6 100.00 $100.00 $1,111 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 3 182.50 $182.50 $615 —

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1875 1324 80-85% 88 60.00–83.00 $76.63 $1,015 -0.73
1110–1730 1412 80-85% 8 60.00–69.00 $64.61 $912 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–1490 1129 85-90% 28 30.00–55.00 $49.06 $554 —
880–1565 1194 85-90% 62 56.00–71.00 $65.41 $781 -0.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1905 1458 75-80% 36 84.00–91.00 $86.44 $1,260 —
1300–2175 1683 75-80% 22 92.00–101.00 $96.37 $1,622 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470 1470 65-75% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,911 —

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1320 1039 4 55.00–76.00 $65.66 $682 —
935–2235 1639 26 82.00–107.00 $94.97 $1,557 —
1915–1965 1940 2 110.00–112.00 $111.01 $2,154 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1369 1369 8 131.00–133.00 $131.25 $1,797 —
1410–1548 1456 25 116.00–125.00 $122.68 $1,786 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 1 75.00 $75.00 $994 —
1180–1555 1383 16 116.00–129.00 $121.31 $1,678 —
1325–1592 1504 17 130.00–142.00 $134.57 $2,024 +10.99
1475–1648 1577 22 124.00–130.00 $126.42 $1,994 —

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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.