Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 12, 2022

13,136 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $179.17/cwt +0.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,300/hd at 726 lb · 921 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $170.93/cwt -0.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,070/hd at 626 lb · 884 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $189.74/cwt -2.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,189/hd at 627 lb · 870 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 13,136 20,669 16,789
Feeder cattle 12,360 18,573 14,965
Slaughter cattle 776 2,096 1,824

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter choice steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers under 800 lbs sold uneven, 3.00 lower to 1.00 higher; over 800 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 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
328–348 338 23 212.50–240.00 $223.75 $756 +5.31
352–397 unweaned 369 22 205.00–230.00 $215.98 $797 -8.88
355–397 380 58 192.00–240.00 $222.72 $846 +9.64
400–448 425 134 192.00–235.00 $222.26 $945 +4.61
454 value added 454 9 225.00 $225.00 $1,022 —
470 fancy 470 14 222.00 $222.00 $1,043 -8.42
455–497 474 169 193.50–240.00 $214.16 $1,015 -0.83
460–492 unweaned 477 25 187.00–242.00 $209.44 $999 -4.92
514 fancy 514 14 217.50 $217.50 $1,118 -11.00
517–537 unweaned 529 27 198.00–219.00 $206.36 $1,092 -1.33
501–549 530 430 182.00–228.00 $209.10 $1,108 +0.12
550–597 571 565 172.50–215.00 $200.83 $1,147 +0.86
562–597 fancy 571 91 205.50–219.00 $208.49 $1,190 +1.05
550–593 unweaned 581 62 170.00–205.00 $186.33 $1,083 -13.79
600–648 626 777 178.00–207.00 $190.08 $1,190 -1.87
615–635 unweaned 626 40 180.00–186.50 $184.16 $1,153 -5.68
628–649 fancy 638 53 186.00–191.50 $188.96 $1,206 -9.45
652–682 fancy 663 63 186.00–190.75 $188.39 $1,249 -8.00
650–694 670 589 160.00–190.75 $184.13 $1,234 -2.56
652–699 unweaned 680 94 161.00–179.75 $169.87 $1,155 -11.83
720 unweaned 720 10 165.00 $165.00 $1,188 -7.91
702–749 725 829 162.00–188.50 $179.05 $1,298 +0.57
701–749 fancy 733 82 178.75–187.00 $182.09 $1,335 +1.76
750–798 774 390 168.50–179.50 $174.82 $1,353 -7.42
800–849 825 383 163.00–181.50 $177.60 $1,465 -2.27
855 unweaned 855 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,197 -13.00
855–897 878 502 165.00–186.50 $178.20 $1,565 -1.95
905–935 921 74 154.00–174.50 $165.96 $1,528 -5.08
967–981 976 21 164.00–169.00 $165.89 $1,619 +0.01
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1215 1122 3 131.00–138.00 $133.90 $1,502 +5.37
1140–1240 1207 3 145.00–146.00 $145.31 $1,754 —
1315 value added 1315 1 160.00 $160.00 $2,104 —
1235–1785 1383 36 143.00–149.75 $147.94 $2,046 +1.20
1250–1690 1503 278 150.00–161.50 $153.69 $2,310 -1.19
1655 1655 1 136.00 $136.00 $2,251 —
1698–2010 1760 15 131.00–152.00 $148.46 $2,613 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 3 177.00 $177.00 $646 +1.98
374–384 unweaned 379 15 152.00–200.00 $174.72 $662 —
417–448 429 21 175.00–193.00 $181.79 $780 +22.59
459–494 468 26 157.00–213.00 $185.50 $868 +12.80
506–549 531 69 147.00–205.00 $180.82 $960 +2.03
580 unweaned 580 6 161.00 $161.00 $934 -9.00
580–595 588 20 150.00–182.00 $168.58 $991 +1.41
621–633 626 7 175.00–185.00 $180.67 $1,131 +13.36
672–693 686 17 152.00–170.00 $164.91 $1,131 -5.32
693–699 unweaned 697 8 150.00 $150.00 $1,046 -16.00
726–738 734 17 150.00–166.00 $157.71 $1,158 +6.28
800–832 818 7 150.00–151.00 $150.58 $1,232 +17.73
858 858 5 165.00 $165.00 $1,416 +8.61
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018–1040 1029 91 166.25 $166.25 $1,711 +21.25
1230 1230 10 152.50 $152.50 $1,876 +5.50
1345–1349 1348 5 155.00–155.50 $155.10 $2,091 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1056 1056 3 137.50 $137.50 $1,452 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–346 343 9 172.00–190.00 $179.92 $617 +10.53
353–393 unweaned 369 22 160.00–187.00 $177.51 $655 +4.51
354–399 376 103 170.00–205.50 $191.00 $718 +9.83
405–447 unweaned 429 16 168.00–174.00 $170.48 $731 -9.83
405–448 437 162 162.00–203.00 $182.51 $798 -1.46
464–488 unweaned 476 38 160.00–177.50 $171.30 $815 -7.68
450–497 478 353 159.00–199.50 $183.62 $878 +1.57
493 fancy 493 12 182.50 $182.50 $900 -0.16
503–543 unweaned 527 45 150.00–177.00 $162.75 $858 -15.34
500–549 530 456 151.00–197.00 $178.99 $949 -2.76
539 fancy 539 55 178.50 $178.50 $962 —
558–571 unweaned 561 46 165.00–173.00 $169.94 $953 +3.51
550–598 572 598 152.00–184.00 $173.25 $991 -2.56
572 572 15 188.00 $188.00 $1,075 +12.19
573–579 fancy 576 31 176.00–185.00 $180.62 $1,040 -3.49
605–646 unweaned 625 60 163.00–173.00 $168.62 $1,054 +3.86
600–649 626 787 146.00–186.00 $171.23 $1,072 +0.73
627 627 21 168.00 $168.00 $1,053 -2.50
634 fancy 634 16 168.50 $168.50 $1,068 -17.43
658 unweaned 658 11 165.00 $165.00 $1,086 +8.68
651–697 669 432 142.50–177.50 $167.19 $1,119 -1.54
660–697 686 109 168.25–174.50 $172.18 $1,181 +3.18
701–745 724 240 155.00–174.00 $166.30 $1,204 -5.12
750–795 762 490 156.50–176.00 $167.83 $1,279 -4.90
800–838 825 253 153.50–177.00 $169.18 $1,396 +14.58
859 859 5 148.50 $148.50 $1,276 -6.25
909–920 913 9 135.00–153.25 $147.12 $1,343 -8.27
980–990 987 10 149.00–149.50 $149.15 $1,472 -4.41
1001 1001 4 145.50 $145.50 $1,456 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003 1003 13 153.00 $153.00 $1,535 —
927–1170 1010 24 141.00–146.00 $145.60 $1,471 —
1040–1245 1112 3 130.00–138.00 $133.77 $1,488 —
1158 value added 1158 7 159.25 $159.25 $1,844 —
1090–1435 1244 39 141.50–149.00 $146.85 $1,827 —
1115–1651 1377 227 149.00–162.00 $154.41 $2,126 -1.08
1529–1591 1551 14 139.75–140.75 $140.38 $2,177 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313–340 318 16 165.00–190.00 $170.01 $541 +6.61
368 368 5 140.00 $140.00 $515 -16.05
430 430 6 163.00 $163.00 $701 -4.80
452 452 9 145.00 $145.00 $655 -15.42
450–490 unweaned 478 14 134.00–171.00 $163.15 $780 +10.15
509 unweaned 509 6 160.00 $160.00 $814 +8.59
528–545 535 17 140.00–169.00 $150.08 $803 -2.09
556–598 581 44 141.00–161.00 $149.37 $868 -5.69
605–641 unweaned 633 13 140.00–150.00 $147.79 $936 —
637–643 638 23 156.00–164.00 $162.60 $1,037 +7.60
663–695 682 15 142.00–153.00 $147.79 $1,008 +2.15
711–735 718 13 137.00–156.00 $149.98 $1,077 +0.69
768 768 9 120.00 $120.00 $922 -30.74
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1068 1068 4 106.00 $106.00 $1,132 -29.50
1076 1076 4 123.00 $123.00 $1,323 -12.50
1235 1235 2 148.00 $148.00 $1,828 —
1270 1270 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,892 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 9 136.00 $136.00 $1,401 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
318 318 4 500.00 $500.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 unweaned 457 6 164.00 $164.00 $749 —
477 477 3 145.00 $145.00 $692 -46.86
510 unweaned 510 7 158.00 $158.00 $806 —
593 593 3 130.00 $130.00 $771 -28.66
638 638 4 126.00 $126.00 $804 —
671 671 5 142.50 $142.50 $956 -1.50
705–725 711 18 124.00–150.00 $141.95 $1,009 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1275 1233 4 113.00–117.00 $114.74 $1,415 —
1175–1650 1376 30 120.00–130.50 $126.36 $1,739 —
1310–1900 1569 33 131.50–146.00 $137.88 $2,163 —

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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.