Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 27, 2023

14,502 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $207.94/cwt +8.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,394/hd at 670 lb · 1,169 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $192.09/cwt +5.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,483/hd at 772 lb · 1,017 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $188.92/cwt +4.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,180/hd at 625 lb · 748 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 14,502 14,003 14,908
Feeder cattle 12,886 13,353 13,462
Slaughter cattle 1,616 650 1,446

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice steers and heifers sold steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder steers under 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher, over 700 lbs steady to 5.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 550 lbs sold 12.00 to 15.00 higher, over 550 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
315–343 333 28 237.50–261.00 $243.98 $812 -2.48
353–395 378 43 220.00–272.00 $240.68 $910 -0.47
384 unweaned 384 6 270.00 $270.00 $1,037 —
401–447 424 84 202.00–270.00 $253.53 $1,075 +8.27
452–499 480 305 211.00–260.00 $244.59 $1,174 +5.55
482–499 unweaned 493 31 210.00–241.00 $229.67 $1,132 —
500–549 525 498 210.00–259.00 $236.19 $1,240 -1.54
530 fancy 530 5 251.00 $251.00 $1,330 +9.26
550–598 578 610 200.00–248.00 $227.27 $1,314 +3.32
585 unweaned 585 34 212.00 $212.00 $1,240 +12.00
600–649 622 648 195.00–230.75 $218.00 $1,356 +5.68
650–696 670 1,158 180.00–223.25 $208.18 $1,395 +8.29
691 unweaned 691 11 183.00 $183.00 $1,265 —
700–749 731 715 175.00–205.85 $194.84 $1,424 -1.30
750–797 772 1,017 170.00–202.00 $192.09 $1,483 +5.06
801–848 824 615 174.00–191.75 $185.17 $1,526 +0.35
852–894 864 551 160.00–190.50 $182.59 $1,578 -2.52
903–934 916 450 166.00–185.00 $179.17 $1,641 +6.78
950–996 971 28 140.00–171.00 $165.80 $1,610 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1190 1149 5 161.00–161.50 $161.31 $1,853 —
1180–1200 1187 3 146.50–153.00 $148.69 $1,765 —
1120–1325 1203 23 134.00–165.00 $154.89 $1,863 —
1115–1706 1387 67 152.00–162.00 $159.13 $2,207 +0.54
1207–1737 1477 390 157.50–175.00 $167.89 $2,480 +0.43
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358–363 361 4 203.00–207.00 $205.01 $740 —
401–443 412 11 220.00–242.00 $235.56 $971 +18.80
469–498 483 19 209.00–220.00 $215.97 $1,043 +7.54
500–548 526 46 180.00–219.00 $208.39 $1,096 +4.85
560–598 583 59 183.00–209.00 $199.99 $1,166 +4.82
600–648 635 34 180.00–200.00 $188.55 $1,197 +6.98
670–682 680 19 166.00–191.00 $189.70 $1,290 +14.20
715–735 731 7 150.00–174.00 $163.94 $1,198 -6.06
775–785 775 32 150.00–166.00 $165.49 $1,283 -9.51
815–838 825 21 156.00–172.50 $166.36 $1,372 —
934 934 4 156.00 $156.00 $1,457 —
971 971 3 156.00 $156.00 $1,515 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1026–1029 1026 54 167.25–175.25 $174.06 $1,786 +8.31

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 214.00 $214.00 $738 +1.21
350–399 377 88 200.00–232.00 $214.28 $808 -1.99
402 unweaned 402 9 219.00 $219.00 $880 —
401–446 428 163 195.00–242.50 $224.87 $962 +14.16
450–496 475 237 194.00–257.00 $220.34 $1,047 +13.66
483 unweaned 483 23 228.50 $228.50 $1,104 —
512 fancy 512 64 221.00 $221.00 $1,132 —
500–549 529 608 182.00–245.00 $212.50 $1,124 +14.90
550–599 576 699 176.00–207.00 $195.24 $1,125 +5.97
581 unweaned 581 39 184.00 $184.00 $1,069 —
620 fancy 620 26 224.50 $224.50 $1,392 —
601–649 625 722 172.00–197.75 $187.64 $1,173 +3.48
650–699 671 472 169.50–193.00 $180.57 $1,212 -1.43
700–748 723 519 160.00–186.00 $176.84 $1,279 +4.04
724 724 25 188.00 $188.00 $1,361 +15.20
751–797 773 196 163.25–191.50 $174.25 $1,347 -21.25
788 788 18 205.00 $205.00 $1,615 +32.77
800–847 813 217 150.00–177.75 $171.89 $1,397 +5.99
856–898 872 109 161.25–174.50 $165.63 $1,444 +6.76
937–941 939 37 156.50–174.00 $165.09 $1,550 +10.14
967–972 970 18 158.50–160.75 $159.63 $1,548 -2.87
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 1 148.00 $148.00 $1,524 —
885–1295 1060 23 123.00–159.00 $151.93 $1,610 —
935–1175 1151 14 156.00–162.00 $156.35 $1,800 —
1095–1540 1276 108 150.00–164.00 $159.33 $2,033 -0.50
1143–1610 1345 359 156.00–175.50 $168.52 $2,267 +1.84
1660 1660 1 148.50 $148.50 $2,465 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 188.00 $188.00 $602 -1.09
377 377 3 180.00 $180.00 $679 -9.00
405–445 425 29 153.00–199.00 $186.17 $791 +2.88
453–499 475 88 168.00–215.00 $190.61 $905 +13.96
506–545 523 76 176.00–195.00 $186.51 $975 +19.97
558–593 584 13 160.00–181.00 $173.22 $1,012 +19.84
613 613 3 157.00 $157.00 $962 -4.50
684–693 687 6 152.00–157.00 $155.32 $1,067 -5.69
700–705 701 4 160.00–165.00 $163.74 $1,148 +9.28
770 770 3 154.00 $154.00 $1,186 -4.73
822 822 4 158.00 $158.00 $1,299 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1468 1468 4 139.00 $139.00 $2,041 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–456 456 8 228.00–245.00 $236.51 $1,078 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
642 unweaned 642 8 173.00 $173.00 $1,111 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–2085 1429 75-80% 76 90.00–96.50 $93.17 $1,331 +3.64
1155–1900 1523 75-80% 57 96.00–109.00 $99.48 $1,515 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1555 1193 80-85% 22 89.00–106.00 $91.91 $1,096 —
945–1940 1288 80-85% 72 83.00–89.50 $87.04 $1,121 +3.39
1270–1395 1350 80-85% 3 74.00–80.00 $76.23 $1,029 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
665–1355 1049 85-90% 18 32.50–68.00 $55.29 $580 +8.62
825–1650 1197 85-90% 58 69.00–83.00 $77.99 $934 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1760 1552 65-75% 5 114.00–127.00 $119.58 $1,856 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–2185 1533 34 86.00–116.00 $104.37 $1,600 —
1460–2345 1999 27 115.00–130.50 $121.83 $2,435 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150 1150 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,288 —
1375–1585 1468 5 126.00–139.00 $133.58 $1,961 —
1285–1895 1587 30 140.00–151.00 $144.63 $2,295 —

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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.