Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 3, 2023

10,998 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 $197.86/cwt +10.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,729/hd at 874 lb · 711 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $260.49/cwt +5.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,363/hd at 523 lb · 505 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $184.66/cwt +10.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,529/hd at 828 lb · 481 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,998 5,781 10,731
Feeder cattle 10,174 4,171 9,147
Slaughter cattle 824 1,610 1,584

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers under 500 lbs sold on a light test though a higher undertone was noted. Feeder steers over 500 lbs sold steady to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers over 500 lbs sold 4.00 to 9.00 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
315–347 unweaned 331 20 250.00–325.00 $281.50 $932 —
305–346 337 62 250.00–335.00 $292.71 $986 —
375 fancy 375 18 300.00 $300.00 $1,125 —
362–395 unweaned 381 53 237.50–276.00 $260.49 $992 -4.51
381 381 12 288.00 $288.00 $1,097 +26.75
360–398 383 124 252.50–305.00 $269.36 $1,032 +8.11
400–445 421 104 250.00–292.50 $274.04 $1,154 +10.51
408–440 unweaned 425 77 230.00–290.00 $252.31 $1,072 —
435 fancy 435 32 301.00 $301.00 $1,309 —
460–493 unweaned 477 58 225.00–274.00 $250.64 $1,196 -15.86
451–499 483 303 242.50–285.00 $260.64 $1,259 -6.02
485 fancy 485 44 286.00 $286.00 $1,387 —
503–543 unweaned 521 134 226.00–259.00 $246.22 $1,283 +1.91
501–547 524 371 232.00–290.00 $265.64 $1,392 +14.79
550–598 572 377 221.00–276.00 $250.34 $1,432 +2.07
560–599 unweaned 576 59 190.00–233.00 $217.40 $1,252 —
602–624 unweaned 610 32 202.50–227.00 $219.12 $1,337 —
600–649 620 366 211.00–242.50 $228.76 $1,418 +3.10
662–667 fancy 664 80 226.50–227.50 $226.83 $1,506 —
652–692 673 246 188.00–229.50 $215.06 $1,447 -10.32
674 unweaned 674 6 202.50 $202.50 $1,365 —
702–747 721 233 199.00–231.00 $216.57 $1,561 +8.18
745 unweaned 745 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,416 —
755–799 773 326 170.00–220.00 $205.77 $1,591 +0.65
803–845 826 170 173.00–207.00 $199.58 $1,649 +1.16
851–898 874 711 173.00–207.00 $197.86 $1,729 +10.61
925 925 3 186.00 $186.00 $1,720 +4.37
950–992 959 108 178.00–190.50 $189.27 $1,815 +12.02
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–345 323 27 222.50–255.00 $237.54 $767 —
361 unweaned 361 3 230.00 $230.00 $830 —
362–395 381 9 232.50–257.50 $246.45 $939 —
400 unweaned 400 4 237.50 $237.50 $950 —
402–446 416 45 199.00–260.00 $243.84 $1,014 —
465–498 unweaned 471 23 205.00–238.00 $224.96 $1,060 —
450–492 474 81 206.00–244.00 $235.61 $1,117 —
501–548 522 88 200.00–250.00 $232.42 $1,213 +3.43
503–546 unweaned 527 9 217.50–218.00 $217.71 $1,147 —
553–599 578 78 192.00–246.00 $231.95 $1,341 +5.17
608–642 627 18 207.00–211.00 $209.58 $1,314 +9.58
632 unweaned 632 4 205.00 $205.00 $1,296 —
666–677 673 11 193.00–200.00 $197.28 $1,328 -2.72
704–749 730 32 185.00–206.00 $192.04 $1,402 +8.79
856 856 4 172.50 $172.50 $1,477 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1155 1112 3 140.00–156.00 $149.65 $1,664 +6.49
1000–1600 1354 21 159.00–172.00 $168.74 $2,285 —
1175–1820 1464 94 171.00–184.00 $177.49 $2,598 +5.38

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–343 331 37 222.50–292.00 $273.63 $906 +15.63
336–344 unweaned 341 21 245.00–270.00 $254.41 $868 —
351–393 unweaned 367 38 245.00–272.50 $262.85 $965 +15.35
353–399 375 124 250.00–307.00 $287.61 $1,079 +62.77
386 386 12 249.50 $249.50 $963 +24.66
402–448 431 210 237.50–269.00 $252.69 $1,089 +16.65
409–445 unweaned 431 70 227.50–255.00 $240.43 $1,036 +6.56
455 455 7 248.00 $248.00 $1,128 +21.46
461–497 unweaned 472 94 200.00–245.00 $221.85 $1,047 -3.15
455–499 483 292 228.00–279.00 $250.74 $1,211 +24.20
500 fancy 500 25 274.50 $274.50 $1,372 —
506–546 unweaned 525 47 192.50–207.50 $203.08 $1,066 +8.88
501–548 526 280 210.00–258.00 $234.26 $1,232 +8.58
550–599 572 386 195.00–237.50 $218.50 $1,250 +4.91
554–590 unweaned 573 13 183.00–186.00 $184.65 $1,058 —
600–649 624 420 183.00–222.50 $212.50 $1,326 +10.11
635 unweaned 635 9 200.00 $200.00 $1,270 —
651–694 667 420 187.00–215.25 $202.78 $1,353 +3.28
701–749 727 424 178.00–200.50 $190.55 $1,385 +5.46
751–795 763 182 179.75–205.00 $187.53 $1,431 +4.32
763–779 776 92 186.00–194.00 $187.45 $1,455 +3.93
805–849 828 461 171.00–194.00 $184.74 $1,530 +6.74
832 832 20 182.75 $182.75 $1,520 +4.75
882 882 3 172.00 $172.00 $1,517 -9.60
930 930 3 161.00 $161.00 $1,497 -9.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 4 235.00 $235.00 $761 —
350–388 369 52 215.00–265.00 $247.40 $913 —
361–395 unweaned 384 22 212.50–240.00 $230.68 $886 —
400–436 424 34 200.00–225.00 $214.31 $909 —
452–498 473 146 185.00–247.50 $231.30 $1,094 +50.30
486 unweaned 486 11 212.50 $212.50 $1,033 —
510–544 536 67 193.00–227.50 $205.11 $1,099 +0.71
551–594 576 24 181.00–197.50 $191.22 $1,101 +3.59
619–620 619 46 186.25–187.00 $186.82 $1,156 +12.82
670–682 675 10 171.00–188.00 $179.25 $1,210 —
714–749 733 16 154.50–180.00 $165.47 $1,213 —
759–773 765 13 132.50–182.50 $155.80 $1,192 -18.14
944 944 5 165.00 $165.00 $1,558 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1280 1166 5 140.00–158.00 $149.27 $1,740 +11.77
1025–1550 1255 14 160.00–169.50 $166.95 $2,095 +8.80
1150–1562 1367 156 173.00–183.50 $177.61 $2,428 +5.63
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
296 296 4 785.00 $785.00 —
334 334 6 820.00 $820.00 —
362 362 4 850.00 $850.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060 1060 3 148.00 $148.00 $1,569 —
1115 1115 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,840 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 9 228.00 $228.00 $1,172 —
701 701 7 188.00 $188.00 $1,318 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1820 1421 75-80% 89 93.00–106.50 $101.87 $1,448 -5.10
1190–1995 1482 75-80% 29 100.00–117.00 $106.70 $1,581 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1890 1344 80-85% 113 84.00–98.50 $92.62 $1,245 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635–1140 858 85-90% 7 30.00–59.00 $46.36 $398 —
805–1550 1099 85-90% 69 65.00–88.00 $81.20 $892 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1705 1705 65-75% 1 122.00 $122.00 $2,080 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–2405 1826 12 119.00–133.00 $124.03 $2,265 —
1220–2295 1880 19 96.00–117.00 $110.31 $2,074 -13.05

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930 930 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,162 —
1165–1440 1299 11 130.00–140.00 $134.43 $1,746 —
1300–1395 1348 2 127.00–129.00 $128.04 $1,726 —
1325–1870 1612 43 141.00–151.00 $147.65 $2,380 —

↑ Back to top

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.