Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 24, 2023

10,599 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $266.31/cwt -9.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,391/hd at 522 lb · 621 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $236.79/cwt -8.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,479/hd at 625 lb · 583 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $233.71/cwt -0.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,225/hd at 524 lb · 574 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,599 8,623 10,210
Feeder cattle 9,701 7,394 9,944
Slaughter cattle 898 1,229 266

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice Steers and Heifers sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Feeder Steers and heifers sold steady to 6.00 lower, with the best demand for lighter weight calves going to grass and heavier weight yearlings headed to the feedyard. Demand ranged from moderate to good. Supply was moderate.

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
301–348 326 50 265.00–310.00 $290.57 $947 -19.22
361–374 fancy 369 12 302.50–312.00 $306.38 $1,131 —
350–396 371 85 260.00–307.50 $288.91 $1,072 +10.67
355–390 unweaned 379 52 257.00–315.00 $294.65 $1,117 —
401–449 422 206 257.50–318.00 $284.46 $1,200 -5.98
400–445 unweaned 427 57 260.00–299.50 $288.11 $1,230 -16.89
441 fancy 441 8 290.00 $290.00 $1,279 —
451 fancy 451 4 293.00 $293.00 $1,321 —
453–495 unweaned 471 101 237.50–287.50 $272.74 $1,285 -8.82
450–499 479 377 245.00–296.00 $269.33 $1,290 -9.00
500–527 fancy 510 89 276.00–280.00 $278.88 $1,422 —
507–539 unweaned 523 109 250.00–277.50 $265.53 $1,389 +4.21
500–545 525 423 235.00–289.00 $263.86 $1,385 -13.05
550–594 566 438 227.50–272.50 $254.79 $1,442 -0.32
551–596 unweaned 574 42 196.00–254.00 $232.33 $1,334 -13.79
552–580 fancy 574 77 261.00–263.00 $261.40 $1,500 —
604 fancy 604 51 260.00 $260.00 $1,570 —
605 605 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,028 -76.91
605–617 unweaned 616 22 201.00–224.00 $222.97 $1,373 -7.03
600–649 627 509 210.00–253.50 $235.19 $1,475 -11.72
662 unweaned 662 9 202.00 $202.00 $1,337 —
650–695 672 477 200.00–242.00 $230.28 $1,547 +0.30
690 690 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,276 -44.98
714 714 4 190.00 $190.00 $1,357 -32.20
703–748 723 161 179.00–216.00 $203.69 $1,473 -18.51
723 unweaned 723 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,229 —
755–786 764 211 200.00–215.00 $210.35 $1,607 -7.60
766–778 fancy 769 77 222.50–230.00 $224.18 $1,724 —
810 810 4 161.00 $161.00 $1,304 -45.25
807–848 832 176 185.00–210.00 $205.38 $1,709 -0.87
850–898 871 217 186.00–206.25 $199.82 $1,740 +1.47
900 900 29 195.75 $195.75 $1,762 +6.17
940 940 3 168.00 $168.00 $1,579 -21.58
958–998 987 49 165.00–184.75 $180.47 $1,781 -0.69
1150 1150 3 161.00 $161.00 $1,852 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–349 330 13 252.50–270.00 $261.70 $864 +18.22
353–376 364 22 230.00–272.50 $248.67 $905 +13.98
356–395 unweaned 381 17 240.00–272.50 $261.79 $997 —
419–448 436 69 206.00–255.00 $243.43 $1,061 +0.03
482–495 unweaned 483 10 210.00–247.50 $243.66 $1,177 —
450–499 484 66 192.50–260.00 $225.57 $1,092 -22.34
506–544 unweaned 533 14 235.00–238.00 $237.19 $1,264 —
516–546 535 65 210.00–245.00 $231.69 $1,240 -2.25
556–599 581 54 200.00–232.50 $219.28 $1,274 -19.29
579–595 unweaned 582 6 188.00–197.00 $195.47 $1,138 —
608 unweaned 608 4 208.50 $208.50 $1,268 —
605–643 617 19 201.50–214.00 $206.45 $1,274 +8.45
650–670 660 24 190.00–208.00 $201.78 $1,332 -3.29
740 740 3 173.00 $173.00 $1,280 -27.99
783–791 789 20 172.00–174.00 $173.50 $1,369 -22.92
848 848 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,442 -21.97
875 875 5 170.00 $170.00 $1,488 -17.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1048–1228 1128 6 161.00–175.00 $170.76 $1,926 -2.93
1050–1375 1181 12 140.00–166.00 $156.76 $1,851 -1.57
1165–1790 1382 42 160.00–176.00 $172.16 $2,379 +1.06
1305–1665 1436 6 140.00–156.00 $149.71 $2,150 —
1248–1795 1465 265 174.50–189.00 $180.25 $2,641 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1108 1108 8 163.00 $163.00 $1,806 -7.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–336 325 31 242.00–277.00 $261.08 $849 +9.86
320–341 unweaned 338 8 242.50–257.50 $255.73 $864 —
350 fancy 350 3 275.00 $275.00 $962 —
353–398 379 172 228.00–267.50 $247.18 $937 -2.34
382–393 unweaned 386 28 230.00–254.00 $248.35 $959 —
403 fancy 403 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,028 —
405–433 unweaned 424 45 220.00–267.50 $243.31 $1,032 +0.64
400–448 425 253 200.00–254.00 $236.04 $1,003 -15.57
455 fancy 455 25 257.00 $257.00 $1,169 —
450–497 unweaned 474 77 199.00–242.50 $224.46 $1,064 +0.47
450–499 476 412 216.00–262.50 $238.13 $1,133 -9.11
501–549 524 514 214.00–252.00 $236.24 $1,238 +1.10
501–546 unweaned 525 60 189.00–220.00 $212.01 $1,113 -4.99
555 555 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,077 -34.00
553–561 fancy 556 28 231.50–233.50 $232.64 $1,293 —
556–591 unweaned 568 66 185.50–223.00 $201.44 $1,144 -3.56
550–596 573 306 196.00–235.50 $218.21 $1,250 -4.64
577 577 13 200.00 $200.00 $1,154 -22.85
605 unweaned 605 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,077 —
620 620 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,141 -25.26
600–646 625 449 190.50–220.00 $206.64 $1,291 -2.62
650–697 667 392 170.00–213.50 $202.75 $1,352 -7.56
676 unweaned 676 5 190.50 $190.50 $1,288 —
705–740 723 215 170.50–198.75 $191.72 $1,386 -3.57
730 730 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,270 -21.29
730 730 10 190.50 $190.50 $1,391 -4.79
755 fancy 755 16 210.00 $210.00 $1,586 —
758–790 780 101 175.00–201.00 $187.51 $1,463 +0.40
780 780 12 193.00 $193.00 $1,505 +5.89
793 unweaned 793 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,348 —
803–844 829 58 174.50–183.00 $176.11 $1,460 -10.20
850–871 868 35 171.00–182.00 $177.33 $1,539 -8.15
915 915 3 174.00 $174.00 $1,592 -4.00
966–993 977 13 152.00–164.00 $154.81 $1,512 -14.19
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1295 1165 9 133.00–158.00 $150.18 $1,750 —
1015–1215 1189 18 163.00–176.50 $166.86 $1,984 —
1088–1250 1202 27 176.50–181.00 $179.79 $2,161 -1.92
1120–1460 1329 61 164.00–178.25 $174.88 $2,324 —
1230–1563 1352 240 174.00–192.00 $181.19 $2,450 +12.63
1265–1695 1398 12 138.00–155.00 $145.90 $2,040 —
1760 1760 2 136.00 $136.00 $2,394 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 331 11 213.00–232.00 $219.92 $728 +19.92
368–389 383 18 210.00–225.00 $220.37 $844 +5.37
409–443 431 27 196.00–220.00 $207.25 $893 -10.49
463 unweaned 463 5 192.00 $192.00 $889 —
450–496 486 95 190.00–228.00 $207.87 $1,010 -11.27
500–546 531 81 200.00–222.00 $208.64 $1,108 +40.62
581–595 584 11 188.00–205.00 $202.07 $1,180 +1.75
628–649 644 16 177.50–186.00 $181.08 $1,166 +14.84
657–682 675 17 160.00–187.00 $177.04 $1,195 -15.44
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1068 1068 4 146.00 $146.00 $1,559 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 unweaned 415 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,120 —
445 445 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,015 —
450–459 457 5 160.00–197.50 $190.12 $869 —
466 unweaned 466 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,235 —
554 unweaned 554 5 200.00 $200.00 $1,108 —
565–566 565 7 216.00–226.00 $221.71 $1,253 —
611–636 628 13 191.00–201.00 $198.01 $1,244 —
815–835 819 5 154.00–171.00 $167.53 $1,372 —
915 915 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,464 —
980 980 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,441 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1715 1460 75-80% 17 97.00–103.00 $100.33 $1,465 -1.98
1265–1750 1520 75-80% 14 104.00–112.50 $107.22 $1,630 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1655 1271 80-85% 20 84.00–96.00 $89.30 $1,135 -3.86
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700–1030 838 85-90% 4 50.00–62.50 $58.31 $489 —
1045–1255 1131 85-90% 7 74.00–83.00 $78.23 $885 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,391 —
1305–1795 1586 4 98.00–116.00 $108.50 $1,721 —
1850–2310 2080 2 119.00–121.00 $120.11 $2,498 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1322 1258 22 114.00–125.00 $118.64 $1,492 —
1390–1525 1498 11 120.00–127.00 $124.88 $1,871 —
1615 1615 2 142.00 $142.00 $2,293 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265 1265 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,480 —
1475–1520 1509 4 109.00–112.50 $109.86 $1,658 -36.77
1514–2025 1559 29 126.00–132.00 $130.28 $2,031 —
1600–1714 1646 10 139.00–143.50 $140.87 $2,319 —

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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.