Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 22, 2023

8,269 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $222.34/cwt +17.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,841/hd at 828 lb · 460 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $230.81/cwt -6.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,326/hd at 575 lb · 456 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $251.51/cwt +3.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,202/hd at 478 lb · 382 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,269 5,757 6,625
Feeder cattle 7,291 4,873 5,099
Slaughter cattle 978 884 1,526

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 7.00 to 9.00 higher. Feeder steers under 650 lbs sold 3.00 to 7.00 lower; over 650 lbs sold on a light test though a higher undertone was noted. Feeder steers over 800 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher; 600 to 800 lbs sold 4.00 to 7.00 lower; over 800 lbs sold on a light test though a higher undertone was noted.

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
340 340 4 280.00 $280.00 $952 —
369 unweaned 369 9 335.00 $335.00 $1,236 —
375–378 fancy 376 16 312.50–327.50 $324.67 $1,221 —
354–399 382 63 267.50–337.50 $299.27 $1,143 +10.02
400–446 424 205 265.00–315.00 $292.74 $1,241 +0.78
443 unweaned 443 22 303.00 $303.00 $1,342 —
450–498 474 294 272.50–315.00 $295.36 $1,400 +16.70
464–490 fancy 479 39 301.00–318.00 $308.18 $1,476 —
478–495 unweaned 482 18 245.00–250.00 $248.86 $1,200 —
505–527 unweaned 514 7 250.00–260.00 $254.39 $1,308 -13.61
501–546 525 333 256.00–293.00 $275.47 $1,446 -7.26
561–564 unweaned 562 22 234.00–243.00 $238.90 $1,343 —
550–596 575 252 235.00–291.00 $268.16 $1,542 -3.81
572–590 fancy 575 26 296.00–300.00 $296.63 $1,706 —
600–648 620 209 230.00–272.00 $254.31 $1,577 -5.33
634 unweaned 634 15 232.50 $232.50 $1,474 -15.25
646 thin fleshed 646 24 228.00 $228.00 $1,473 —
653 unweaned 653 8 234.00 $234.00 $1,528 —
650–697 674 205 220.00–268.00 $245.95 $1,658 +7.83
702–749 729 139 192.00–230.00 $222.22 $1,620 +1.46
756–794 766 144 193.00–232.00 $222.19 $1,702 +10.47
801–841 828 460 209.00–227.00 $222.34 $1,841 +17.75
850–891 878 137 197.00–215.25 $212.64 $1,867 +12.44
900–946 927 306 180.00–207.75 $203.95 $1,891 +19.52
953–973 963 115 192.00–206.25 $200.29 $1,929 +12.94
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1375 1180 11 150.00–166.00 $158.77 $1,873 —
1180–1205 1188 3 170.00–171.00 $170.34 $2,024 —
1113–1250 1205 17 173.00–179.00 $176.27 $2,124 +2.53
1065–1498 1313 32 165.00–181.75 $174.50 $2,291 —
1105–1738 1448 377 173.00–192.00 $184.29 $2,669 +17.03
2170 2170 1 150.00 $150.00 $3,255 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–347 340 5 225.00–250.00 $234.70 $798 —
370–390 376 17 225.00–285.00 $256.69 $965 —
412–438 431 35 180.00–265.00 $241.68 $1,042 -8.20
450–497 474 28 220.00–271.00 $246.54 $1,169 -15.75
510–548 531 66 195.00–247.50 $229.22 $1,217 -21.93
555–595 572 44 160.00–251.00 $228.00 $1,304 -8.71
609–646 622 20 205.00–236.00 $219.55 $1,366 -12.81
651–688 679 56 199.00–231.50 $222.07 $1,508 —
700–725 705 5 177.00–202.50 $189.81 $1,338 +6.31
773–783 776 15 175.00–190.50 $181.45 $1,408 -9.55
853 853 7 190.00 $190.00 $1,621 +14.04
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
524 524 5 150.00 $150.00 $786 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002 1002 4 176.00 $176.00 $1,764 +7.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312 unweaned 312 9 281.00 $281.00 $877 —
305–345 326 22 205.00–280.00 $257.47 $839 -17.01
352–398 380 111 204.00–285.00 $260.21 $989 +3.79
389 fancy 389 17 237.50 $237.50 $924 —
405–449 430 143 224.00–283.25 $260.60 $1,121 +4.51
433 unweaned 433 3 245.00 $245.00 $1,061 —
450–498 477 349 227.50–268.50 $250.85 $1,197 +1.96
487 unweaned 487 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,135 -6.50
488 fancy 488 30 261.00 $261.00 $1,274 —
500–531 fancy 517 45 259.00–262.50 $260.58 $1,347 —
504–548 524 244 217.00–266.00 $243.43 $1,276 +3.62
524–543 unweaned 537 20 221.00–227.00 $225.24 $1,210 —
551–598 574 445 216.00–252.00 $231.00 $1,326 -6.37
595 unweaned 595 11 223.00 $223.00 $1,327 —
609–630 unweaned 613 15 199.00–209.00 $206.95 $1,269 -18.05
600–648 624 174 198.00–228.00 $219.59 $1,370 -5.43
650–697 664 201 181.00–229.00 $208.20 $1,382 -3.51
735 735 14 218.00 $218.00 $1,602 +4.21
704–748 736 180 191.00–214.50 $207.24 $1,525 -6.55
750–794 773 171 190.00–207.00 $198.16 $1,532 -2.97
800–847 820 160 182.00–205.00 $197.33 $1,618 +12.36
850–890 879 98 170.00–194.50 $189.52 $1,666 +14.11
918–940 922 8 170.00–185.00 $180.76 $1,667 +3.69
966 966 6 159.00 $159.00 $1,536 —
1059 1059 4 163.00 $163.00 $1,726 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1125 986 6 136.00–166.00 $152.97 $1,508 —
1103–1235 1158 13 163.50–169.50 $167.39 $1,938 +17.39
1156–1226 1185 42 175.25–180.00 $177.83 $2,107 +4.00
1051–1655 1289 208 172.00–192.25 $184.45 $2,378 —
1000–1646 1357 47 165.00–181.00 $171.03 $2,321 -5.71
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328–346 339 12 172.50–220.00 $208.60 $707 —
370 unweaned 370 4 208.00 $208.00 $770 —
365–395 392 26 195.00–248.00 $239.83 $940 —
408–448 430 27 180.00–249.00 $232.57 $1,000 +33.57
450–490 478 49 170.00–232.00 $204.78 $979 -15.97
505–543 524 32 170.00–227.50 $217.38 $1,139 +3.38
550–590 568 18 170.00–238.00 $215.50 $1,224 +13.17
601–625 609 7 170.00–199.00 $193.09 $1,176 -20.91
698 698 4 177.00 $177.00 $1,235 —
710–726 718 31 175.00–192.00 $181.36 $1,302 —
815 815 3 176.00 $176.00 $1,434 —
865 865 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,535 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433–445 438 7 220.00–245.00 $234.12 $1,025 -52.88
518 unweaned 518 6 210.00 $210.00 $1,088 —
584–592 587 8 177.50–207.50 $196.15 $1,151 —
638 638 2 152.50 $152.50 $973 -74.25
642 unweaned 642 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,156 —
682 682 3 182.00 $182.00 $1,241 —
817 817 15 185.00 $185.00 $1,511 +3.00
858 858 3 166.00 $166.00 $1,424 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1018 1012 9 147.00–158.00 $154.38 $1,562 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1820 1489 75-80% 27 110.00–118.00 $113.93 $1,696 —
1300–1930 1507 75-80% 21 100.00–109.00 $105.37 $1,588 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1845 1337 80-85% 19 87.00–99.00 $94.06 $1,258 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–1335 1164 85-90% 4 52.00–70.00 $65.09 $758 —
1010–1490 1253 85-90% 5 78.00–83.00 $80.78 $1,012 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1450 1218 6 115.00–126.00 $120.84 $1,472 —
1065–2140 1568 6 128.00–145.00 $135.73 $2,128 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1480 1370 3 146.00–152.00 $149.50 $2,048 -1.09
1395–1815 1585 5 155.00–167.00 $160.81 $2,549 +10.54

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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.