Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 28, 2023

11,579 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $258.87/cwt +8.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,011/hd at 777 lb · 767 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $257.44/cwt +3.94 vs last sale · ≈ $2,106/hd at 818 lb · 765 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $248.78/cwt +10.28 vs last sale · ≈ $2,174/hd at 874 lb · 561 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 11,579 1,289 6,055
Feeder cattle 8,987 862 5,898
Slaughter cattle 2,592 427 157

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower. The feeder cattle offerings were very light last week due to the week of extremely high temperatures, therefore no comparison is available.

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
252–282 unweaned 267 6 325.00–330.00 $327.36 $874 —
314–348 322 13 301.00–357.50 $315.10 $1,015 —
322–343 unweaned 334 17 337.50–380.00 $356.44 $1,191 —
352–391 unweaned 374 45 320.00–343.00 $335.85 $1,256 —
355–399 381 59 291.00–369.00 $337.68 $1,287 —
401–443 423 57 260.00–350.00 $321.25 $1,359 —
403–444 unweaned 427 35 280.00–340.00 $322.22 $1,376 —
450–499 468 205 243.00–351.00 $318.36 $1,490 —
463–485 unweaned 469 111 285.00–340.00 $312.72 $1,467 —
501–542 516 69 281.00–344.00 $311.15 $1,606 +14.15
510–530 unweaned 523 78 280.00–325.00 $309.41 $1,618 +38.41
552–596 574 271 271.00–327.50 $295.23 $1,695 +20.23
564–595 unweaned 582 26 286.00–296.00 $290.10 $1,688 —
616 unweaned 616 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,725 —
602–649 626 316 246.00–299.00 $283.93 $1,777 —
650–697 670 308 257.00–290.35 $275.28 $1,844 —
703–748 721 454 248.00–276.00 $265.36 $1,913 +12.83
773 fancy 773 13 270.00 $270.00 $2,087 —
750–797 777 754 237.00–268.25 $258.68 $2,010 +7.95
800–843 818 765 233.00–269.60 $257.44 $2,106 +3.94
856–890 874 561 229.00–257.75 $248.78 $2,174 +10.28
912–947 916 272 221.00–239.00 $232.91 $2,133 +7.68
956–976 968 191 224.50–226.00 $225.32 $2,181 -5.06
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1240 1077 63 120.00–191.00 $173.96 $1,874 —
978–1218 1127 58 180.50–208.00 $198.03 $2,232 —
940–1251 1214 27 170.00–187.00 $179.40 $2,178 —
1135–1595 1315 184 169.00–184.00 $180.63 $2,375 —
1155–1685 1410 771 180.50–193.25 $187.74 $2,647 —
1290–1620 1423 3 160.00–165.00 $162.85 $2,317 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
281 281 3 335.00 $335.00 $941 —
333 unweaned 333 8 305.00 $305.00 $1,016 —
345 345 4 270.00 $270.00 $932 —
390 390 4 269.00 $269.00 $1,049 —
408–439 432 14 270.00–277.50 $271.52 $1,173 —
471 unweaned 471 3 296.00 $296.00 $1,394 —
471–478 475 17 270.00–304.50 $290.13 $1,378 —
505–543 529 76 250.00–305.00 $290.76 $1,538 +40.76
551–585 559 28 245.00–271.00 $261.40 $1,461 +32.40
600–647 639 26 227.50–255.00 $250.78 $1,602 —
660–694 673 36 233.00–244.00 $239.19 $1,610 +18.19
712–730 719 13 220.00–271.00 $251.08 $1,805 —
826–843 834 15 175.00–234.50 $221.71 $1,849 —
850 850 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,912 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 18 224.00 $224.00 $2,274 +6.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–298 unweaned 286 19 301.00–350.00 $327.44 $936 —
304–323 312 21 285.00–330.00 $310.68 $969 —
306–341 unweaned 329 15 300.00–321.00 $310.94 $1,023 —
358–386 unweaned 379 29 295.00–312.00 $306.18 $1,160 —
358–394 379 21 292.00–320.00 $302.92 $1,148 —
405–448 unweaned 419 84 280.00–310.00 $294.70 $1,235 —
402–445 433 74 261.00–290.00 $283.01 $1,225 +33.01
452–498 477 122 247.50–305.00 $268.43 $1,280 +15.43
450–498 unweaned 480 109 240.00–295.50 $277.59 $1,332 —
504–527 unweaned 518 53 282.00–285.00 $283.84 $1,470 —
500–546 524 170 247.50–300.00 $269.36 $1,411 +3.36
531 fancy 531 9 287.50 $287.50 $1,527 —
563 unweaned 563 10 261.00 $261.00 $1,469 —
550–598 571 172 226.00–288.00 $265.87 $1,518 +11.87
607–647 632 212 246.00–273.10 $262.96 $1,662 +21.96
616–633 unweaned 632 60 240.00–274.00 $271.79 $1,718 —
652–697 673 320 221.00–273.00 $259.93 $1,749 +19.93
702–745 730 406 195.00–260.00 $245.18 $1,790 -0.04
752–795 774 278 227.00–250.25 $239.99 $1,858 -1.01
800–847 828 184 200.00–239.00 $230.35 $1,907 —
851–889 879 80 195.00–234.00 $218.78 $1,923 —
907–949 936 77 192.00–226.50 $218.89 $2,049 -10.36
951–999 981 335 190.00–225.50 $212.76 $2,087 -4.84
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–1141 1050 25 170.00–178.00 $177.14 $1,860 —
845–1192 1071 53 120.00–189.00 $177.52 $1,901 —
850–1238 1183 30 181.00–187.50 $185.64 $2,196 —
1050–1535 1213 131 170.00–184.50 $180.89 $2,194 -4.06
1114–1570 1297 500 182.00–193.00 $188.32 $2,443 —
1265–1430 1328 10 153.00–167.00 $161.08 $2,139 -30.66
1645 1645 1 166.00 $166.00 $2,731 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328 328 3 225.00 $225.00 $738 —
378–399 391 40 250.00–280.00 $270.84 $1,059 —
396 unweaned 396 3 250.00 $250.00 $990 —
401 unweaned 401 4 245.00 $245.00 $982 —
418–425 422 16 253.00–255.00 $254.13 $1,072 —
470–492 476 29 237.00–247.50 $240.35 $1,144 +3.35
498 unweaned 498 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,195 —
501–545 513 68 238.00–282.50 $249.62 $1,281 —
570–587 579 16 232.50–245.00 $239.18 $1,385 —
612–648 632 40 237.50–248.75 $246.15 $1,556 —
655–682 665 11 206.00–239.00 $226.69 $1,507 —
720 720 7 228.00 $228.00 $1,642 —
778 778 6 215.00 $215.00 $1,673 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1009–1019 1013 22 220.00–227.00 $224.12 $2,270 +12.26
1086–1092 1089 39 190.00–218.00 $210.36 $2,291 —
1127–1132 1130 14 193.25–201.00 $197.13 $2,228 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
207 unweaned 207 5 700.00 $700.00 —
235 235 3 625.00 $625.00 -335.00
381 381 3 975.00 $975.00 +75.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 unweaned 205 6 445.00 $445.00 $912 —
270 unweaned 270 12 400.00 $400.00 $1,080 —
349 unweaned 349 10 348.00 $348.00 $1,215 —
453 unweaned 453 7 287.00 $287.00 $1,300 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318 unweaned 318 3 305.00 $305.00 $970 —
381 unweaned 381 4 312.50 $312.50 $1,191 —
427 427 10 293.00 $293.00 $1,251 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1805 1255 80-85% 119 101.00–110.00 $106.10 $1,332 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1795 1400 75-80% 54 111.00–119.00 $115.68 $1,620 -0.10
1285–1700 1477 75-80% 42 120.00–129.00 $123.71 $1,827 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1195 1065 85-90% 4 67.50–74.00 $71.56 $762 —
730–1610 1106 85-90% 75 76.00–101.00 $94.48 $1,045 +34.48
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1830 1559 65-75% 18 130.00–174.00 $151.65 $2,364 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1170 1043 15 94.00–162.00 $124.70 $1,301 —
1150–2045 1628 6 102.00–108.50 $105.76 $1,722 -30.65
1290–1980 1650 22 110.00–129.00 $122.32 $2,018 —
1205–2230 1787 25 130.00–155.00 $138.19 $2,469 +16.52

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1490 1197 10 110.00–134.00 $124.85 $1,494 —
1095–1465 1293 13 140.00–152.00 $146.88 $1,899 —
1245–1705 1450 51 153.00–175.00 $158.94 $2,305 —

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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.