Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 25, 2023

4,660 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $266.67/cwt +5.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,502/hd at 563 lb · 190 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $303.48/cwt -7.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,610/hd at 531 lb · 189 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $254.16/cwt +6.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,742/hd at 685 lb · 184 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,660 11,355 6,967
Feeder cattle 2,809 9,739 4,848
Slaughter cattle 1,851 1,616 2,119

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Feeder steers overall sold 6.00 to 9.00 lower. Feeder heifers overall sold 3.00 to 7.00 lower.

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
295 unweaned 295 2 350.00–365.00 $357.50 $1,055 +2.50
303–336 318 21 280.00–360.00 $325.19 $1,034 -8.19
308–335 unweaned 324 7 300.00–350.00 $317.99 $1,030 -34.51
364–373 unweaned 368 7 301.00–317.00 $310.05 $1,141 -27.25
396 396 13 325.00 $325.00 $1,287 -25.81
424 unweaned 424 4 360.00 $360.00 $1,526 +36.76
401–448 425 87 290.00–349.00 $314.93 $1,338 -21.37
452–478 462 35 298.00–350.00 $317.12 $1,465 -9.18
459–484 unweaned 469 43 301.00–349.00 $331.91 $1,557 -1.02
506–545 unweaned 530 81 290.00–310.00 $302.28 $1,602 -9.63
503–547 531 108 285.00–311.00 $304.38 $1,616 -2.10
559–577 unweaned 563 37 281.00–288.00 $285.32 $1,606 -15.18
578 fancy 578 8 308.00 $308.00 $1,780 —
552–598 583 131 271.00–313.00 $289.62 $1,688 -6.20
605–611 unweaned 605 51 260.00–302.75 $299.37 $1,811 -2.10
604–621 615 44 268.00–276.00 $274.35 $1,687 -15.12
618 thin fleshed 618 19 290.50 $290.50 $1,795 —
655 unweaned 655 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,605 —
654–659 658 35 255.00–268.00 $261.26 $1,719 -9.11
712–726 714 63 247.50–263.00 $260.25 $1,858 -16.54
741 unweaned 741 7 230.00 $230.00 $1,704 —
753–790 776 68 245.00–270.00 $252.74 $1,961 -9.87
808–849 844 62 245.00–252.00 $251.24 $2,120 -6.33
864–887 879 76 234.00–250.60 $249.10 $2,190 +2.76
960–977 971 14 175.00–223.50 $206.37 $2,004 -31.63
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1289 1165 40 140.00–184.00 $172.48 $2,009 —
1075–1251 1195 12 173.00–179.50 $177.66 $2,123 —
1200–1215 1205 6 170.00–173.00 $171.00 $2,061 —
1170–1644 1377 110 168.00–180.00 $175.69 $2,419 +8.41
1215–1763 1445 497 175.00–189.00 $182.48 $2,637 -1.66
1240–1810 1496 18 162.00–168.00 $165.05 $2,469 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–290 unweaned 282 5 320.00–325.00 $320.98 $905 —
425–441 433 22 262.50–285.00 $273.69 $1,185 +15.17
456–462 460 13 260.00–270.00 $266.18 $1,224 -25.09
473 unweaned 473 10 284.00 $284.00 $1,343 +10.00
508–546 528 30 255.00–289.00 $272.58 $1,439 +7.12
640 unweaned 640 10 250.00 $250.00 $1,600 —
641 641 6 268.00 $268.00 $1,718 +8.53
653–694 680 19 210.00–240.00 $230.06 $1,564 -14.70
720–742 731 6 225.00–227.00 $225.98 $1,652 -5.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
453 453 3 267.00 $267.00 $1,210 —
527 527 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,328 -28.00
1025 1025 5 217.00 $217.00 $2,224 -3.64
1110 1110 3 201.00 $201.00 $2,231 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–313 312 4 310.00–319.00 $312.23 $974 -9.53
302–347 unweaned 328 43 289.50–314.00 $301.77 $990 -3.23
350–397 unweaned 377 16 266.00–290.00 $276.42 $1,042 -42.57
368–392 384 12 281.00–285.00 $283.36 $1,088 -34.90
400–441 419 81 260.00–286.00 $278.64 $1,168 -30.55
409–446 unweaned 425 63 270.00–285.00 $277.56 $1,180 +1.16
453–491 472 83 250.00–277.00 $262.57 $1,239 -20.93
466–498 unweaned 477 45 268.00–280.00 $276.22 $1,318 -9.49
527 fancy 527 18 297.00 $297.00 $1,565 —
500–548 532 77 246.00–275.00 $257.93 $1,372 -17.11
537 unweaned 537 15 261.00 $261.00 $1,402 +0.19
553–587 unweaned 562 70 266.00–282.00 $277.03 $1,557 +38.49
554–595 564 120 230.00–286.00 $260.62 $1,470 -2.72
602–646 640 67 225.00–270.00 $251.03 $1,607 -5.11
645 unweaned 645 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,322 —
659 unweaned 659 10 225.00 $225.00 $1,483 —
676–692 687 174 240.00–268.00 $255.84 $1,758 +8.61
702–748 721 76 232.00–260.50 $246.32 $1,776 -1.80
746 unweaned 746 9 211.00 $211.00 $1,574 —
787–790 787 64 230.00–247.00 $245.93 $1,935 +4.76
802–829 815 60 227.50–230.75 $229.04 $1,867 -7.28
861–884 875 56 220.00–229.00 $224.78 $1,967 -3.69
919 919 5 226.00 $226.00 $2,077 +10.77
955–971 966 23 221.00–227.00 $225.19 $2,175 +26.19
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1245 1073 10 150.00–173.50 $162.63 $1,745 -10.81
1010–1222 1104 13 169.00–177.00 $173.55 $1,916 —
998–1191 1128 19 176.75–182.10 $180.62 $2,037 +0.45
1055–1558 1250 112 169.50–179.50 $175.40 $2,192 —
1255–1430 1336 8 160.00–169.00 $164.17 $2,193 -20.39
1135–1552 1346 317 175.00–188.50 $182.61 $2,458 -1.95
1615 1615 2 174.00 $174.00 $2,810 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
548 548 10 231.00 $231.00 $1,266 -8.79
579 579 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,407 -0.98
643 643 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,543 -5.00
651 651 15 230.00 $230.00 $1,497 +7.12
706 706 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,610 +18.28
835 835 3 223.00 $223.00 $1,862 +10.78
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,025 —
493 493 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,144 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1103 1103 5 194.00 $194.00 $2,140 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,060 —
380 380 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,159 +45.00
391 unweaned 391 7 300.00 $300.00 $1,173 —
405–415 unweaned 408 20 292.00–315.00 $307.98 $1,257 —
489–490 unweaned 490 30 285.00–287.50 $286.33 $1,403 —
515 unweaned 515 4 252.00 $252.00 $1,298 —
555 555 1 252.00 $252.00 $1,399 —
569 unweaned 569 7 231.00 $231.00 $1,314 —
605 unweaned 605 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,440 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610–1590 1160 85-90% 91 70.00–99.00 $89.03 $1,033 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1490 1304 80-85% 9 90.00–98.00 $94.31 $1,230 -12.04
1000–1710 1333 80-85% 78 99.00–110.00 $104.82 $1,397 +12.00
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1745 1428 75-80% 46 110.00–118.50 $115.15 $1,644 —
1215–1650 1468 75-80% 16 119.00–127.00 $122.19 $1,794 +6.45
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1600 1473 65-75% 3 130.00–133.00 $131.25 $1,933 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1165 1069 9 92.50–164.00 $140.08 $1,497 +45.08
1165–2355 1627 36 97.00–128.00 $118.30 $1,925 —
1200–2080 1748 19 129.00–150.00 $134.51 $2,351 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 4 145.00 $145.00 $1,878 —
1425 1425 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,952 —
1485 1485 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,945 —
1462–1645 1502 5 158.00–164.00 $161.50 $2,426 —
1390–1577 1542 10 143.00–153.50 $151.84 $2,341 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1425 1343 2 143.00–149.00 $145.82 $1,958 —
1250–1715 1405 37 145.00–153.50 $149.53 $2,101 —
1426 1426 4 128.00 $128.00 $1,825 —
1399–1490 1442 8 125.00–135.00 $127.51 $1,839 —
1387–1770 1538 8 160.00–169.50 $164.34 $2,528 -0.21
1495–1798 1657 29 157.00–165.00 $161.90 $2,683 —

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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.