Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 16, 2023

9,879 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 $244.00/cwt +4.50 vs last sale · ≈ $2,120/hd at 869 lb · 913 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $251.70/cwt ≈ $2,074/hd at 824 lb · 656 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $271.33/cwt -10.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,698/hd at 626 lb · 541 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,879 3,186 7,360
Feeder cattle 7,882 1,577 5,472
Slaughter cattle 1,997 1,609 1,888

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Feeder steers and heifers overall sold on a light test, though a steady 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
300 unweaned 300 3 305.00 $305.00 $915 —
313 313 3 310.00 $310.00 $970 —
365–379 unweaned 371 10 385.00 $385.00 $1,428 +37.29
390 390 4 345.00 $345.00 $1,346 +35.00
410 fancy 410 11 325.00–330.00 $326.82 $1,340 —
409–416 411 16 310.00–347.50 $335.64 $1,379 +15.64
408–438 unweaned 432 81 306.00–360.00 $347.17 $1,500 -6.54
450–496 474 96 274.00–322.50 $301.67 $1,430 -0.58
454–496 unweaned 477 90 291.00–345.00 $316.35 $1,509 +25.35
500–548 unweaned 510 158 270.00–313.00 $302.55 $1,543 -37.14
523 fancy 523 22 288.00 $288.00 $1,506 -4.00
506–549 529 131 267.50–300.00 $280.54 $1,484 -7.91
550–599 unweaned 570 256 266.00–293.00 $282.09 $1,608 +2.07
552–591 576 127 260.00–294.00 $274.84 $1,583 -8.21
605–644 fancy 616 178 275.00–294.50 $288.53 $1,777 +2.53
600–647 630 238 245.00–275.00 $261.57 $1,648 -17.97
608–649 unweaned 632 125 235.00–274.00 $265.43 $1,678 -13.70
652–685 unweaned 656 88 231.00–260.00 $253.82 $1,665 +8.82
651–699 675 198 240.00–282.00 $254.99 $1,721 -11.04
684 fancy 684 24 284.00 $284.00 $1,943 —
708–745 727 240 241.00–265.00 $257.01 $1,868 +10.25
750–798 772 385 231.00–265.00 $251.20 $1,939 +0.67
804–849 824 656 238.00–260.25 $251.70 $2,074 —
856–898 869 913 224.00–254.75 $244.00 $2,120 +4.50
900–940 916 153 232.00–238.75 $235.34 $2,156 —
929 fancy 929 65 242.25 $242.25 $2,251 —
951–982 958 81 218.50–235.75 $230.71 $2,210 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1225 1144 21 155.00–177.00 $164.45 $1,881 —
960–1245 1177 6 180.00–189.00 $182.78 $2,151 +11.78
1158–1366 1302 38 170.00–179.50 $177.48 $2,311 —
1170–1635 1389 117 170.00–181.00 $176.09 $2,446 —
1382–1655 1439 15 165.00–168.00 $167.24 $2,407 -9.21
1445 1445 1 178.50 $178.50 $2,579 -7.71
1100–1780 1461 472 179.50–189.50 $185.04 $2,703 —
1511–1813 1571 80 180.50–187.75 $184.17 $2,893 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 5 340.00 $340.00 $1,054 —
367–382 375 6 302.50–332.50 $317.80 $1,192 —
438 unweaned 438 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,270 —
451–490 480 16 292.00–310.00 $305.77 $1,468 +65.77
474–499 unweaned 487 39 273.00–298.00 $292.71 $1,425 —
500–547 525 16 250.00–279.00 $262.31 $1,377 +12.31
500–545 unweaned 529 11 200.00–268.00 $244.61 $1,294 —
570 unweaned 570 12 250.00 $250.00 $1,425 +15.00
614–618 616 10 240.00 $240.00 $1,478 -9.00
641 unweaned 641 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,474 —
658 658 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,513 —
812–849 832 25 213.00–238.50 $230.73 $1,920 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306 unweaned 306 9 300.00 $300.00 $918 +50.00
363–390 371 25 245.00–270.00 $259.61 $963 -25.81
360–396 unweaned 382 25 240.00–265.00 $260.03 $993 -17.72
402–449 421 43 234.00–265.00 $253.99 $1,069 +43.99
418–435 unweaned 424 37 255.00–260.00 $259.60 $1,101 -8.32
451–498 478 88 240.00–284.00 $257.26 $1,230 -0.87
455–499 unweaned 486 97 250.00–284.50 $273.58 $1,330 +5.95
518–529 fancy 525 49 257.00–265.00 $261.94 $1,375 —
500–546 unweaned 529 110 215.00–265.50 $240.71 $1,273 -23.21
501–548 532 117 225.00–260.00 $247.78 $1,318 -10.96
550–597 unweaned 566 96 200.00–263.00 $234.98 $1,330 -34.02
550–592 572 163 225.00–277.75 $262.80 $1,503 -12.20
601–638 unweaned 625 78 205.00–233.50 $226.32 $1,414 +5.32
611–648 626 133 217.50–276.00 $243.76 $1,526 +8.82
631 fancy 631 19 245.00 $245.00 $1,546 —
651 fancy 651 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,497 —
651–696 673 330 227.00–262.25 $253.82 $1,708 +23.05
709–743 723 364 224.50–249.60 $243.56 $1,761 -8.49
751–796 777 100 225.00–238.50 $233.76 $1,816 -17.60
802–835 814 59 215.00–234.00 $227.18 $1,849 -1.28
857–888 864 236 205.00–229.50 $223.17 $1,928 —
960–988 974 184 217.00–220.00 $219.09 $2,134 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1190 1079 9 150.00–170.00 $161.26 $1,740 -4.46
943–1278 1118 11 179.50–183.50 $182.57 $2,041 —
1050–1279 1204 27 170.00–179.00 $175.01 $2,107 —
1110–1485 1260 71 131.00–181.50 $176.28 $2,221 —
1315 1315 1 182.00 $182.00 $2,393 +6.29
1330–1355 1343 2 161.00–163.00 $161.99 $2,176 -13.72
1110–1590 1354 515 178.00–190.00 $184.93 $2,504 -1.81
1503–1619 1553 10 180.50–183.50 $182.21 $2,830 —
1650 1650 1 160.00 $160.00 $2,640 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351–389 unweaned 368 9 210.00–237.50 $222.92 $820 —
375–391 385 8 232.50–255.00 $240.72 $927 —
415–431 422 13 219.00–236.00 $228.97 $966 —
463–499 unweaned 485 37 195.00–245.00 $233.34 $1,132 —
488 488 6 230.00 $230.00 $1,122 -3.00
519 unweaned 519 6 200.00 $200.00 $1,038 —
517–543 528 19 216.00–240.00 $229.37 $1,211 -10.63
568–593 584 24 200.00–240.00 $217.55 $1,270 —
673 unweaned 673 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,481 —
663–678 675 20 211.00–225.00 $222.25 $1,500 —
718 718 4 201.00 $201.00 $1,443 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1029 1026 25 189.00–211.50 $206.14 $2,115 —
1052–1067 1066 61 185.00–214.75 $212.34 $2,264 —
1171 1171 4 187.00 $187.00 $2,190 —
1268 1268 4 184.00 $184.00 $2,333 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 3 247.50 $247.50 $960 —
488–499 493 13 204.00–260.00 $222.42 $1,097 —
620 620 8 225.00 $225.00 $1,395 +65.00
658–673 666 6 186.00–222.50 $204.04 $1,359 +39.43
701 701 8 235.00 $235.00 $1,647 —
831 831 12 218.00 $218.00 $1,812 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
492 492 13 257.00 $257.00 $1,264 —
542 542 5 222.00 $222.00 $1,203 —
611 611 9 236.00 $236.00 $1,442 —
654 654 7 190.00 $190.00 $1,243 —
788 788 11 219.00 $219.00 $1,726 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1760 1391 80-85% 57 96.00–108.00 $101.31 $1,409 —
1120–1860 1393 80-85% 20 80.00–96.00 $90.32 $1,258 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–1000 911 85-90% 5 25.00–64.00 $45.90 $418 —
815–1490 1143 85-90% 61 70.00–95.00 $87.16 $996 -2.23
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1825 1520 75-80% 13 119.00–129.00 $122.55 $1,863 —
1185–2190 1522 75-80% 23 109.00–118.00 $113.01 $1,720 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1505 1467 65-75% 3 130.00–134.00 $131.33 $1,927 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 2 105.50–130.00 $117.75 $1,407 —
940–1545 1273 4 91.00–95.00 $92.84 $1,182 —
1245–2205 1635 25 97.00–128.00 $119.16 $1,948 —
1910–2175 2015 3 132.00–140.50 $137.28 $2,766 —
YG3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1402 1402 7 159.00 $159.00 $2,229 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1335 1288 10 146.00–156.00 $151.80 $1,955 —
1265–1310 1295 3 130.00–135.00 $131.63 $1,705 —
1281–1360 1337 17 143.00–144.00 $143.28 $1,916 —
1445 1445 1 141.00 $141.00 $2,037 —
1425–1470 1459 4 147.00–148.00 $147.24 $2,148 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1155 1082 3 120.00–139.00 $131.05 $1,418 —
1343–1388 1362 59 147.00–152.00 $149.18 $2,032 -3.82
1325–1417 1390 5 130.00–137.00 $135.62 $1,885 —
1190–1551 1486 58 146.00–158.00 $151.76 $2,255 —
1375–1656 1519 14 160.00–177.00 $169.01 $2,567 —
1511–1776 1635 29 158.00–163.00 $159.95 $2,615 +9.39

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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.