Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 27, 2023

13,393 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $253.62/cwt -5.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,589/hd at 627 lb · 964 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $232.75/cwt +11.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,439/hd at 618 lb · 886 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $218.78/cwt +7.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,477/hd at 675 lb · 775 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 13,393 9,005 17,648
Feeder cattle 12,272 8,500 15,411
Slaughter cattle 1,121 505 2,237

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 4.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder steers overall sold uneven, 2.00 lower to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 750 lbs sold 6.00 to 9.00 higher; over 750 lbs sold 2.00 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
295 295 3 286.00 $286.00 $844 —
308–349 338 22 296.00–335.00 $309.54 $1,046 +0.25
362–396 382 21 275.00–320.00 $297.99 $1,138 +6.66
385–390 unweaned 388 21 299.00–305.00 $301.84 $1,171 +14.96
413–435 unweaned 427 11 272.50–302.50 $284.97 $1,217 -14.23
400–444 431 153 273.00–320.00 $288.04 $1,241 -34.06
455–499 480 162 250.00–307.50 $286.48 $1,375 -2.45
454–492 unweaned 484 91 279.00–314.00 $296.26 $1,434 +30.60
504–544 unweaned 517 43 241.00–309.50 $290.94 $1,504 +18.01
501–549 528 399 249.50–307.00 $285.34 $1,507 +1.54
551–598 574 531 240.00–295.00 $269.00 $1,544 -4.71
556–593 unweaned 575 83 253.00–283.00 $266.09 $1,530 +5.22
576–590 fancy 579 90 278.50–294.00 $291.01 $1,685 —
601–648 unweaned 618 117 227.50–260.50 $246.23 $1,522 +3.03
626 fancy 626 36 251.50 $251.50 $1,574 —
600–647 628 811 222.50–275.00 $254.78 $1,600 -6.50
661–693 unweaned 668 30 227.50–238.50 $235.23 $1,571 +0.88
650–699 675 624 220.00–270.50 $250.67 $1,692 +13.84
684 fancy 684 41 248.25 $248.25 $1,698 -3.25
700–749 724 691 210.00–262.00 $239.92 $1,737 +3.94
751–797 769 539 213.50–251.00 $233.67 $1,797 +10.22
803–845 824 354 189.00–231.00 $218.94 $1,804 -1.71
853–881 871 207 206.00–224.00 $221.05 $1,925 -5.81
908–948 915 95 190.00–222.75 $215.18 $1,969 +13.14
956–995 977 127 190.50–207.00 $203.25 $1,986 +20.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304 unweaned 304 4 257.50 $257.50 $783 -12.50
303–345 310 6 240.00–250.00 $241.64 $749 -50.74
350–395 367 8 237.50–251.00 $244.28 $897 +9.28
393 unweaned 393 3 269.00 $269.00 $1,057 +14.00
400–443 419 24 235.00–257.50 $246.70 $1,034 -26.68
450–490 468 50 201.00–262.00 $242.23 $1,134 -7.92
505–543 527 79 202.50–260.00 $247.97 $1,307 +7.98
525–548 unweaned 539 21 227.50–260.00 $247.95 $1,336 -10.71
550–593 581 71 200.00–253.00 $233.86 $1,359 -2.43
600–644 627 68 210.00–244.00 $232.66 $1,459 +1.71
641 unweaned 641 4 189.00 $189.00 $1,211 —
655–696 683 141 195.00–242.00 $233.07 $1,592 +27.51
700 unweaned 700 4 202.00 $202.00 $1,414 —
704–747 730 34 170.00–230.00 $212.03 $1,548 +23.71
750–798 775 90 190.00–227.00 $218.19 $1,691 —
785 unweaned 785 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,594 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1205 1177 5 150.00–160.00 $154.48 $1,818 -17.54
1145–1325 1210 14 160.00–169.00 $166.25 $2,012 —
1282–1476 1382 40 169.00–172.50 $171.43 $2,369 +0.27
1323–1475 1385 41 170.00–172.60 $172.10 $2,384 +0.94
1180–1695 1408 42 160.00–171.00 $166.28 $2,341 +7.70
1345–1485 1415 2 155.50–157.00 $156.21 $2,210 -18.29
1289–1640 1481 173 172.00–185.75 $178.81 $2,648 -4.66
1580 1580 1 171.50 $171.50 $2,710 —
1720 1720 1 151.00 $151.00 $2,597 -12.50
1730 1730 1 160.50 $160.50 $2,777 -3.00
1718–1810 1735 26 164.50–169.50 $168.43 $2,922 +4.93

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
291 291 5 265.00 $265.00 $771 —
309–344 325 11 255.00–300.00 $274.92 $893 +23.82
351–392 379 61 240.00–295.00 $266.53 $1,010 +8.10
370–387 unweaned 379 18 259.00–267.00 $263.53 $999 +10.24
400–448 426 186 227.50–276.25 $249.52 $1,063 -3.17
422–436 unweaned 430 42 225.00–260.00 $247.36 $1,064 -4.33
450–486 unweaned 460 39 223.00–249.00 $242.88 $1,117 +3.19
455–499 483 353 220.00–272.00 $245.56 $1,186 +0.91
506–545 unweaned 519 90 220.00–249.00 $243.42 $1,263 +16.49
500–549 525 490 219.00–264.00 $247.11 $1,297 +6.94
550–590 unweaned 572 120 220.00–245.00 $227.50 $1,301 +5.29
551–594 572 511 211.00–257.00 $236.75 $1,354 +8.34
580 fancy 580 62 253.00 $253.00 $1,467 -1.03
613 613 24 255.50 $255.50 $1,566 +35.29
600–646 618 820 208.00–261.50 $233.21 $1,441 +13.00
603–641 unweaned 624 42 198.00–216.00 $210.80 $1,315 +2.57
670 unweaned 670 9 190.00 $190.00 $1,273 -4.19
650–698 675 766 195.50–239.00 $219.12 $1,479 +6.14
703–748 720 352 180.00–230.00 $217.68 $1,567 +8.98
753–791 775 256 170.00–213.00 $200.20 $1,552 -3.48
802–844 836 101 160.00–197.00 $194.30 $1,624 -7.39
873 873 25 195.50 $195.50 $1,707 +5.50
850–895 875 120 176.00–194.00 $187.95 $1,645 -2.05
920 920 3 186.00 $186.00 $1,711 -2.00
955 955 3 172.50 $172.50 $1,647 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,607 —
1050 1050 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,575 ±0.00
1075–1265 1161 5 142.50–161.00 $152.73 $1,773 -16.62
1178–1180 1178 13 171.00–172.00 $171.92 $2,025 +2.57
1125–1550 1282 48 164.00–171.00 $168.74 $2,163 —
1325 1325 1 171.50 $171.50 $2,272 -10.70
1294–1425 1338 83 170.00–172.75 $172.05 $2,302 -10.15
1210–1484 1359 257 170.00–186.00 $177.38 $2,411 +14.91
1228–1455 1383 14 162.00–170.00 $166.64 $2,305 +4.17
1505–1544 1538 13 171.50–172.00 $171.92 $2,644 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364–396 372 25 225.00–265.00 $237.95 $885 +14.64
408–418 414 5 202.50–241.00 $225.82 $935 +16.13
451–499 478 41 200.00–236.00 $218.71 $1,045 +7.55
523–544 535 26 200.00–238.00 $217.23 $1,162 +11.00
575–599 589 24 177.50–210.00 $205.37 $1,210 -0.47
600–648 635 59 168.00–230.00 $204.53 $1,299 +12.89
653–687 665 24 160.00–197.00 $184.71 $1,228 -20.27
705–746 733 22 160.00–200.00 $188.05 $1,378 —
759–792 772 22 186.00–195.00 $192.09 $1,483 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1039 1039 5 178.00 $178.00 $1,849 -5.00
1059–1080 1071 9 140.00–154.00 $146.15 $1,565 —
1126 1126 8 150.00 $150.00 $1,689 —
1230 1230 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,574 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
488–490 unweaned 489 13 234.00–262.00 $246.89 $1,207 +26.89
526 526 4 227.50 $227.50 $1,197 +24.57
613 unweaned 613 12 226.00 $226.00 $1,385 —
650 650 6 205.00 $205.00 $1,332 —
711 unweaned 711 4 203.00 $203.00 $1,443 —
728 728 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,420 +2.50
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 3 251.00 $251.00 $1,406 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1550 1338 80-85% 57 88.00–99.00 $94.48 $1,264 +22.10
1090–1570 1414 80-85% 9 80.00–87.00 $82.42 $1,165 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1795 1428 75-80% 43 100.00–109.00 $103.96 $1,485 +1.45
1320–1795 1533 75-80% 16 110.00–117.00 $112.52 $1,725 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–1480 1184 85-90% 8 40.00–60.00 $56.51 $669 -17.82
875–1660 1196 85-90% 46 62.00–87.00 $75.34 $901 +1.01
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1935 1581 65-75% 15 120.00–151.00 $134.09 $2,120 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1565 1408 2 72.50–75.00 $73.61 $1,036 —
1185–2450 1827 11 94.00–119.00 $107.61 $1,966 —
1770–2300 2010 3 122.00–138.00 $128.40 $2,581 —

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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.