Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 18, 2023

4,840 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $252.09/cwt +13.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,296/hd at 514 lb · 202 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $276.40/cwt +5.46 vs last sale · ≈ $1,580/hd at 572 lb · 186 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $233.16/cwt +4.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,457/hd at 625 lb · 120 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,840 13,802 2,050
Feeder cattle 2,669 12,201 1,449
Slaughter cattle 2,171 1,601 601

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, choice steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder steers and heifers sold on a light test though a lower undertone was noted.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1272 1175 13 150.00–159.00 $155.59 $1,828 -5.90
1030–1380 1256 56 159.50–168.50 $162.97 $2,047 —
1165–1570 1370 63 160.00–168.00 $164.73 $2,257 +2.46
1225–1498 1433 58 165.50–174.50 $171.13 $2,452 +7.94
1446–1493 1466 66 172.00–175.00 $174.46 $2,558 +2.63
1270–1695 1518 300 166.50–180.00 $174.03 $2,642 +20.03
1518–1540 1531 11 162.00–168.00 $165.82 $2,539 +1.79
1501–1598 1535 54 170.50–175.50 $173.46 $2,663 +9.43
1508–1749 1580 123 171.50–172.75 $172.37 $2,723 —
1605–1608 1607 3 154.00–157.00 $156.00 $2,507 —
1644 1644 6 166.50 $166.50 $2,737 —
1605–2035 1653 103 160.50–175.50 $171.23 $2,830 —
1716–1763 1742 11 165.00–169.50 $167.02 $2,909 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 8 340.00 $340.00 $911 —
303 303 11 305.00 $305.00 $924 +13.00
353 353 6 330.00 $330.00 $1,165 +50.83
364 unweaned 364 5 306.00 $306.00 $1,114 -11.95
406 406 8 304.00 $304.00 $1,234 -3.64
452–496 476 54 292.00–304.00 $297.29 $1,415 +0.27
501 fancy 501 16 313.00 $313.00 $1,568 —
503–545 518 43 255.00–290.00 $280.33 $1,452 -6.93
565 unweaned 565 10 233.00 $233.00 $1,316 -40.93
550–597 572 176 264.00–291.00 $278.87 $1,595 +8.20
619 fancy 619 52 267.50 $267.50 $1,656 —
618–649 638 48 240.00–260.00 $250.04 $1,595 -5.26
651–693 671 89 225.00–248.00 $240.53 $1,614 -4.26
675 675 29 242.50 $242.50 $1,637 -2.29
713–744 736 74 234.00–240.50 $239.66 $1,764 +4.73
764 764 16 218.50 $218.50 $1,669 -7.03
753–783 775 75 200.00–225.00 $216.97 $1,682 -8.56
809 809 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,561 -24.29
905–912 906 19 182.50–204.00 $200.58 $1,817 -22.25
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
244 244 7 280.00 $280.00 $683 —
269 269 8 260.00 $260.00 $699 —
305 305 7 300.00 $300.00 $915 —
375–388 377 27 235.00–240.00 $235.76 $889 —
408–447 436 21 250.00–260.00 $257.28 $1,122 —
462 462 9 260.00 $260.00 $1,201 —
507–520 518 40 225.00–257.50 $252.73 $1,309 —
551–563 557 10 230.00–250.00 $240.11 $1,337 —
600 600 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,380 —
676 676 4 195.00 $195.00 $1,318 —
778 778 4 182.50 $182.50 $1,420 —
849 849 4 170.00 $170.00 $1,443 —
873–892 879 17 167.50–180.00 $171.23 $1,505 —
925–948 938 19 150.00–156.00 $153.51 $1,440 —
991 991 17 164.00 $164.00 $1,625 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477–488 483 6 190.00–265.00 $227.07 $1,097 -30.52
595 595 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,458 +0.13
601–649 622 37 190.00–218.00 $206.30 $1,283 -30.06
712–744 731 12 187.00–218.00 $203.51 $1,488 -6.90
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433 433 3 200.00 $200.00 $866 —
540 540 5 175.00 $175.00 $945 —
561 561 25 160.00–167.50 $166.00 $931 —
623 623 8 180.00 $180.00 $1,121 —
734–739 736 11 153.00–173.00 $165.70 $1,220 —
780 780 3 150.00 $150.00 $1,170 —
892 892 3 155.00 $155.00 $1,383 —
Medium and Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
634 634 23 150.00 $150.00 $951 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1165 1093 9 140.00–161.00 $154.35 $1,687 —
935–1275 1181 9 150.00–156.50 $154.34 $1,823 -9.20
973–1275 1209 60 158.00–167.50 $163.60 $1,978 +12.60
1300–1410 1362 12 150.00–162.00 $157.45 $2,144 -2.02
1080–1595 1377 56 160.00–169.50 $165.03 $2,272 -5.18
1317–1433 1383 77 172.00–176.00 $174.16 $2,409 +3.95
1190–1576 1410 469 165.00–180.00 $173.44 $2,446 —
1255–1553 1434 37 157.00–168.25 $166.81 $2,392 —
1600 1600 4 172.00 $172.00 $2,752 —
1605 1605 2 155.00 $155.00 $2,488 —
1618 1618 3 169.00 $169.00 $2,734 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212 212 5 340.00 $340.00 $721 —
273–282 278 6 285.00–290.00 $287.54 $799 —
308–314 311 16 280.00–285.00 $282.48 $879 +16.91
326 unweaned 326 4 240.00 $240.00 $782 -40.00
355–378 370 15 252.50–290.00 $264.48 $979 +12.94
415–448 432 51 240.00–274.00 $260.77 $1,127 +10.92
454–488 475 47 240.00–263.00 $252.24 $1,198 +6.52
513 fancy 513 18 263.00 $263.00 $1,349 —
501–546 514 184 230.00–262.00 $251.02 $1,290 +10.40
550–591 571 51 220.00–250.00 $234.51 $1,339 +0.95
586 586 12 242.00 $242.00 $1,418 +3.90
618–626 624 61 236.00–242.00 $237.75 $1,484 +7.84
614–643 626 59 190.00–238.00 $228.42 $1,430 -1.49
668–690 677 54 200.00–220.00 $209.61 $1,419 -11.69
706–728 720 19 192.50–194.50 $193.22 $1,391 -17.84
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294 294 4 165.00 $165.00 $485 —
347 347 3 160.00 $160.00 $555 —
398 398 6 155.00 $155.00 $617 —
417 417 8 175.00 $175.00 $730 —
473 473 6 160.00 $160.00 $757 —
508 508 9 160.00 $160.00 $813 —
599 599 8 160.00 $160.00 $958 —
611 611 12 165.00 $165.00 $1,008 —
689 689 4 145.00 $145.00 $999 —
770 770 4 120.00 $120.00 $924 —
815 815 6 120.00 $120.00 $978 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,019 —
451 451 7 190.00 $190.00 $857 -34.54
501–540 524 26 222.00–230.00 $225.87 $1,184 +12.93
576–577 577 12 197.00–200.00 $198.25 $1,144 -18.19
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
428 428 6 205.00 $205.00 $877 —
454 454 8 195.00 $195.00 $885 —
507 507 22 175.00 $175.00 $887 —
825 825 4 155.00 $155.00 $1,279 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
544 unweaned 544 7 235.00 $235.00 $1,278 —
892 892 5 159.00 $159.00 $1,418 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1950 1351 80-85% 80 80.00–96.00 $87.45 $1,181 —
1320–1550 1432 80-85% 8 73.00–78.00 $74.65 $1,069 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1215 1099 85-90% 7 50.00–58.00 $52.55 $578 —
875–1590 1231 85-90% 63 60.00–84.00 $74.96 $923 +2.68
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1830 1413 75-80% 53 88.00–109.00 $96.78 $1,368 +3.90
1395–1825 1630 75-80% 11 100.50–119.00 $111.96 $1,825 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1160 1104 6 123.00–140.00 $134.86 $1,489 —
1060–2010 1448 4 80.00–83.00 $81.04 $1,173 —
1110–2140 1700 14 100.00–120.00 $111.10 $1,889 —
920–2320 1743 18 120.00–145.00 $127.75 $2,227 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212 212 5 290.00 $290.00 $615 —
358 358 11 195.00 $195.00 $698 —
1118 1118 7 148.00 $148.00 $1,655 —
Small 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
558 558 4 65.00 $65.00 $363 —
820 820 3 115.00 $115.00 $943 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1425 1383 2 121.00–135.00 $127.78 $1,767 —
1390–1450 1409 7 138.00–147.50 $143.37 $2,020 —
1348–1710 1531 38 144.00–154.00 $148.29 $2,270 +10.44
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
236 236 6 280.00 $280.00 $661 —
405–443 433 30 165.00–180.00 $168.74 $731 —
703 703 6 157.50 $157.50 $1,107 —
Small 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 3 75.00 $75.00 $208 —

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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.