Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 15, 2024

13,922 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $229.23/cwt +8.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,532/hd at 668 lb · 1,026 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $242.82/cwt +7.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,758/hd at 724 lb · 989 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $232.71/cwt +4.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,794/hd at 771 lb · 989 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 13,922 13,403 21,221
Feeder cattle 13,258 13,403 19,849
Slaughter cattle 664 — 1,372

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, no trend available for choice steers and heifers due to no reported receipts last week. Feeder steers and heifers overall sold 4.00 to 7.00 higher.

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
328–340 335 19 326.00–344.00 $333.70 $1,118 +20.80
351–382 371 30 305.00–333.00 $320.04 $1,187 +17.87
406–446 431 89 277.50–337.00 $313.56 $1,351 +8.37
450 unweaned 450 10 284.00 $284.00 $1,278 —
450–499 485 212 257.00–325.00 $298.42 $1,447 +0.18
500–548 525 316 255.00–314.00 $291.60 $1,531 +5.60
540 unweaned 540 15 272.00 $272.00 $1,469 +21.95
550–599 577 457 252.00–304.00 $282.61 $1,631 +5.25
592–593 fancy 593 51 277.75–291.00 $283.72 $1,682 +0.47
600–649 628 775 241.00–291.00 $272.37 $1,710 +13.16
629 fancy 629 41 271.50 $271.50 $1,708 +1.25
640 unweaned 640 14 276.50 $276.50 $1,770 +55.57
650–698 673 722 230.00–275.00 $255.84 $1,722 +10.65
701–749 723 931 225.00–258.00 $242.78 $1,755 +7.03
730–739 fancy 737 58 242.50–246.50 $243.39 $1,794 +3.83
751 fancy 751 43 244.75 $244.75 $1,838 —
752–799 772 946 210.00–247.00 $232.16 $1,792 +4.19
816 816 15 207.00 $207.00 $1,689 -11.62
800–848 825 787 195.00–235.75 $225.25 $1,858 +6.63
850–893 868 317 199.00–229.75 $220.24 $1,912 -1.44
889 fancy 889 69 223.25 $223.25 $1,985 —
900 900 20 197.00 $197.00 $1,773 -6.23
900–947 925 239 181.00–220.00 $212.21 $1,963 +8.98
967–988 976 21 188.00–191.00 $189.66 $1,851 +12.66
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1209 1162 7 159.00–166.00 $164.24 $1,908 —
1130–1583 1373 26 169.00–179.50 $174.74 $2,399 —
1195–1677 1506 212 175.00–189.50 $183.48 $2,763 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396–398 397 12 265.00–281.00 $276.98 $1,100 +7.05
426–436 430 7 231.00–275.00 $250.11 $1,075 -22.00
461–490 473 24 261.00–291.00 $275.49 $1,303 +12.07
502–541 519 21 241.00–268.00 $260.20 $1,350 +16.42
566–595 588 31 240.00–269.00 $251.32 $1,478 +3.41
609–647 629 62 221.00–257.00 $246.87 $1,553 +21.33
632 unweaned 632 9 235.00 $235.00 $1,485 —
663–699 692 32 210.00–245.00 $230.86 $1,598 +18.06
709–745 722 25 185.00–223.00 $218.11 $1,575 +34.11
755–798 784 16 200.00–216.00 $203.41 $1,595 -5.73
800–825 813 2 180.00–191.00 $185.58 $1,509 —
850 850 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,530 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1113–1116 1115 6 169.00–169.50 $169.25 $1,887 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–399 384 53 250.00–315.00 $282.80 $1,086 +28.03
403–446 424 107 231.00–295.00 $266.88 $1,132 -6.08
416–442 unweaned 430 13 258.00–259.00 $258.45 $1,111 -5.46
467 fancy 467 26 274.00 $274.00 $1,280 +14.00
450–498 476 246 221.00–275.00 $254.87 $1,213 -7.00
510 fancy 510 15 270.50 $270.50 $1,380 +19.50
500–549 531 378 220.00–271.00 $248.44 $1,319 -0.75
565 fancy 565 39 241.00 $241.00 $1,362 +0.04
550–599 570 601 216.00–258.00 $242.51 $1,382 +6.80
576 576 14 251.00 $251.00 $1,446 +15.29
602–621 fancy 605 100 236.00–247.75 $246.06 $1,489 —
610 unweaned 610 4 205.00 $205.00 $1,250 —
600–649 619 684 211.00–249.00 $233.62 $1,446 +6.62
654 fancy 654 31 234.00 $234.00 $1,530 —
666 666 51 244.00 $244.00 $1,625 +23.01
650–696 669 944 192.00–242.00 $228.28 $1,527 +7.29
704–749 723 855 190.00–230.35 $214.54 $1,551 +1.65
706–738 fancy 728 49 210.00–215.00 $213.42 $1,554 +5.92
762–773 fancy 765 60 208.00–220.00 $211.82 $1,620 —
759–799 778 419 194.00–220.50 $211.77 $1,648 +10.46
800–848 826 148 171.00–219.50 $206.01 $1,702 -10.18
854–876 870 59 170.00–210.00 $193.90 $1,687 +9.97
901–910 903 14 167.00–184.00 $176.05 $1,590 -11.95
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–331 316 9 257.00–260.00 $258.60 $817 —
383 383 3 230.00 $230.00 $881 —
423–442 436 10 236.00–255.00 $249.47 $1,088 +9.40
475–497 491 20 210.00–234.00 $227.73 $1,118 -13.50
539–542 541 16 214.00–220.00 $216.99 $1,174 -7.73
569–599 585 49 201.00–231.00 $215.37 $1,260 +4.90
600–642 616 43 185.00–220.00 $210.00 $1,294 +10.00
658–695 686 32 178.00–210.00 $195.08 $1,338 -11.38
715–743 721 20 180.00–188.00 $181.95 $1,312 —
752 752 5 186.00 $186.00 $1,399 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1055 1025 2 165.00–166.00 $165.51 $1,696 —
1095–1595 1269 21 167.00–179.50 $174.22 $2,211 —
1186–1608 1395 150 175.00–190.00 $183.88 $2,565 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003 1003 11 145.00 $145.00 $1,454 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
280 280 3 760.00 $760.00 —
471 471 3 900.00 $900.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
573 573 9 241.00 $241.00 $1,381 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 unweaned 378 3 250.00 $250.00 $945 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1700 1447 75-80% 69 100.00–109.50 $105.39 $1,525 —
1250–1765 1520 75-80% 20 110.00–119.00 $112.53 $1,710 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1520 1191 80-85% 25 87.00–99.00 $95.16 $1,133 —
995–1605 1281 80-85% 20 100.00–107.00 $103.76 $1,329 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–810 775 85-90% 2 52.50–55.00 $53.81 $417 —
935–1370 1193 85-90% 11 70.00–91.00 $81.24 $969 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1760 1760 65-75% 1 120.00 $120.00 $2,112 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,219 —
1530–1965 1727 7 101.00–124.00 $111.18 $1,920 —
1945–2235 2078 3 129.00–136.00 $132.83 $2,760 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,625 —
1530 1530 1 148.50 $148.50 $2,272 —
1270–1845 1595 3 150.50–156.00 $152.82 $2,437 —

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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.