Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 29, 2024

20,444 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 steers $270.31/cwt +13.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,823/hd at 674 lb · 1,604 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $254.82/cwt +6.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,847/hd at 725 lb · 1,557 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $285.79/cwt +14.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,776/hd at 622 lb · 1,391 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 20,444 22,579 15,797
Feeder cattle 18,728 21,034 14,569
Slaughter cattle 1,716 1,545 1,228

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice steers and heifers uneven, 1.00 lower to 3.00 higher. Feeder steers under 700 lbs sold 9.00 to 15.00 higher; over 700 lbs sold 7.00 to 12.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 700 lbs sold 15.00 to 20.00 higher; over 700 lbs were 3.00 to 8.00 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
280 280 5 255.00 $255.00 $714 -82.25
333 333 4 300.00 $300.00 $999 -27.24
356 unweaned 356 3 297.50 $297.50 $1,059 —
362–388 371 41 285.00–346.00 $313.85 $1,164 +15.00
383 fancy 383 11 370.00 $370.00 $1,417 —
406–437 unweaned 423 11 292.50–300.00 $296.73 $1,255 —
411–448 439 120 295.75–355.00 $326.93 $1,435 +9.79
444–448 fancy 445 27 366.00–370.00 $368.81 $1,641 +27.81
451–458 fancy 452 26 330.00–352.00 $333.43 $1,507 +23.43
467 unweaned 467 3 269.00 $269.00 $1,256 -22.24
450–499 476 240 270.00–350.00 $313.20 $1,491 +6.28
503–549 531 539 282.00–321.00 $305.90 $1,624 +9.24
537–538 unweaned 538 40 253.50–290.00 $258.97 $1,393 -33.41
541 fancy 541 44 314.50 $314.50 $1,701 +0.75
556–564 unweaned 561 54 259.00–268.00 $263.27 $1,477 +6.92
568 fancy 568 14 303.00 $303.00 $1,721 —
550–599 577 750 270.00–313.00 $295.29 $1,704 +9.36
577 577 6 275.00 $275.00 $1,587 -10.93
603 fancy 603 34 302.75 $302.75 $1,826 +23.78
608–629 unweaned 620 9 234.00–250.00 $240.98 $1,494 -10.40
602–648 622 1,348 262.50–299.50 $285.66 $1,777 +14.37
651–699 674 1,502 250.00–291.50 $271.50 $1,830 +16.46
666–696 unweaned 678 51 240.00–247.50 $241.66 $1,638 —
683 fancy 683 51 264.00 $264.00 $1,803 -3.49
700 fancy 700 12 253.00 $253.00 $1,771 -0.42
716–724 unweaned 720 16 225.00–232.00 $228.48 $1,645 -11.70
700–749 725 1,529 230.00–275.00 $255.11 $1,850 +7.32
755 fancy 755 15 239.50 $239.50 $1,808 -4.24
750–795 772 1,242 223.00–260.00 $248.36 $1,917 +12.90
786 unweaned 786 5 208.00 $208.00 $1,635 —
802–845 825 696 210.00–244.25 $236.26 $1,949 +7.69
845 fancy 845 12 226.50 $226.50 $1,914 -8.32
850–893 867 601 208.00–240.00 $232.70 $2,018 +8.66
900–940 915 248 209.00–232.50 $228.03 $2,086 +14.57
961–993 969 54 190.00–225.00 $217.38 $2,106 +41.38
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1420 1141 10 146.00–174.00 $161.22 $1,840 —
880–1327 1266 47 164.25–176.50 $171.33 $2,169 +3.40
1360 1360 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,298 -3.09
1255–1451 1384 25 172.00–175.10 $173.91 $2,407 +1.82
1165–1660 1409 72 160.00–173.75 $169.17 $2,384 -0.90
1440–1471 1461 10 172.25–175.35 $173.87 $2,540 -5.76
1501 1501 3 165.50 $165.50 $2,484 -1.50
1230–1789 1511 565 172.00–181.50 $177.05 $2,675 +10.05
1520–1557 1531 7 173.75–175.35 $174.22 $2,667 +0.63
1510–1585 1535 13 170.00–174.25 $172.87 $2,654 -0.72
1580 1580 14 159.50 $159.50 $2,520 —
1662–1935 1721 16 161.00–181.00 $172.73 $2,973 —
1700–1840 1770 2 162.50–163.50 $163.02 $2,885 -4.54
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 4 260.00 $260.00 $879 -30.08
366–397 378 21 301.00–330.00 $311.92 $1,179 +56.85
402–445 424 30 255.00–315.00 $287.33 $1,218 +9.00
452–497 487 18 255.00–301.00 $273.98 $1,334 +8.08
511–542 unweaned 516 49 240.00–273.00 $264.25 $1,364 —
500–547 522 98 230.00–279.00 $262.68 $1,371 +4.38
560–595 573 66 239.00–275.00 $260.28 $1,491 +15.86
600–645 628 69 217.50–267.00 $252.96 $1,589 +13.27
658 unweaned 658 15 236.00 $236.00 $1,553 —
651–694 675 116 228.00–257.00 $246.12 $1,661 +24.77
712–747 726 43 185.00–244.00 $233.82 $1,698 +17.10
770–781 776 21 219.00–231.00 $227.10 $1,762 +24.59
845 845 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,690 +1.00
863 863 5 212.00 $212.00 $1,830 +2.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1027–1031 1028 34 180.00–212.00 $203.51 $2,092 +11.31
1060 1060 13 195.00 $195.00 $2,067 +26.00
1157 1157 7 167.00 $167.00 $1,932 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–348 324 14 240.00–280.00 $267.74 $867 -13.67
355–384 374 35 250.00–282.00 $268.51 $1,004 +4.46
387 unweaned 387 4 240.00 $240.00 $929 -42.00
403–449 428 199 250.00–291.00 $274.42 $1,175 +12.18
418–437 unweaned 429 9 250.00–264.00 $256.07 $1,099 +32.07
450–499 476 320 245.00–285.00 $267.03 $1,271 +12.07
465–483 unweaned 476 10 248.00–252.00 $249.56 $1,188 -6.66
499 fancy 499 46 275.25 $275.25 $1,373 -14.75
500–522 fancy 508 71 282.25–293.50 $286.78 $1,457 +10.83
502–539 unweaned 520 40 234.00–247.00 $241.42 $1,255 —
502–549 526 484 237.50–290.00 $268.00 $1,410 +21.36
570 570 5 247.00 $247.00 $1,408 +4.76
550–599 575 1,087 227.50–278.00 $257.19 $1,479 +14.95
566–599 unweaned 593 27 218.00–228.00 $219.92 $1,304 -1.53
606 fancy 606 24 254.50 $254.50 $1,542 +10.35
601–649 625 1,219 225.00–272.50 $252.08 $1,576 +18.94
616–646 unweaned 628 42 214.00–229.00 $223.60 $1,404 +8.29
650–699 670 1,134 215.00–256.00 $241.78 $1,620 +15.66
655–683 unweaned 676 25 202.00–211.50 $207.92 $1,406 -6.83
683 fancy 683 10 238.00 $238.00 $1,626 +5.34
700–749 726 851 210.00–243.50 $230.41 $1,673 +13.41
740 unweaned 740 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,406 —
753–795 771 363 194.00–240.00 $220.89 $1,703 +0.49
776–793 785 59 235.00 $235.00 $1,845 +16.50
801–842 813 105 200.00–225.00 $213.77 $1,738 -2.25
850–873 867 85 201.50–205.00 $202.26 $1,754 +13.28
923–937 932 17 182.00–182.50 $182.33 $1,699 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1325 1133 11 135.00–159.00 $150.79 $1,708 +10.79
1010–1275 1144 13 155.00–160.00 $157.10 $1,797 -7.98
1040–1282 1244 29 164.00–175.00 $172.12 $2,141 —
1106–1595 1316 88 160.00–174.75 $171.04 $2,251 —
1130–1562 1334 26 161.00–168.00 $165.54 $2,208 —
1319–1367 1334 9 174.00–175.35 $174.93 $2,334 —
1335–1392 1381 5 168.50–169.25 $169.10 $2,335 -9.71
1145–1549 1395 445 171.50–181.00 $177.07 $2,470 -1.74
1430–1510 1472 3 155.00–158.50 $156.47 $2,303 —
1580 1580 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,607 —
1625 1625 1 153.50 $153.50 $2,494 -14.01
1690–1825 1761 4 166.00–169.50 $168.21 $2,962 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327 unweaned 327 3 267.50 $267.50 $875 —
343 343 5 267.00 $267.00 $916 —
380–390 385 6 240.00–242.50 $241.23 $929 -3.81
418–448 438 42 228.00–261.00 $242.96 $1,064 +26.74
463–497 482 118 200.00–251.00 $237.36 $1,144 +10.53
493 unweaned 493 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,134 +18.68
505–548 530 135 215.00–250.00 $240.48 $1,275 +26.39
553–596 585 144 215.00–250.00 $239.61 $1,402 +23.53
602–649 622 66 206.00–242.00 $228.49 $1,421 +16.24
670–697 687 50 204.00–231.00 $219.73 $1,510 +20.62
763 763 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,602 +33.22
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
979 979 46 195.50 $195.50 $1,914 —
1015 1015 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,878 +4.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 unweaned 362 3 340.00 $340.00 $1,231 —
443 unweaned 443 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,063 -10.00
482 482 8 281.00 $281.00 $1,354 —
524 unweaned 524 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,284 +10.00
648 648 10 237.00 $237.00 $1,536 —
760 760 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,368 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1990 1517 75-80% 47 100.00–109.00 $105.39 $1,599 —
1305–1960 1628 75-80% 6 110.00–111.00 $110.13 $1,793 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1845 1391 80-85% 49 88.50–99.00 $95.26 $1,325 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1660 1189 85-90% 23 70.00–88.00 $80.62 $959 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545–1980 1737 8 128.50–137.00 $131.64 $2,287 —
1650–1895 1773 2 94.00–98.00 $95.86 $1,700 —
1665–2260 1974 9 115.00–128.00 $121.96 $2,407 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,410 —
1385–1625 1494 17 150.00–158.00 $153.63 $2,295 -1.95
1385–1625 1549 4 145.00–149.00 $147.22 $2,280 —

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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.