Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 5, 2024

19,169 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $261.16/cwt +6.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,891/hd at 724 lb · 1,423 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $250.56/cwt +2.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,932/hd at 771 lb · 1,287 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $285.90/cwt +0.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,790/hd at 626 lb · 1,241 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 19,169 20,444 18,766
Feeder cattle 18,577 18,728 18,090
Slaughter cattle 592 1,716 676

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice steers and heifers sold unevenly steady as most auctions occurred early to mid week, prior to the western feedlots selling 3.00 to 4.00 higher late on Friday. Feeder steers sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 400 lbs sold sharply lower, while those over 400 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower after last week's sharply higher heifer market. Demand was moderate to good.

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
356–394 374 41 300.00–355.00 $333.52 $1,247 +19.67
381 unweaned 381 5 330.00 $330.00 $1,257 +32.50
416–425 unweaned 421 7 312.50–318.00 $314.83 $1,325 +18.10
405–444 428 90 295.00–356.00 $328.87 $1,408 +1.94
429 fancy 429 6 362.50 $362.50 $1,555 -6.31
465 fancy 465 12 367.50 $367.50 $1,709 +34.07
468–475 unweaned 470 9 307.50–320.00 $315.79 $1,484 +46.79
450–499 480 198 287.50–352.00 $315.37 $1,514 +2.17
500–547 522 460 280.00–340.25 $317.53 $1,658 +11.63
511–547 unweaned 522 44 267.00–307.00 $287.24 $1,499 +28.27
545 fancy 545 12 315.50 $315.50 $1,719 +1.00
550–598 578 588 275.00–322.00 $302.84 $1,750 +7.55
575–596 fancy 583 77 293.00–317.00 $308.07 $1,796 +5.07
600–649 626 1,188 251.00–302.50 $287.37 $1,799 +1.71
610–640 unweaned 627 53 220.00–270.50 $252.92 $1,586 +11.94
666 fancy 666 58 286.00 $286.00 $1,905 +22.00
650–698 673 1,067 245.00–290.00 $272.40 $1,833 +0.90
719 unweaned 719 5 239.00 $239.00 $1,718 +10.52
700–749 724 1,418 240.00–276.50 $261.24 $1,891 +6.13
750–797 771 1,205 230.00–275.00 $250.93 $1,935 +2.57
771–772 fancy 772 74 248.25 $248.25 $1,916 +8.75
774 unweaned 774 8 217.00 $217.00 $1,680 +9.00
800–847 821 963 228.00–255.50 $243.28 $1,997 +7.02
850–890 860 482 206.00–245.00 $237.74 $2,045 +5.04
909 909 5 203.00 $203.00 $1,845 -25.03
900–937 927 146 202.00–232.25 $224.22 $2,079 -3.81
966–997 969 62 198.00–221.50 $219.16 $2,124 +1.78
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 375 14 262.50–302.50 $290.16 $1,088 -21.76
400–431 412 10 230.00–287.50 $263.46 $1,085 -23.87
454–493 472 61 240.00–318.00 $286.40 $1,352 +12.42
487 unweaned 487 3 262.50 $262.50 $1,278 —
500–543 519 43 250.00–302.00 $284.63 $1,477 +21.95
550–597 572 51 220.00–286.00 $266.35 $1,524 +6.07
601–647 629 67 222.50–270.50 $251.17 $1,580 -1.79
654–697 682 111 225.00–256.25 $248.71 $1,696 +2.59
700–741 720 40 200.00–241.00 $226.65 $1,632 -7.17
765–797 779 86 218.50–246.00 $237.11 $1,847 +10.01
806–845 821 14 204.00–228.00 $216.75 $1,780 +16.75
927 927 4 211.00 $211.00 $1,956 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1066 1066 4 169.50–181.00 $172.37 $1,837 —
935–1225 1088 4 142.50–157.00 $149.47 $1,626 —
1160–1520 1313 20 160.00–171.00 $166.95 $2,192 —
1093–1525 1337 64 164.00–175.35 $172.96 $2,312 —
1345–1460 1391 10 171.50–172.00 $171.79 $2,390 -2.12
1449 1449 15 175.00 $175.00 $2,536 —
1267–1616 1470 90 172.00–180.00 $177.19 $2,605 +3.32
1483 1483 8 175.10 $175.10 $2,597 +1.23
1611–1635 1613 11 168.50–174.75 $174.17 $2,809 —
1615 1615 6 174.50 $174.50 $2,818 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1047 1035 74 190.00–213.10 $207.41 $2,147 +3.90
1213 1213 4 171.00 $171.00 $2,074 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
614 614 9 252.00 $252.00 $1,547 —
699 699 21 249.00 $249.00 $1,741 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318–346 338 26 270.00–310.00 $296.80 $1,003 +29.06
338 unweaned 338 5 300.00 $300.00 $1,014 —
366–387 unweaned 372 11 247.00–267.50 $259.16 $964 +19.16
363–397 388 74 285.00–309.00 $296.81 $1,152 +28.30
400–446 426 132 274.00–312.50 $294.44 $1,254 +20.02
445 unweaned 445 11 260.00 $260.00 $1,157 +3.93
453–483 unweaned 462 31 242.50–280.00 $265.21 $1,225 +15.65
451–499 480 333 257.00–300.00 $281.83 $1,353 +14.80
500–548 526 556 247.00–284.00 $267.72 $1,408 -0.28
505–541 unweaned 526 37 227.00–250.00 $236.61 $1,245 -4.81
504–549 fancy 537 36 274.00–291.00 $278.44 $1,495 -8.34
550–598 unweaned 566 16 221.00–228.00 $223.85 $1,267 +3.93
550–597 574 922 230.00–279.00 $255.79 $1,468 -1.40
581 fancy 581 8 245.00 $245.00 $1,423 —
610–630 618 8 210.00–217.00 $212.68 $1,314 -39.40
618 fancy 618 16 257.00 $257.00 $1,588 +2.50
600–643 unweaned 620 25 211.00–233.00 $224.19 $1,390 +0.59
600–649 627 1,133 225.00–270.00 $245.30 $1,538 -6.78
650 unweaned 650 6 225.00 $225.00 $1,462 +17.08
650–699 677 1,059 212.00–252.00 $237.85 $1,610 -3.93
677 fancy 677 31 248.50 $248.50 $1,682 +10.50
701 fancy 701 26 243.00 $243.00 $1,703 —
700–746 726 1,125 209.00–246.25 $231.45 $1,680 +1.04
766 unweaned 766 3 196.00 $196.00 $1,501 —
750–798 775 633 200.00–230.50 $222.32 $1,723 +1.43
801–848 824 344 188.00–240.00 $224.55 $1,850 +10.78
827 fancy 827 12 219.50 $219.50 $1,815 —
850–895 867 194 187.50–221.00 $210.17 $1,822 +7.91
907–917 908 59 197.50–218.50 $217.06 $1,971 +34.73
987 987 5 186.00–187.00 $186.40 $1,840 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371–385 375 10 220.00–277.50 $237.70 $891 -3.53
423–448 439 12 243.00–277.50 $259.47 $1,139 +16.51
470 unweaned 470 3 207.50 $207.50 $975 -22.50
458–498 484 25 232.50–255.00 $241.10 $1,167 +3.74
505–537 524 65 205.00–245.00 $235.32 $1,233 -5.16
559–597 584 81 175.00–245.00 $231.95 $1,355 -7.66
601–645 621 88 175.00–242.00 $227.07 $1,410 -1.42
650–696 674 22 200.00–227.00 $208.93 $1,408 -10.80
707–746 732 62 197.00–218.00 $212.94 $1,559 —
816–840 829 13 172.00–209.00 $194.43 $1,612 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1215 1098 5 127.50–169.75 $153.87 $1,689 —
1055–1440 1266 28 136.00–171.00 $156.16 $1,977 —
1005–1500 1303 29 170.00–176.00 $172.55 $2,248 +1.51
1322 1322 2 171.50 $171.50 $2,267 +0.46
1160–1423 1334 8 130.50–145.00 $134.40 $1,793 -31.14
1273–1419 1360 27 175.50 $175.50 $2,387 +6.40
1240–1566 1392 81 170.00–180.00 $177.00 $2,464 -0.07
1397 1397 8 176.00 $176.00 $2,459 -1.07
1600–1620 1610 2 144.00–168.00 $156.07 $2,513 +2.57
1665 1665 3 145.00 $145.00 $2,414 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 12 235.00 $235.00 $952 —
451 451 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,128 —
516 516 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,187 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
335 335 3 975.00 $975.00 —
450–460 455 6 1,000.00–1,050.00 $1,024.73 —
526 526 3 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
723 723 6 216.00 $216.00 $1,562 —
1113 1113 4 173.00 $173.00 $1,925 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 unweaned 345 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,070 —
406 unweaned 406 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,137 —
476 476 3 304.00 $304.00 $1,447 +23.00
505 unweaned 505 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,338 +20.00
510–525 515 3 232.00–237.50 $235.63 $1,213 —
617 617 6 240.00 $240.00 $1,481 +3.00
625 625 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,562 +13.00
636 unweaned 636 7 252.50 $252.50 $1,606 —
817 817 3 217.00 $217.00 $1,773 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 3 193.00 $193.00 $1,245 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1810 1499 75-80% 39 100.00–109.00 $105.08 $1,575 —
1400–1780 1533 75-80% 9 110.00–112.00 $110.79 $1,698 +5.40
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1670 1370 80-85% 41 89.00–99.00 $94.11 $1,289 -1.15
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1580 1268 85-90% 14 60.00–88.00 $82.28 $1,043 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965 965 1 89.00 $89.00 $859 —
1225–2475 1971 10 110.00–123.00 $116.98 $2,306 -4.98
2090–2165 2128 2 101.00–103.00 $102.02 $2,171 —

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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.