Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 26, 2024

7,508 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 $264.82/cwt -0.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,928/hd at 728 lb · 488 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $256.08/cwt +2.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,973/hd at 770 lb · 469 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $298.56/cwt +0.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,854/hd at 621 lb · 443 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,508 17,649 14,502
Feeder cattle 6,261 17,129 12,886
Slaughter cattle 1,247 520 1,616

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Choice Steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 7.00 to 12.00 higher; over 600 lbs sold uneven, 2.00 lower to 2.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 700 lbs sold uneven; 1.00 lower to 2.00 higher; over 700 lbs not well tested. Demand was good on moderate supply.

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
265 265 3 415.00 $415.00 $1,100 +106.00
338–346 342 9 375.00–397.50 $384.87 $1,316 +31.42
358–388 377 23 385.00–405.00 $395.80 $1,492 +44.78
400–445 421 48 327.50–397.50 $364.31 $1,534 +28.06
427 unweaned 427 3 330.00 $330.00 $1,409 -7.04
457–499 483 147 317.50–357.50 $341.90 $1,651 +12.60
500–548 528 136 317.00–367.50 $330.83 $1,747 +13.28
565 unweaned 565 3 285.00 $285.00 $1,610 -25.00
550–599 573 287 288.00–330.50 $315.26 $1,806 +7.06
601–648 621 443 270.00–314.00 $298.56 $1,854 +2.50
662 fancy 662 18 293.75 $293.75 $1,945 —
652–699 673 380 260.00–299.25 $279.93 $1,884 -0.52
700–748 728 488 255.00–274.00 $264.82 $1,928 -0.18
761 fancy 761 67 261.75 $261.75 $1,992 —
753–799 772 402 230.00–269.50 $255.14 $1,970 +1.88
808–842 825 150 226.00–249.00 $243.58 $2,010 -4.12
853–895 861 270 209.00–249.75 $241.11 $2,076 +4.90
900–935 912 214 213.50–238.00 $230.76 $2,105 -2.69
914 fancy 914 6 231.00 $231.00 $2,111 —
953–975 961 16 199.00–212.50 $205.32 $1,973 -30.43
1028 1028 52 208.50 $208.50 $2,143 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1260 1134 4 167.00–170.00 $168.82 $1,914 +8.82
1115–1190 1139 7 141.00–178.00 $166.14 $1,892 +6.14
1190 1190 2 176.50 $176.50 $2,100 —
1223–1338 1281 6 167.75–168.00 $167.87 $2,150 -10.13
1150–1615 1375 83 174.00–184.00 $181.16 $2,491 +6.66
1105–1446 1377 18 178.00–185.00 $182.36 $2,511 +7.86
1375–1493 1439 13 177.50–184.60 $184.03 $2,648 +7.53
1203–1672 1449 206 180.00–191.50 $187.06 $2,710 —
1458 1458 7 184.60 $184.60 $2,691 -2.06
1597–1615 1601 5 178.25–179.50 $178.50 $2,858 —
1605–1870 1756 21 163.00–186.00 $181.08 $3,180 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 5 308.00 $308.00 $1,207 -10.80
413–415 414 9 322.50–347.50 $339.14 $1,404 +37.95
453–494 471 29 235.00–320.00 $289.88 $1,365 -4.65
500–549 533 81 270.00–317.00 $289.10 $1,541 +9.27
553–592 575 19 266.00–290.00 $281.44 $1,618 +0.18
605–643 629 50 250.00–280.00 $270.48 $1,701 -1.36
667–695 684 27 232.00–260.00 $250.63 $1,714 -9.39
710–734 727 6 215.00–245.00 $236.18 $1,717 +9.76
753–785 757 8 225.00–232.00 $229.60 $1,738 +10.00
923–935 928 5 180.00–200.50 $192.24 $1,784 —
970 970 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,552 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1106–1126 1117 7 191.00–196.00 $193.88 $2,166 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294 294 7 367.50 $367.50 $1,080 +65.50
316–346 337 12 305.00–357.50 $327.40 $1,103 +6.41
359–399 378 53 308.00–355.00 $322.27 $1,218 +11.38
405–443 426 39 280.00–320.00 $306.13 $1,304 +0.81
445 unweaned 445 3 280.00 $280.00 $1,246 +1.00
453–499 478 236 275.00–340.00 $300.54 $1,437 +2.12
484–486 fancy 485 20 295.00–315.00 $303.98 $1,474 —
503 fancy 503 24 315.00 $315.00 $1,584 +25.61
501–546 531 166 262.00–302.50 $284.43 $1,510 +1.38
549 unweaned 549 7 260.00 $260.00 $1,427 -35.00
555–599 584 387 235.00–285.50 $269.03 $1,571 -1.38
600–648 622 424 237.50–275.50 $262.20 $1,631 +1.43
650–699 671 212 221.00–262.50 $243.98 $1,637 -3.74
706–745 729 390 216.00–245.50 $236.39 $1,723 -1.35
735–747 741 50 250.00 $250.00 $1,852 +12.26
761 fancy 761 23 247.50 $247.50 $1,883 —
750–798 785 78 211.50–230.00 $223.29 $1,753 -12.21
804 804 7 220.00 $220.00 $1,769 +20.00
804–840 814 32 180.00–212.50 $201.97 $1,644 +1.97
854–889 878 14 210.00–217.00 $213.24 $1,872 -8.47
900 900 7 214.50 $214.50 $1,930 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1235 1093 17 127.50–180.50 $168.74 $1,844 —
1140 1140 1 178.00 $178.00 $2,029 +48.74
900–1245 1155 4 158.00–171.00 $162.58 $1,878 -8.04
1180–1217 1213 9 175.00–183.50 $182.58 $2,215 —
1055–1690 1249 50 170.00–184.00 $176.79 $2,208 —
1271 1271 3 184.50 $184.50 $2,345 —
1243–1370 1285 12 173.00–177.00 $174.42 $2,241 —
1273–1437 1375 15 184.25–186.25 $185.35 $2,549 —
1180–1565 1383 217 171.00–192.25 $188.42 $2,606 —
1525 1525 1 179.50 $179.50 $2,737 —
1573 1573 5 182.00 $182.00 $2,863 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373 373 3 307.00 $307.00 $1,145 +5.00
444 444 4 287.00 $287.00 $1,274 +34.14
451–484 469 34 239.00–304.00 $264.46 $1,240 +17.30
525–547 534 13 252.00–266.00 $259.88 $1,388 -0.96
565–595 573 7 225.00–250.00 $240.59 $1,379 -4.78
600–610 608 5 182.50–245.00 $232.66 $1,415 +6.54
655–694 685 18 212.50–226.50 $223.26 $1,529 +3.62
740 740 2 171.00 $171.00 $1,265 -57.51
795 795 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,518 -8.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,500 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1820 1397 75-80% 103 110.00–118.50 $114.40 $1,598 —
1150–1980 1495 75-80% 94 119.00–128.00 $122.16 $1,826 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–1735 1266 80-85% 45 98.00–110.00 $104.86 $1,328 —
1270–1825 1473 80-85% 5 89.00–95.00 $92.19 $1,358 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770–1055 930 85-90% 4 50.00–69.00 $59.11 $550 —
760–1410 1165 85-90% 17 72.00–96.00 $88.33 $1,029 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1205 1178 2 138.00–143.00 $140.56 $1,656 —
1355–2095 1681 18 111.00–139.00 $127.48 $2,143 —
1295–2280 1700 18 140.00–166.00 $151.05 $2,568 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950 950 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,492 —
1115–1160 1135 3 145.00–159.00 $150.91 $1,713 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1200 1185 2 125.00–127.50 $126.27 $1,496 —
1365–1680 1539 15 140.00–158.00 $151.83 $2,337 —
1430–1785 1593 21 159.00–175.00 $163.02 $2,597 —

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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.