Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 4, 2024

9,734 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $308.12/cwt +9.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,916/hd at 622 lb · 608 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $257.26/cwt +13.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,729/hd at 672 lb · 558 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $249.55/cwt +5.97 vs last sale · ≈ $2,065/hd at 828 lb · 534 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,734 7,508 9,220
Feeder cattle 8,289 6,261 7,804
Slaughter cattle 1,445 1,247 1,416

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Slaughter steers steady to 1.00 higher, heifers steady. Feeder steers 5.00 to 10.00 higher, heifers 3.00 to 6.00 higher, instances to 8.00 higher. Very good demand for all weights of feeder steers and heifers, best demand remains centered on those light weight steers and heifers that can be backgrounded as yearlings. The fall months of the Feeder Cattle futures are 20.00 premium to the front month, giving a clear signal to backgrounders to buy these light weight cattle while they are still available. The market is incredibly active as there is much optimism amongst cattle producers. Cash fed cattle reached up to 186.00, a nice rally which added support to the feeder market but still it's not the 190.00 that is needed for most cattle to make some money. Slaughter cows were mixed, Breaker cows 2.00 to 3.00 higher, while Boners and Lean cows 5.00 to 8.00 higher, bulls steady.

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
268 268 6 425.00 $425.00 $1,139 +10.00
328 unweaned 328 4 360.00 $360.00 $1,181 —
342 342 7 410.00 $410.00 $1,402 +25.13
365 fancy 365 3 415.00 $415.00 $1,515 —
368–393 383 14 353.00–379.00 $366.88 $1,405 -28.92
388 unweaned 388 13 387.50 $387.50 $1,504 —
418 unweaned 418 4 345.00 $345.00 $1,442 +15.00
421 fancy 421 5 390.00 $390.00 $1,642 —
406–447 435 128 343.00–390.00 $363.43 $1,581 -0.88
454 unweaned 454 12 348.00 $348.00 $1,580 —
450–497 479 213 315.00–360.00 $339.79 $1,628 -2.11
504 fancy 504 18 352.00 $352.00 $1,774 —
500–540 unweaned 525 11 300.00–323.00 $307.96 $1,617 —
502–548 527 258 312.00–348.00 $331.68 $1,748 +0.85
550–597 575 336 294.00–340.00 $324.22 $1,864 +8.96
589 unweaned 589 7 290.00 $290.00 $1,708 +5.00
609 unweaned 609 7 273.00 $273.00 $1,663 —
600–649 622 601 291.00–323.50 $308.53 $1,919 +9.97
656 unweaned 656 5 281.00 $281.00 $1,843 —
654–694 670 368 269.00–303.00 $290.00 $1,943 +10.07
701 unweaned 701 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,752 —
700–749 724 481 260.00–285.00 $275.47 $1,994 +10.65
750–798 775 467 246.75–277.00 $258.56 $2,004 +3.42
789 fancy 789 66 258.10 $258.10 $2,036 -3.65
824 fancy 824 51 253.50 $253.50 $2,089 —
800–848 828 483 237.50–256.50 $249.13 $2,063 +5.55
864–887 875 115 225.00–252.85 $245.57 $2,149 +4.46
900–940 919 170 220.00–241.85 $234.62 $2,156 +3.86
981 981 22 216.50 $216.50 $2,124 +11.18
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1321 1213 80 165.00–183.00 $173.26 $2,102 —
1145–1256 1214 3 160.00–170.00 $166.86 $2,026 —
1165–1280 1247 14 184.00–190.00 $185.60 $2,314 —
1160–1590 1368 94 173.00–183.00 $180.99 $2,476 -0.17
1390 1390 4 185.50 $185.50 $2,578 +3.14
1296–1533 1391 24 176.00–184.85 $183.34 $2,550 +0.98
1217–1560 1456 51 180.00–186.35 $185.27 $2,698 +0.67
1250–1660 1466 221 183.00–190.50 $188.10 $2,758 +3.50
1605–1777 1715 4 180.00–181.50 $180.90 $3,102 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,154 —
370–389 386 22 327.50–337.50 $336.19 $1,298 +28.19
402–445 414 13 315.00–347.50 $326.10 $1,350 -13.04
468 unweaned 468 10 300.00 $300.00 $1,404 —
469–490 478 9 310.00 $310.00 $1,482 +20.12
524–548 534 23 297.50–312.50 $303.80 $1,622 +14.70
558–595 572 44 200.00–315.00 $270.83 $1,549 -10.61
600–639 617 10 250.00–287.00 $269.61 $1,663 -0.87
671–692 682 15 268.00–273.00 $270.70 $1,846 +20.07
741 741 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,556 -26.18
760–790 786 46 221.00–246.25 $243.72 $1,916 +14.12
835–845 838 9 215.00–226.00 $218.70 $1,833 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,414 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–334 331 18 331.00–370.00 $355.69 $1,177 +28.29
364–372 unweaned 371 47 325.00–338.00 $336.37 $1,248 —
368–395 384 44 302.50–360.00 $323.07 $1,241 +0.80
405–408 unweaned 406 14 295.00–307.50 $302.12 $1,227 —
419 fancy 419 18 338.00 $338.00 $1,416 —
403–438 422 66 280.00–350.00 $324.53 $1,370 +18.40
467 unweaned 467 4 285.00 $285.00 $1,331 —
452–496 479 190 280.00–330.00 $306.08 $1,466 +5.54
506 fancy 506 12 320.00 $320.00 $1,619 +5.00
507 unweaned 507 31 267.50–300.00 $296.85 $1,505 —
500–546 524 196 264.00–297.50 $285.72 $1,497 +1.29
550–597 571 383 252.00–290.00 $272.87 $1,558 +3.84
550–595 unweaned 581 13 232.00–264.00 $247.00 $1,435 —
602–648 628 468 246.00–281.00 $262.91 $1,651 +0.71
652–672 657 99 253.00–260.00 $258.12 $1,696 +14.14
651–698 675 450 235.50–267.50 $257.03 $1,735 +13.05
694 fancy 694 9 259.00 $259.00 $1,797 —
705 unweaned 705 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,569 —
700–748 722 433 226.50–255.50 $244.13 $1,763 +7.74
733 fancy 733 55 241.50 $241.50 $1,770 —
751–793 769 237 214.00–250.60 $235.79 $1,813 +12.50
762–788 fancy 775 26 233.00–240.00 $236.44 $1,832 -11.06
779 779 97 238.25–245.00 $242.43 $1,889 +19.14
802–838 813 58 215.00–232.00 $222.43 $1,808 +20.46
852–875 855 34 212.00–225.50 $218.87 $1,871 +5.63
916–947 932 10 206.00–208.00 $207.02 $1,929 -7.48
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060 1060 1 164.50 $164.50 $1,744 -4.24
1095 1095 2 176.00 $176.00 $1,927 +7.26
1155–1205 1166 8 170.00–179.00 $177.84 $2,074 +15.26
1110–1400 1202 22 161.50–179.00 $177.01 $2,128 -5.57
1202 1202 4 185.00 $185.00 $2,224 +2.42
1070–1535 1288 49 170.00–184.50 $179.60 $2,313 +5.18
1110–1583 1357 259 172.00–191.25 $187.51 $2,545 +2.16
1320–1491 1379 30 180.00–186.50 $185.14 $2,553 -3.28
1500 1500 3 180.50 $180.50 $2,708 +1.00
1506 1506 4 184.50 $184.50 $2,779 +5.00
1495–1653 1609 7 171.00–182.00 $173.13 $2,786 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 3 335.00 $335.00 $1,246 +28.00
417–445 439 26 267.50–317.50 $293.94 $1,290 +6.94
466–490 474 11 270.00–289.00 $281.84 $1,336 +17.38
527–541 535 36 250.00–275.00 $257.74 $1,379 -2.14
579–591 586 39 206.00–250.00 $242.32 $1,420 +1.73
602–638 615 29 225.00–244.00 $239.71 $1,474 +7.05
723 723 7 215.00 $215.00 $1,554 +44.00
777 777 15 209.50 $209.50 $1,628 +18.50
812 812 4 206.00 $206.00 $1,673 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1004 1004 5 201.00 $201.00 $2,018 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
273 unweaned 273 6 340.00 $340.00 $928 —
373 unweaned 373 21 385.00 $385.00 $1,436 —
464 unweaned 464 37 347.50 $347.50 $1,612 —
508–543 521 8 251.00–260.00 $256.48 $1,336 -43.52
590 590 6 275.00 $275.00 $1,622 —
591 unweaned 591 20 281.00 $281.00 $1,661 —
621 unweaned 621 3 239.00 $239.00 $1,484 —
630–646 639 13 222.50–259.00 $242.38 $1,549 —
691 unweaned 691 23 268.50 $268.50 $1,855 —
846 unweaned 846 8 227.00 $227.00 $1,920 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
569 569 4 275.00 $275.00 $1,565 —
705 705 11 235.00 $235.00 $1,657 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1875 1378 75-80% 63 111.00–119.50 $117.07 $1,613 +2.67
1230–1930 1527 75-80% 66 120.00–129.00 $123.26 $1,882 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1795 1274 80-85% 49 100.00–114.50 $110.11 $1,403 +5.25
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485–1290 994 85-90% 8 45.00–77.00 $68.72 $683 —
685–1385 1017 85-90% 25 75.00–106.00 $95.82 $974 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1195 1089 8 116.00–161.00 $134.66 $1,466 —
1310–2300 1655 24 141.00–161.00 $150.68 $2,494 +23.20
1055–2270 1705 23 109.00–137.00 $127.71 $2,177 -23.34
3070 3070 1 106.00 $106.00 $3,254 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1570 1380 29 149.00–158.50 $155.84 $2,151 —
1420–1625 1510 41 159.00–167.00 $161.09 $2,432 +9.26

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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.