Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 6, 2024

9,255 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 $311.11/cwt -1.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,938/hd at 623 lb · 468 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $276.05/cwt -4.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,581/hd at 573 lb · 454 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $319.48/cwt +1.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,832/hd at 573 lb · 389 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,255 9,305 9,274
Feeder cattle 7,737 7,700 7,616
Slaughter cattle 1,518 1,605 1,658

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers mostly steady. Very good demand remains for steers and heifers, but with the volatility in the futures contracts and the lack of the futures following the cash market is causing uncertainty. Turnout time is upon us and the feeder cattle marketing season is winding down. Auction schedules are becoming more sporadic as is normal for this time of the year.

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
322 unweaned 322 4 345.00 $345.00 $1,111 —
346–348 347 9 400.00–409.00 $405.99 $1,409 +25.99
361–399 382 112 356.00–408.00 $385.52 $1,473 +1.85
425 fancy 425 8 383.00 $383.00 $1,628 —
431 unweaned 431 7 361.00 $361.00 $1,556 -24.40
412–443 433 54 355.00–377.50 $366.08 $1,585 -12.12
456–498 474 295 328.00–383.50 $360.41 $1,708 -3.86
475 unweaned 475 5 340.00 $340.00 $1,615 -16.00
482 fancy 482 23 360.50 $360.50 $1,738 —
487 487 12 325.00 $325.00 $1,583 -39.27
500 fancy 500 11 350.00 $350.00 $1,750 —
502–537 unweaned 516 56 299.00–314.00 $306.69 $1,583 -32.94
500–540 521 301 315.00–365.50 $348.08 $1,813 -1.12
527 thin fleshed 527 12 357.00 $357.00 $1,881 -12.00
550–596 571 340 285.00–343.00 $323.45 $1,847 +1.71
575 fancy 575 8 325.00 $325.00 $1,869 —
566–599 unweaned 593 41 274.00–318.00 $285.44 $1,693 -23.79
622 622 10 276.00 $276.00 $1,717 -37.85
602–646 623 458 289.75–328.00 $311.88 $1,943 -1.97
660–675 unweaned 667 9 245.00–256.00 $249.95 $1,667 -16.13
656–692 671 177 230.00–299.00 $280.74 $1,884 -6.66
700–742 727 237 252.50–278.00 $264.77 $1,925 -3.57
765–796 782 69 246.00–261.50 $258.46 $2,021 +0.99
806–843 829 247 236.50–259.75 $252.78 $2,096 +1.28
878–897 882 102 234.50–239.10 $238.22 $2,101 +5.38
901–926 921 204 229.50–241.50 $233.60 $2,151 +14.54
974–995 981 96 202.75–236.25 $224.22 $2,200 +10.22
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1200 1141 4 154.00–167.00 $161.96 $1,848 —
1125–1381 1273 24 174.00–184.00 $180.37 $2,296 +3.66
1075–1570 1313 47 175.00–184.00 $180.86 $2,375 —
1418 1418 2 185.50 $185.50 $2,630 +2.41
1273–1469 1430 38 183.00–187.75 $184.98 $2,645 +1.89
1278–1685 1431 243 185.00–194.00 $188.62 $2,699 +5.53
1535 1535 12 189.00 $189.00 $2,901 —
1548–1583 1572 22 183.50–188.00 $186.17 $2,927 -1.18
1607 1607 8 188.00 $188.00 $3,021 —
1602–1647 1639 17 181.50–183.00 $181.76 $2,979 —
1650–1787 1703 41 184.00–189.75 $187.07 $3,186 —
1700–1940 1781 4 165.00–189.00 $181.21 $3,227 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 4 325.00 $325.00 $1,209 —
412 412 4 308.00 $308.00 $1,269 -34.57
430 unweaned 430 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,290 -38.00
458–476 468 20 267.50–342.50 $306.26 $1,433 -35.88
510–542 527 18 280.00–335.00 $319.21 $1,682 +15.74
516–546 unweaned 527 11 265.00–290.00 $280.58 $1,479 -33.42
555–597 581 74 250.00–321.00 $298.00 $1,731 +0.98
592 unweaned 592 7 288.00 $288.00 $1,705 —
624–645 632 22 250.00–304.00 $273.71 $1,730 -12.94
691–692 691 11 257.00–262.50 $259.50 $1,793 -6.13
715 715 5 223.00 $223.00 $1,594 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 3 347.50 $347.50 $1,407 +18.37
531 531 6 312.00 $312.00 $1,657 -23.00
612 unweaned 612 10 288.00 $288.00 $1,763 —
615–625 618 11 284.00–286.00 $285.45 $1,764 +4.40
746 746 15 265.50 $265.50 $1,981 +2.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313 313 3 330.00 $330.00 $1,033 -29.21
355–390 375 78 308.00–405.00 $375.27 $1,407 +28.41
405 unweaned 405 3 303.00 $303.00 $1,227 -54.00
403–448 430 125 300.00–340.00 $325.44 $1,399 -4.59
437 437 7 315.00 $315.00 $1,377 -15.03
451–460 unweaned 455 11 302.00–308.00 $304.76 $1,387 -23.65
450–498 469 225 297.00–344.00 $325.27 $1,526 -0.23
470 fancy 470 15 320.50 $320.50 $1,506 —
511–519 unweaned 515 24 269.00–311.00 $291.59 $1,502 -4.02
500–549 517 363 267.00–324.00 $310.45 $1,605 +8.89
568 fancy 568 16 278.50 $278.50 $1,582 —
569 unweaned 569 19 300.00 $300.00 $1,707 +25.83
550–598 573 419 250.50–306.00 $274.87 $1,575 -6.70
603–645 622 175 239.00–303.00 $266.03 $1,655 +1.54
676 fancy 676 57 274.00 $274.00 $1,852 —
650–686 679 164 228.50–262.00 $249.78 $1,696 +4.78
701–748 732 258 234.00–256.75 $250.57 $1,834 +3.57
749 749 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,798 -7.00
750–790 765 153 207.00–239.00 $233.11 $1,783 -3.63
826–833 827 54 247.00–248.00 $247.21 $2,044 +22.12
812–843 831 203 201.00–246.00 $224.04 $1,862 -1.05
855 855 7 229.00 $229.00 $1,958 +16.04
864 864 65 223.50 $223.50 $1,931 +10.54
904–927 913 8 180.00–207.00 $196.72 $1,796 -11.99
965 965 25 220.50 $220.50 $2,128 +26.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1168 1111 10 168.00–179.00 $174.48 $1,938 —
1020–1500 1278 20 172.00–184.00 $180.04 $2,301 -1.65
1150–1640 1351 284 180.00–195.00 $187.51 $2,533 —
1588 1588 4 187.75 $187.75 $2,981 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–345 338 11 285.00–335.00 $314.27 $1,062 —
353–383 363 20 295.00–368.00 $339.21 $1,231 —
378 unweaned 378 7 285.00 $285.00 $1,077 —
423–445 436 47 285.00–312.50 $305.96 $1,334 -3.76
466 unweaned 466 17 278.00 $278.00 $1,295 —
450–492 471 46 270.00–301.00 $288.67 $1,360 +3.43
531 unweaned 531 4 260.00 $260.00 $1,381 —
500–547 533 61 245.00–275.00 $265.39 $1,415 -9.71
550–573 565 29 240.00–260.00 $249.96 $1,412 -13.66
618–646 628 39 230.00–255.50 $245.43 $1,541 —
675–692 682 10 205.00–237.00 $224.01 $1,528 -0.32
776 776 4 207.00 $207.00 $1,606 —
815 815 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,630 —
850 850 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,658 —
990 990 4 140.00 $140.00 $1,386 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 9 288.00 $288.00 $1,273 -46.00
520 520 4 260.00 $260.00 $1,352 -27.94
614 unweaned 614 10 250.00 $250.00 $1,535 —
665–688 677 6 226.50–240.00 $233.14 $1,578 -22.86
705 705 16 254.50 $254.50 $1,794 +9.50
828 828 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,656 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,606 —
652 652 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,630 —
844 844 4 180.00 $180.00 $1,519 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1445 1303 75-80% 23 132.00–149.00 $140.77 $1,834 -2.59
1225–1970 1519 75-80% 62 124.00–135.50 $129.95 $1,974 -10.01
1320–1945 1577 75-80% 47 135.00–147.00 $140.18 $2,211 —
1335–1825 1585 75-80% 11 111.00–125.00 $120.51 $1,910 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–950 890 80-85% 2 127.50–130.00 $128.83 $1,147 —
1005–1450 1191 80-85% 27 119.00–137.50 $127.87 $1,523 -7.17
1100–1560 1341 80-85% 24 115.00–125.00 $120.60 $1,617 —
1160–1595 1348 80-85% 14 100.00–116.00 $110.36 $1,488 —
1175–1485 1363 80-85% 8 127.00–137.00 $130.25 $1,775 +20.04
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–960 896 85-90% 6 100.00–110.00 $104.62 $937 —
1075–1085 1080 85-90% 2 111.00–115.00 $113.01 $1,221 —
1000–1420 1184 85-90% 15 98.00–113.00 $106.92 $1,266 +2.49
1155–1375 1241 85-90% 5 70.00–93.00 $84.00 $1,042 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970 970 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,116 —
1130–1285 1233 4 153.00–162.00 $157.96 $1,948 —
1370–2520 1719 30 130.00–159.50 $144.69 $2,487 —
1315–2400 1940 21 154.00–176.50 $163.75 $3,177 -0.81

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1228–1528 1405 24 175.00–182.50 $177.79 $2,498 —
1380–1445 1426 4 185.00–187.25 $186.64 $2,661 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1705 1602 35 176.00–189.00 $184.53 $2,956 +4.41

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1349 1308 8 160.00–165.50 $164.25 $2,148 —
1470–1556 1523 10 163.75–165.50 $164.38 $2,504 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1298 1298 11 162.00 $162.00 $2,103 —
1089–1740 1516 67 150.00–164.00 $156.46 $2,372 —
1295–1875 1516 36 162.50–177.00 $167.60 $2,541 —

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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.