Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 26, 2024

8,190 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $253.20/cwt +8.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,084/hd at 823 lb · 554 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $246.16/cwt +11.08 vs last sale · ≈ $2,142/hd at 870 lb · 429 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $259.29/cwt +0.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,881/hd at 725 lb · 332 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 8,190 5,878 11,579
Feeder cattle 7,451 3,733 8,987
Slaughter cattle 739 2,145 2,592

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold with steady to higher undertones compared to last week's more limited offering. Moderate to good demand for steers and heifers, especially for those light fleshed yearling cattle. Good demand for the small packages of spring born calves coming to auction. The cash fed cattle market converged with the Aug Live Cattle contract, after holding a huge positive basis over the futures for the entire year. The weakness in the futures contracts have pulled the cash market down to it's level and has a much lower future outlook than what it did through the spring and summer.

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
300–319 310 22 302.50–390.00 $347.65 $1,078 +5.15
332 unweaned 332 6 300.00 $300.00 $996 —
352–382 unweaned 368 15 306.00–365.00 $331.86 $1,221 —
360–399 377 33 300.00–360.00 $331.42 $1,249 —
404–443 unweaned 427 19 338.00–352.50 $345.00 $1,473 —
413–449 436 90 329.00–370.00 $336.63 $1,468 -3.37
462–487 unweaned 471 58 306.00–317.00 $312.74 $1,473 —
457–499 477 121 302.50–334.00 $321.91 $1,536 +22.79
485 485 7 318.00 $318.00 $1,542 +18.88
503–510 unweaned 506 25 298.00–309.00 $304.56 $1,541 —
501–542 524 259 286.00–306.00 $301.46 $1,580 +19.21
551–598 571 182 264.00–309.50 $292.43 $1,670 +9.03
574–582 unweaned 576 26 274.00–285.00 $282.21 $1,626 —
600 fancy 600 28 303.00 $303.00 $1,818 —
604–640 622 124 279.00–288.50 $283.07 $1,761 +6.97
652–690 670 233 261.00–281.50 $273.98 $1,836 +3.80
701–704 unweaned 703 10 240.00–254.50 $248.71 $1,748 —
700–744 726 322 241.00–270.00 $259.62 $1,885 +0.36
752–795 777 237 240.00–264.50 $255.08 $1,982 +5.94
801–847 823 554 236.00–258.00 $253.20 $2,084 +8.75
857–892 870 429 231.00–253.50 $246.16 $2,142 +11.08
906–936 933 165 230.00–234.75 $233.85 $2,182 +2.16
972–998 987 261 225.25–230.50 $226.67 $2,237 +20.67
1111 1111 50 216.25 $216.25 $2,403 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1062–1180 1101 3 180.00–184.00 $182.57 $2,010 +2.47
1050–1405 1215 15 176.00–189.50 $183.69 $2,232 -2.81
1140–1495 1328 51 180.00–189.50 $186.46 $2,476 +4.76
1135–1575 1403 192 189.00–199.75 $194.34 $2,727 +9.51
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 3 292.50 $292.50 $954 —
372 372 4 251.00 $251.00 $934 —
403–445 427 24 255.00–323.00 $295.37 $1,261 —
478–486 483 38 262.00–310.00 $270.38 $1,306 -2.62
507–548 524 12 259.00–272.00 $263.45 $1,380 —
580–599 592 32 243.00–282.00 $271.03 $1,604 —
603–626 617 13 254.00–273.00 $265.26 $1,637 —
654–672 665 22 251.00–269.00 $261.75 $1,741 +20.25
700–743 730 41 230.00–240.00 $237.02 $1,730 -4.98
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
449 unweaned 449 8 304.00 $304.00 $1,365 —
472 unweaned 472 7 307.00 $307.00 $1,449 —
651 651 3 262.50 $262.50 $1,709 —
766 766 3 252.00 $252.00 $1,930 —
800 800 7 231.00 $231.00 $1,848 —
951 951 3 224.00 $224.00 $2,130 —
1023 1023 23 217.50 $217.50 $2,225 -2.00
1076–1080 1078 98 216.75–219.00 $217.88 $2,349 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–333 325 18 260.00–350.00 $318.99 $1,037 —
365–391 unweaned 374 24 270.00–275.00 $272.91 $1,021 —
355–398 384 42 265.00–330.00 $310.71 $1,193 —
401–437 423 112 282.00–312.50 $294.83 $1,247 +16.83
422–445 unweaned 436 20 261.00–286.00 $276.32 $1,205 —
464–470 unweaned 468 17 252.50–276.00 $260.73 $1,220 —
450–497 478 126 250.00–323.50 $291.96 $1,396 +14.15
500 unweaned 500 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,200 —
500–546 521 224 250.00–307.00 $282.14 $1,470 +8.01
553–599 576 313 249.00–289.00 $271.07 $1,561 +19.51
592 592 7 269.00 $269.00 $1,592 +17.44
601–647 621 285 239.00–276.50 $265.92 $1,651 +13.33
635 unweaned 635 7 246.00 $246.00 $1,562 —
656–698 680 261 231.00–265.00 $247.84 $1,685 +5.22
708–748 724 294 220.00–256.00 $243.53 $1,763 +8.17
754–799 775 271 221.00–244.00 $230.24 $1,784 +0.24
802–848 833 219 228.00–235.25 $232.10 $1,933 +6.95
853–893 888 75 208.50–220.00 $210.05 $1,865 -12.58
915–949 928 200 203.00–217.00 $208.63 $1,936 -6.99
970–995 985 182 209.00–212.00 $210.32 $2,072 -9.93
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 362 5 249.00 $249.00 $901 —
420–446 431 14 225.00–283.00 $250.71 $1,081 —
457–498 482 65 260.00–292.00 $276.40 $1,332 +13.40
513–548 529 44 246.00–268.50 $260.18 $1,376 +0.18
591–599 596 15 252.00–264.00 $260.04 $1,550 —
604–622 618 21 235.00–244.00 $237.10 $1,465 —
654–692 666 28 213.00–235.00 $225.88 $1,504 —
710 710 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,590 —
772–793 775 58 221.00–236.00 $233.35 $1,808 +15.35
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1158 1105 6 180.00–186.00 $184.35 $2,037 —
1033–1545 1256 51 180.00–189.50 $184.70 $2,320 +2.05
1140–1625 1302 130 188.00–199.75 $193.47 $2,519 +6.27
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 unweaned 472 11 275.00 $275.00 $1,298 —
588 588 4 270.00 $270.00 $1,588 —
749 749 18 233.00 $233.00 $1,745 —
794 794 6 229.00 $229.00 $1,818 —
1018–1023 1023 61 199.00–207.60 $207.04 $2,118 +14.34

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 3 211.00 $211.00 $1,899 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 unweaned 395 2 267.50 $267.50 $1,057 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1410 1241 75-80% 11 140.00–149.50 $145.31 $1,803 —
1155–1700 1355 75-80% 41 133.00–145.00 $139.77 $1,894 —
1320–1615 1489 75-80% 4 121.00–130.00 $126.75 $1,887 -21.43
1330–1830 1529 75-80% 18 144.00–160.50 $149.87 $2,292 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–970 938 80-85% 4 122.00–137.00 $130.47 $1,224 +3.80
1010–1215 1096 80-85% 10 125.00–152.50 $135.80 $1,488 —
1015–1565 1296 80-85% 17 121.00–133.50 $126.65 $1,641 —
1165–1655 1390 80-85% 6 115.00–119.00 $116.45 $1,619 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–915 864 85-90% 4 104.00–107.50 $105.38 $910 —
785–945 865 85-90% 2 70.00–96.00 $81.80 $708 —
1015–1475 1161 85-90% 10 102.00–120.00 $111.82 $1,298 +0.81

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1295 1238 3 130.00–167.00 $151.91 $1,881 —
1215–2015 1686 20 150.00–170.00 $162.53 $2,740 —
1780 1780 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,869 -73.65
1495–2330 1868 12 171.00–194.00 $177.41 $3,314 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1713 1583 6 177.00–185.50 $179.46 $2,841 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1485 1485 1 149.00 $149.00 $2,213 —
1420–1690 1568 6 158.50–167.00 $163.08 $2,557 -10.80
1500–1975 1647 7 169.75–172.00 $170.28 $2,805 —

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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.