Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 23, 2024

6,021 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $254.66/cwt -3.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,976/hd at 776 lb · 371 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $245.77/cwt -1.77 vs last sale · ≈ $2,136/hd at 869 lb · 347 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $237.87/cwt +7.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,836/hd at 772 lb · 318 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,021 8,509 4,660
Feeder cattle 4,188 6,840 2,809
Slaughter cattle 1,833 1,669 1,851

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers and heifers steady to 2.00 higher. Spring born steer and heifer calves not well compared as there was a much lighter offering this week. Good demand for yearling steers and heifers as the cash fed cattle market has moved higher again and the cattle futures complex has seemed to find some support. Fall harvest is in full swing across the state, keeping cattle producers busy as they work to get their crops out of the field.

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
356–395 unweaned 376 15 370.00–395.00 $382.54 $1,438 —
406–448 unweaned 431 42 316.00–335.00 $319.56 $1,377 —
451–490 unweaned 463 85 300.00–329.00 $312.93 $1,449 -0.07
493 fancy 493 20 331.00 $331.00 $1,632 —
511–547 517 37 270.00–305.00 $295.13 $1,526 -11.01
510–545 unweaned 536 116 279.00–311.50 $302.98 $1,624 —
550 fancy 550 33 305.00 $305.00 $1,678 —
554–597 unweaned 570 111 282.00–295.00 $286.12 $1,631 +8.43
560–599 583 24 269.00–285.00 $277.84 $1,620 -20.82
601–647 623 48 265.00–289.50 $282.57 $1,760 +12.18
619–643 unweaned 633 24 260.00–278.00 $270.67 $1,713 —
660–692 unweaned 665 31 242.50–275.50 $269.96 $1,795 —
677–696 687 46 248.00–263.00 $257.64 $1,770 +1.61
701–746 730 99 243.00–265.25 $258.57 $1,888 +1.90
750–792 776 371 240.00–261.25 $254.66 $1,976 -2.51
815–837 827 174 246.50–257.00 $252.48 $2,088 +1.59
853–891 869 347 226.00–252.00 $245.77 $2,136 -1.77
903–908 907 49 234.00–245.00 $236.46 $2,145 -7.58
958–994 975 86 223.50–229.00 $226.33 $2,207 -9.21
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 1 204.50 $204.50 $2,055 —
895–1165 1073 22 166.00–188.00 $176.58 $1,895 —
1212 1212 2 182.50 $182.50 $2,212 —
1080–1297 1240 8 180.00–182.50 $181.74 $2,254 -4.87
1035–1500 1274 93 174.50–185.50 $181.27 $2,309 —
1230–1397 1329 23 180.00–184.50 $181.86 $2,417 -0.13
1115–1493 1416 125 179.00–184.50 $181.73 $2,573 -6.24
1163–1675 1422 239 185.00–195.50 $188.40 $2,679 +0.43
1543–1560 1544 28 184.50–185.00 $184.98 $2,856 +2.28
1501–1664 1561 23 185.00–186.50 $185.90 $2,902 —
1540–1690 1625 16 181.50–185.75 $184.58 $2,999 —
1705–1725 1721 5 183.00–190.00 $187.26 $3,223 —
1730 1730 8 180.00 $180.00 $3,114 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 362 5 300.00 $300.00 $1,086 —
385 unweaned 385 7 352.50 $352.50 $1,357 —
433 433 8 310.00 $310.00 $1,342 —
508 unweaned 508 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,372 —
529 529 5 287.00 $287.00 $1,518 +3.53
551–590 unweaned 576 12 257.50–261.00 $259.91 $1,497 —
632 632 7 274.00 $274.00 $1,732 —
708 708 10 240.00–242.50 $241.00 $1,706 —
829 829 4 245.00 $245.00 $2,031 —
860–893 881 11 215.00–237.00 $229.19 $2,019 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
426 426 4 262.50 $262.50 $1,118 —
572 572 18 255.00 $255.00 $1,459 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351–382 unweaned 361 29 298.00–318.00 $310.41 $1,121 —
383 383 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,111 -42.00
433 thin fleshed 433 4 222.50 $222.50 $963 —
431–437 unweaned 434 16 281.00–284.00 $282.49 $1,226 +4.04
407–448 437 31 286.00–301.00 $289.99 $1,267 -8.99
456–496 unweaned 476 158 283.00–302.50 $291.41 $1,387 +16.79
466–492 480 22 270.00–292.00 $281.28 $1,350 -8.25
503 503 19 280.00 $280.00 $1,408 +4.70
514–530 unweaned 525 36 273.00–285.00 $280.47 $1,472 -12.27
553–573 unweaned 560 55 272.00–279.00 $277.10 $1,552 —
551–580 562 27 255.00–280.00 $270.89 $1,522 -5.77
605–618 unweaned 608 20 245.00–250.00 $248.73 $1,512 —
611–648 625 167 242.50–268.00 $257.73 $1,611 +5.45
683 unweaned 683 3 222.00 $222.00 $1,516 —
690–698 693 105 230.00–254.00 $251.74 $1,745 +4.64
707–734 719 216 238.00–248.00 $243.21 $1,749 +7.95
751–794 772 318 230.50–244.25 $237.87 $1,836 +4.82
806–841 819 124 223.50–234.00 $229.66 $1,881 +0.72
855–886 864 163 219.75–226.00 $222.35 $1,921 -2.65
921–949 939 137 217.75–221.35 $219.52 $2,061 -2.53
957–987 963 73 200.00–216.25 $213.29 $2,054 +8.02
1003–1033 1008 69 207.50–214.75 $213.51 $2,152 —
1070 1070 3 206.00 $206.00 $2,204 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1155 1093 3 155.00–170.00 $161.81 $1,769 -16.78
1125 1125 21 182.00 $182.00 $2,048 —
1093–1170 1154 15 168.00–181.00 $179.54 $2,072 -0.62
1157 1157 4 184.00 $184.00 $2,129 +3.84
1038–1500 1206 78 175.00–185.50 $181.98 $2,195 +0.08
1220–1330 1303 6 175.00–179.75 $178.86 $2,331 -4.08
1088–1610 1324 576 179.50–193.25 $185.76 $2,459 -1.61
1554–1720 1571 10 181.00–184.60 $184.21 $2,894 —
1613 1613 8 174.25 $174.25 $2,811 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 9 269.00 $269.00 $1,116 —
491 491 4 269.00 $269.00 $1,321 +15.95
493 unweaned 493 20 265.00 $265.00 $1,306 —
582–589 583 27 256.00–259.00 $258.55 $1,507 +4.68
609 609 7 260.00 $260.00 $1,583 —
752 752 4 226.00 $226.00 $1,700 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 534 6 246.00 $246.00 $1,314 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
646 unweaned 646 8 246.00 $246.00 $1,589 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 unweaned 534 5 261.00 $261.00 $1,394 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1070 1008 75-80% 3 160.00–172.50 $168.25 $1,696 —
1070–1875 1386 75-80% 26 117.50–150.00 $127.91 $1,773 —
1210–1880 1444 75-80% 47 125.00–135.00 $129.79 $1,874 +1.37
1395–1935 1621 75-80% 16 135.00–143.00 $137.67 $2,232 —
1510–1870 1660 75-80% 5 121.00–124.50 $122.90 $2,040 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–965 887 80-85% 8 120.00–137.50 $129.81 $1,151 —
1050–1425 1194 80-85% 17 115.00–136.00 $127.70 $1,525 —
1000–1955 1336 80-85% 38 117.00–126.00 $122.32 $1,634 +1.21
1320–1730 1578 80-85% 3 115.00–118.00 $116.65 $1,841 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–975 938 85-90% 4 109.00–117.50 $113.50 $1,065 +7.75
1000–1655 1169 85-90% 28 107.00–121.00 $114.91 $1,343 +3.80

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1290 1180 7 145.00–167.00 $155.52 $1,835 —
1430 1430 1 97.50 $97.50 $1,394 —
1330–2505 1777 35 129.50–164.50 $152.10 $2,703 —
1840–2340 2061 5 165.50–168.50 $166.68 $3,435 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1292 1292 13 185.25 $185.25 $2,393 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1413–1610 1456 19 174.00–182.50 $180.24 $2,624 —
1545–1840 1643 3 167.00–171.00 $168.49 $2,768 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1536 1536 4 167.00 $167.00 $2,565 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1260 1111 5 140.00–158.00 $150.39 $1,671 —
1310–1333 1329 6 158.00–164.00 $158.99 $2,113 —
1066–1688 1431 23 153.00–170.00 $163.59 $2,341 —
1335–1885 1658 19 166.50–181.00 $174.53 $2,894 —

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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.