Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 7, 2024

5,444 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $250.06/cwt +6.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,163/hd at 865 lb · 344 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $306.00/cwt -1.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,622/hd at 530 lb · 258 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $255.20/cwt -2.04 vs last sale · ≈ $2,011/hd at 788 lb · 201 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,444 9,695 3,186
Feeder cattle 3,943 8,643 1,577
Slaughter cattle 1,501 1,052 1,609

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Much lighter offering of steer and heifer calves as cattle producers are busy with corn harvest, lower undertones as the supply was limited. Yearling feeder steers and heifers unevenly steady. Good demand for calves, but prices didn't reach as high as last week as consignments were small packages which make it tough for buyers to buy whole loads of uniform cattle. Good demand remains for yearlings, supply is tightening as most yearlings off grass are gone already. Cash fed cattle traded at 188.00, which is adding to the bullish attitude of cattle feeders.

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
323–345 332 17 392.50–397.50 $395.36 $1,313 +30.67
364–374 370 14 330.00–350.00 $337.02 $1,247 -17.77
413 fancy 413 36 351.50 $351.50 $1,452 —
400–440 415 92 320.00–347.00 $330.31 $1,371 -14.75
463–497 492 107 311.50–327.00 $321.42 $1,581 -3.49
504 fancy 504 33 312.00 $312.00 $1,572 —
503–549 534 225 283.00–313.00 $305.12 $1,629 -2.35
567–599 589 29 269.00–291.00 $285.17 $1,680 -1.84
610 fancy 610 50 296.00 $296.00 $1,806 +12.77
604–646 unweaned 625 92 273.00–290.00 $286.50 $1,791 +8.78
626–642 632 51 256.00–283.00 $264.78 $1,673 -15.54
650–678 658 106 250.00–269.00 $256.18 $1,686 -4.23
658 unweaned 658 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,711 -15.00
706 unweaned 706 49 237.50 $237.50 $1,677 -1.87
721–728 725 9 240.00–260.00 $248.84 $1,804 -13.49
775–799 788 201 246.00–264.25 $255.20 $2,011 -2.04
805–837 814 71 250.00–256.00 $254.77 $2,074 -3.56
854–878 865 344 241.50–257.00 $250.06 $2,163 +6.82
926 926 27 235.00 $235.00 $2,176 -6.67
956 956 13 235.50 $235.50 $2,251 +3.56
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–1125 1074 24 196.50–219.50 $201.70 $2,166 —
920–1195 1095 8 150.00–190.00 $174.65 $1,912 —
1000–1311 1217 27 171.00–190.00 $179.05 $2,179 -1.97
1270–1333 1281 27 181.00–186.85 $185.85 $2,381 —
1115–1575 1373 92 177.00–189.75 $184.27 $2,530 +2.05
1240–1495 1424 51 181.50–188.00 $184.71 $2,630 —
1200–1660 1472 261 188.00–196.00 $191.68 $2,822 -0.87
1525 1525 3 178.50 $178.50 $2,722 —
1504–1578 1539 57 180.50–189.00 $185.39 $2,853 —
1520–1713 1548 22 184.00–186.00 $184.64 $2,858 —
1623–1645 1636 5 182.00–182.75 $182.45 $2,985 —
1599–1771 1677 31 185.00–190.00 $187.64 $3,147 +6.60
1731–1745 1733 6 189.00–193.50 $192.74 $3,340 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457–489 476 42 306.00–327.00 $315.78 $1,503 —
504–523 508 27 277.00–304.50 $299.25 $1,520 —
568–599 588 115 286.00–305.75 $295.23 $1,736 —
679 unweaned 679 25 254.50 $254.50 $1,728 —
689 689 11 262.50 $262.50 $1,809 —
1034 1034 14 214.00 $214.00 $2,213 -1.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
401–437 426 10 280.00–300.00 $285.65 $1,217 -23.97
470–486 477 18 271.00–296.00 $280.31 $1,337 -7.07
507–546 534 38 258.00–290.00 $278.58 $1,488 -4.88
572–576 573 19 261.00–265.00 $264.36 $1,515 +12.38
661 661 5 252.50 $252.50 $1,669 -1.50
782–795 788 11 220.00–240.00 $229.17 $1,806 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371 fancy 371 6 332.50 $332.50 $1,234 —
378–392 387 19 295.00–305.00 $301.40 $1,166 -10.59
402–448 429 64 285.00–300.00 $293.54 $1,259 -5.01
435 unweaned 435 9 264.00 $264.00 $1,148 -32.00
475 fancy 475 10 299.00 $299.00 $1,420 —
463–492 478 28 265.00–297.00 $284.04 $1,358 -2.08
502 fancy 502 54 294.00 $294.00 $1,476 +9.00
510–545 518 126 258.00–282.00 $269.89 $1,398 -8.19
556–577 569 103 244.00–280.00 $266.71 $1,518 +7.66
572 fancy 572 41 275.00 $275.00 $1,573 —
610 unweaned 610 24 256.25 $256.25 $1,563 —
609–648 631 57 249.00–264.50 $255.21 $1,610 -6.36
651–671 660 188 240.00–258.00 $253.66 $1,674 -2.70
700–724 706 77 222.50–250.50 $248.40 $1,754 +6.34
728 fancy 728 28 253.00 $253.00 $1,842 —
808–813 809 35 225.00–229.50 $228.98 $1,852 +1.00
882 882 3 214.00 $214.00 $1,887 -3.68
930–937 934 121 223.75–223.85 $223.80 $2,090 +7.39
954–992 963 79 207.00–221.75 $218.49 $2,104 —
1005 1005 58 215.25 $215.25 $2,163 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1242 1103 13 178.00–184.50 $180.94 $1,996 —
985–1263 1145 7 160.00–185.00 $174.32 $1,996 —
1035–1510 1220 92 179.00–189.75 $185.90 $2,268 +1.05
1070–1376 1338 9 180.50–181.50 $180.59 $2,416 -9.89
1175–1625 1358 382 180.50–195.50 $189.50 $2,573 —
1065–1542 1361 25 167.50–183.75 $181.53 $2,471 —
1325–1450 1442 15 187.00–188.50 $188.41 $2,717 —
1575–1630 1610 7 160.00–183.50 $180.07 $2,899 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 8 297.00 $297.00 $1,173 —
485 485 22 299.00 $299.00 $1,450 —
533–549 537 90 262.00–288.00 $280.58 $1,507 —
583 583 5 260.50 $260.50 $1,519 —
630 630 38 244.00 $244.00 $1,537 —
713 713 14 244.50 $244.50 $1,743 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 7 235.00 $235.00 $787 -35.00
407–421 409 24 235.00–255.00 $237.57 $972 -34.74
463–497 484 19 200.00–270.00 $254.06 $1,230 +3.06
525 525 3 254.00 $254.00 $1,334 -1.03
566 566 9 256.00 $256.00 $1,449 +12.06

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
346 346 12 272.50 $272.50 $943 —
534 534 7 263.00 $263.00 $1,404 —
603 603 9 241.00 $241.00 $1,453 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1475 1291 75-80% 14 123.00–145.00 $135.11 $1,744 —
1105–1840 1440 75-80% 19 125.00–133.00 $128.97 $1,857 —
1280–1845 1525 75-80% 22 133.00–152.00 $138.33 $2,110 +10.08
1545–1980 1798 75-80% 4 118.00–123.00 $120.73 $2,171 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845 845 80-85% 1 132.50 $132.50 $1,120 —
1010–1365 1126 80-85% 12 118.00–150.00 $130.25 $1,467 —
1060–1765 1308 80-85% 31 116.00–124.00 $120.61 $1,578 -1.09
1170–1675 1371 80-85% 5 105.00–112.00 $107.90 $1,479 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540–905 772 85-90% 6 60.00–83.00 $66.54 $514 —
845–985 925 85-90% 3 113.00–116.00 $114.27 $1,057 —
720–1260 1114 85-90% 7 67.50–103.00 $89.70 $999 —
1000–1545 1240 85-90% 12 107.50–117.00 $111.72 $1,385 -1.04

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 1 70.00 $70.00 $595 —
1005–1175 1105 3 111.00–130.00 $120.23 $1,329 —
1340–2330 1746 9 126.00–163.00 $150.40 $2,626 +2.07
1490–2045 1773 9 166.00–181.00 $173.01 $3,067 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1445 1385 3 174.50–178.00 $175.87 $2,436 —
1400–1727 1591 13 175.00–188.00 $180.69 $2,875 —

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1693 1693 2 164.00 $164.00 $2,777 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1302–1557 1438 19 160.50–164.00 $161.18 $2,318 —
1330–1850 1632 33 156.50–178.00 $170.37 $2,780 —

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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.