Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 28, 2024

9,756 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $289.85/cwt -0.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,668/hd at 575 lb · 707 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $251.15/cwt -2.97 vs last sale · ≈ $2,193/hd at 873 lb · 498 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $281.61/cwt +7.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,757/hd at 624 lb · 423 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 9,756 8,658 10,649
Feeder cattle 8,167 6,523 9,214
Slaughter cattle 1,589 2,135 1,435

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves 3.00 to 6.00 higher, except 450-500 lbs 3.00 lower. Heifer calves 2.00 to 3.00, except 450-500 lbs 4.00 higher. Yearling feeder steers 1.00 to 3.00 lower, heifers not well compared. Good demand for steer and heifer calves as the fall run continues. Yearling operators are wanting to get their light cattle bought while they are available and are willing to chase the market to get it done. Cash fed cattle market at 190.00 helped to support the feeder cattle market at the auctions but the back months of the CME Live Cattle futures are causing some concern as they are only at 178.00-180.00.

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
318–341 330 10 390.00–420.00 $404.48 $1,335 +34.71
331 unweaned 331 13 375.00 $375.00 $1,241 —
350–398 378 51 327.00–386.00 $355.64 $1,344 -13.66
394–397 unweaned 395 12 300.00–345.00 $326.17 $1,288 —
405–442 426 77 319.00–367.50 $346.06 $1,474 +6.98
427 unweaned 427 12 320.00 $320.00 $1,366 +13.86
460–498 unweaned 479 83 275.00–332.00 $305.68 $1,464 —
453–498 482 229 292.00–341.00 $323.32 $1,558 -3.10
500–546 unweaned 514 39 271.00–322.00 $294.90 $1,516 +26.90
502–549 528 313 270.00–330.00 $312.57 $1,650 +3.65
538–540 539 6 240.00–261.00 $250.52 $1,350 -58.40
553–594 unweaned 572 127 258.00–301.00 $271.92 $1,555 +16.92
550–599 573 409 279.00–311.75 $296.93 $1,701 +5.88
550–599 fancy 584 171 278.00–310.00 $286.24 $1,672 —
605 fancy 605 59 319.75 $319.75 $1,934 —
605–636 unweaned 620 103 243.00–274.00 $265.75 $1,648 +9.95
602–643 630 261 250.00–299.00 $279.25 $1,759 +2.53
658–662 fancy 659 96 263.50–274.00 $270.38 $1,782 —
655–693 unweaned 664 90 231.00–264.50 $256.20 $1,701 —
651–699 680 117 246.00–285.50 $262.33 $1,784 -7.79
700–711 unweaned 704 28 246.50–256.00 $250.46 $1,763 —
700–743 717 195 230.00–270.25 $256.64 $1,840 -7.45
756 fancy 756 60 278.25 $278.25 $2,104 —
753–782 767 244 240.00–260.00 $251.41 $1,928 -8.65
806–849 835 380 220.00–265.00 $255.67 $2,135 -1.40
852–895 873 498 233.50–256.75 $251.15 $2,193 -2.97
900–943 917 276 222.00–259.25 $250.70 $2,299 -0.94
981–994 988 135 223.00–247.00 $242.72 $2,398 -1.48
1008 1008 21 218.00 $218.00 $2,197 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1335 1190 23 175.00–191.50 $185.35 $2,206 -0.29
1127–1335 1248 12 183.75–193.50 $186.89 $2,332 —
1055–1645 1330 66 180.00–189.25 $186.13 $2,476 —
1285–1481 1392 66 185.00–190.25 $187.61 $2,612 +1.86
1380–1491 1456 14 188.50–190.75 $189.66 $2,761 -3.19
1250–1670 1467 347 189.50–194.75 $192.33 $2,821 -0.52
1550–1579 1576 18 189.50–190.00 $189.55 $2,987 +5.05
1775–1780 1776 9 188.75–191.00 $189.00 $3,357 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
399 399 5 299.00 $299.00 $1,193 —
424 unweaned 424 10 320.00 $320.00 $1,357 —
437 437 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,311 -16.00
458–480 471 12 290.00–300.00 $297.45 $1,401 -22.89
512–546 526 42 261.00–292.00 $272.13 $1,431 +4.48
561–599 587 60 246.00–275.00 $264.19 $1,551 +3.25
602–635 622 43 230.00–267.00 $253.96 $1,580 +2.55
653 unweaned 653 8 242.00 $242.00 $1,580 —
675–685 678 9 220.00–248.00 $229.43 $1,556 -11.49
702 702 5 239.00 $239.00 $1,678 -7.90
764 764 6 236.00 $236.00 $1,803 -7.77
818–819 819 20 230.00–249.25 $245.40 $2,010 +0.05
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526 526 7 276.00 $276.00 $1,452 —
566–578 572 8 262.00–274.00 $268.06 $1,533 —
1015–1048 1024 103 213.00–241.00 $238.21 $2,439 —
1054 1054 72 242.00 $242.00 $2,551 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 unweaned 316 23 322.50–345.00 $338.08 $1,068 —
335 335 2 332.50 $332.50 $1,114 —
373–378 unweaned 377 34 312.00–326.00 $313.98 $1,184 —
356–397 383 31 300.00–355.00 $331.40 $1,269 +12.65
410–426 unweaned 417 10 287.00–300.00 $294.99 $1,230 —
400–448 423 116 282.00–335.00 $306.75 $1,298 -7.43
450–499 474 300 264.00–314.00 $291.61 $1,382 +3.94
463–497 unweaned 480 105 263.00–304.00 $285.57 $1,371 —
501–512 fancy 505 41 302.00–307.00 $305.15 $1,541 —
507–536 unweaned 522 59 225.00–276.00 $257.57 $1,345 —
500–547 528 311 264.00–291.00 $275.43 $1,454 -1.19
555–585 unweaned 566 114 235.00–262.00 $249.95 $1,415 —
551–596 571 200 237.50–280.00 $265.29 $1,515 +2.60
601–647 626 127 229.00–270.00 $245.39 $1,536 -12.21
601–646 unweaned 630 50 243.00–266.00 $248.49 $1,565 +11.49
656–676 unweaned 661 16 232.50–244.00 $237.76 $1,572 —
650–696 676 122 223.00–255.00 $240.97 $1,629 -17.34
702–735 726 231 230.00–252.35 $247.66 $1,798 +0.82
765–793 777 80 222.00–245.00 $239.30 $1,859 +2.59
806–849 825 269 222.00–244.00 $236.46 $1,951 +0.22
874–886 880 86 227.50–229.00 $227.98 $2,006 -11.12
905–949 911 141 214.00–225.50 $223.85 $2,039 +7.85
959–971 970 64 220.00–222.25 $222.01 $2,153 +0.83
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1195 1028 7 172.00–196.00 $184.89 $1,901 —
930–1165 1089 7 183.00–194.50 $185.99 $2,025 -4.24
1146–1220 1166 15 186.50–189.75 $187.41 $2,185 —
1055–1525 1255 75 180.00–189.00 $186.27 $2,338 +0.76
1296 1296 8 189.00 $189.00 $2,449 +2.46
1102–1591 1343 349 185.00–194.75 $191.60 $2,573 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376 376 6 312.50 $312.50 $1,175 —
416 416 9 302.50 $302.50 $1,258 +28.93
446 unweaned 446 3 254.00 $254.00 $1,133 —
483–493 491 18 237.50–258.00 $251.22 $1,233 -7.81
503–541 521 39 255.00–262.50 $260.11 $1,355 +22.76
581 unweaned 581 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,412 +23.00
568–599 587 32 207.00–250.00 $230.25 $1,352 -15.00
625–635 627 28 235.00–240.16 $237.93 $1,492 +5.66
666 666 11 195.00 $195.00 $1,299 -26.00
673 unweaned 673 9 230.00 $230.00 $1,548 —
805–808 807 26 218.00 $218.00 $1,759 -9.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
686 686 3 198.00 $198.00 $1,358 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 4 372.50 $372.50 $1,229 —
397 397 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,290 —
402 unweaned 402 2 322.50 $322.50 $1,296 —
413 413 3 307.50 $307.50 $1,270 —
501–526 521 16 272.00–280.00 $273.44 $1,425 —
525 unweaned 525 6 235.00 $235.00 $1,234 —
553–557 556 14 265.00–267.00 $265.71 $1,477 —
575 unweaned 575 4 253.00 $253.00 $1,455 —
657 657 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,386 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1505 1314 75-80% 24 123.00–170.00 $137.26 $1,804 —
1280–1745 1486 75-80% 39 125.00–131.00 $127.78 $1,899 -1.21
1285–1845 1555 75-80% 28 131.50–143.00 $134.30 $2,088 —
1350–2080 1621 75-80% 9 113.00–122.00 $117.62 $1,907 -20.36
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–990 924 80-85% 4 117.50–170.00 $135.41 $1,251 —
1020–1330 1107 80-85% 16 118.00–175.00 $141.25 $1,564 —
1260–1645 1388 80-85% 6 100.00–107.50 $104.01 $1,444 —
1065–1690 1401 80-85% 39 115.00–124.00 $119.04 $1,668 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690–955 823 85-90% 2 110.00–115.00 $112.90 $929 —
850–995 924 85-90% 4 84.00–92.00 $86.58 $800 —
1025–1520 1216 85-90% 35 100.00–115.00 $108.44 $1,319 -2.15

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1300 1182 3 110.00–142.00 $125.18 $1,480 —
1460–2050 1797 3 111.00–115.00 $113.33 $2,037 —
1490–2355 1817 19 130.00–160.00 $145.79 $2,649 -3.60
1555–2250 1975 7 165.00–174.00 $171.19 $3,381 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1358 1358 82 183.00 $183.00 $2,485 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 48 184.75 $184.75 $2,780 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,256 —
1145–1410 1278 2 155.00–157.00 $156.10 $1,995 —
1460–1905 1654 14 170.00–175.00 $173.99 $2,878 —

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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.