Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 9, 2024

16,521 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 $306.35/cwt +3.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,920/hd at 627 lb · 916 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $325.32/cwt +3.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,870/hd at 575 lb · 837 head

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $276.48/cwt -3.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,996/hd at 722 lb · 801 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	16,521	20,520	13,802
Feeder cattle	14,852	18,820	12,201
Slaughter cattle	1,669	1,700	1,601

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week fly-weight steers sharply higher on the week. Steers less than 600 lbs sold 10.00 to 15.00 higher, most weight over 600 lbs sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher. Heifers less than 500 lbs sold sharply higher, over 500 lbs sold 3.00 to 9.00 higher. Slaughter steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher, slaughter cows steady to 2.00 higher and bulls steady. Demand was good for turn-out (stockers) and feeder cattle with moderate to good demand for slaughter cattle. One more full week of marketing of livestock for the month of December with sporadic sales the last two weeks 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
270 unweaned	270	1	310.00	$310.00	$837	—
300 unweaned	300	1	370.00	$370.00	$1,110	-35.00
312–340	329	135	410.00–465.00	$452.72	$1,489	+32.92
354–388	364	34	392.50–446.00	$424.81	$1,546	+40.20
355–389 unweaned	366	11	355.00–385.00	$373.02	$1,365	-22.25
418 fancy	418	125	399.75	$399.75	$1,671	—
405–440 unweaned	425	21	349.00–394.00	$370.60	$1,575	—
402–448	428	188	327.00–417.50	$379.65	$1,625	+0.16
460–471 unweaned	464	31	355.00–372.00	$361.68	$1,678	+19.40
450–499	477	351	338.00–395.00	$373.68	$1,782	+26.29
500–545	521	361	300.00–365.00	$342.16	$1,783	+7.27
500–549 unweaned	523	104	299.00–342.50	$323.79	$1,693	-2.75
552–598	574	689	285.00–348.50	$328.90	$1,888	+5.36
550–592 unweaned	578	148	271.00–328.50	$308.65	$1,784	+10.84
601–643 unweaned	625	90	282.50–310.50	$294.26	$1,839	-0.14
601–649	627	826	279.00–322.50	$307.67	$1,929	+4.87
651–669 unweaned	658	64	260.00–299.00	$287.40	$1,891	+21.55
650–698	676	614	272.00–308.00	$290.29	$1,962	+3.03
701–723 unweaned	709	33	268.00–274.00	$270.91	$1,921	-0.77
701–747	722	729	231.00–286.25	$276.43	$1,996	-4.36
724–742	734	39	278.50–286.25	$282.03	$2,070	+1.24
759	759	8	283.00	$283.00	$2,148	+13.45
750–797	779	390	250.00–277.50	$267.54	$2,084	+7.13
786 unweaned	786	6	242.00	$242.00	$1,902	—
800–847	825	413	235.00–267.75	$259.17	$2,138	+5.31
853–897	872	423	240.00–266.00	$260.74	$2,274	+6.60
915–948	932	228	241.35–256.75	$247.36	$2,305	-12.00
950–988	970	149	210.00–256.00	$242.40	$2,351	+3.12

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
913–1300	1133	23	162.50–189.00	$178.76	$2,025	—
1225–1321	1278	7	188.00–189.00	$188.44	$2,408	+0.72
1320–1455	1390	15	189.50–193.25	$192.40	$2,674	+6.68
1365–1425	1391	11	187.50–191.50	$190.02	$2,643	+4.30
1110–1640	1403	120	180.00–189.50	$185.62	$2,604	-0.89
1175–1691	1494	388	190.00–199.00	$194.55	$2,907	—
1535–1575	1563	11	189.50–192.25	$190.42	$2,976	+2.89
1565–1722	1691	5	187.00–190.00	$189.44	$3,203	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
365–395	380	26	325.00–405.00	$373.93	$1,421	—
410–447	431	27	282.50–355.00	$333.89	$1,439	+6.82
425–442 unweaned	434	10	320.00–360.00	$339.61	$1,474	—
480 unweaned	480	21	338.00	$338.00	$1,622	—
455–497	483	59	300.00–360.00	$326.25	$1,576	+12.52
500–548	526	77	255.00–335.00	$314.57	$1,655	+18.92
560–592	574	87	247.50–317.00	$292.81	$1,681	-5.36
592 unweaned	592	20	276.00–298.00	$289.20	$1,712	—
610–643	625	52	265.00–285.00	$276.07	$1,725	-1.95
661–698	689	22	220.00–270.00	$255.42	$1,760	-1.68
700–740	728	36	243.00–262.50	$251.29	$1,829	-13.26
772–790	778	82	249.00–257.00	$252.31	$1,963	-2.76

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
486	486	8	340.00	$340.00	$1,652	—
565	565	26	324.00	$324.00	$1,831	—
608 unweaned	608	4	288.00	$288.00	$1,751	—
602–635	629	37	265.00–300.00	$293.66	$1,847	—
690–691	691	57	282.50–283.50	$283.18	$1,957	—
705–727	722	13	250.00–259.00	$256.97	$1,855	—
782	782	31	258.50	$258.50	$2,021	—
850	850	3	250.00	$250.00	$2,125	—
1007	1007	5	219.00	$219.00	$2,205	-20.00

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
191	191	3	1,250.00	$1,250.00	—
203	203	3	1,000.00	$1,000.00	—
256–283	264	13	1,210.00–1,300.00	$1,260.93	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
270 unweaned	270	1	300.00	$300.00	$810	—
294	294	8	410.00	$410.00	$1,205	—
311–349 unweaned	313	46	305.00–402.50	$395.42	$1,238	—
327	327	20	405.00	$405.00	$1,324	+62.53
356–398	361	151	337.50–399.00	$386.09	$1,394	+61.79
350–384 unweaned	367	10	342.00–353.00	$347.75	$1,276	+14.75
410–446	425	261	310.00–378.00	$359.01	$1,526	+42.80
416–447 unweaned	433	74	282.50–337.50	$319.58	$1,384	+8.37
450–497	472	511	275.00–355.00	$335.22	$1,582	+17.16
474–499 unweaned	481	34	288.00–320.00	$309.64	$1,489	+28.76
500–548	524	438	270.00–327.50	$309.39	$1,621	+11.46
500–548 unweaned	527	52	274.00–306.00	$290.36	$1,530	+3.28
555–586 unweaned	571	44	263.00–283.00	$269.44	$1,539	-3.09
555–597	574	617	262.00–312.50	$293.41	$1,684	+6.11
610–637 unweaned	624	55	240.00–262.00	$252.39	$1,575	-4.20
600–647	625	540	250.00–287.00	$270.24	$1,689	-5.74
641	641	37	275.00	$275.00	$1,763	-0.98
659	659	23	271.00	$271.00	$1,786	+13.67
661	661	19	253.50	$253.50	$1,676	-3.83
651–697	678	363	241.00–274.75	$258.84	$1,755	+1.51
682 unweaned	682	7	239.00	$239.00	$1,630	-15.45
704–749	724	583	232.50–265.75	$254.38	$1,842	+3.08
752–776	764	289	229.00–263.35	$247.03	$1,887	+2.38
800–840	805	83	172.00–236.35	$232.52	$1,872	-2.14
855–892	867	332	232.35–238.25	$236.38	$2,049	-9.12
901–939	907	107	204.00–232.10	$222.70	$2,020	—
953–975	960	3	183.00–191.00	$185.71	$1,783	—

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
860–1270	1088	15	158.00–183.00	$173.94	$1,892	+5.89
1020–1198	1173	23	185.00–189.00	$188.09	$2,206	+0.23
1075–1525	1300	79	180.00–189.00	$185.19	$2,407	-1.02
1250–1385	1303	6	179.50–184.00	$181.75	$2,368	-4.46
1180–1695	1375	263	187.50–199.00	$194.10	$2,669	+1.24
1276–1474	1417	35	191.10–193.25	$192.70	$2,731	+5.79
1665	1665	2	180.50	$180.50	$3,005	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
310–341	323	18	340.00–357.50	$346.61	$1,120	+26.61
351 unweaned	351	5	330.00	$330.00	$1,158	—
361–396	380	42	311.00–347.50	$336.38	$1,278	+32.38
413–446	430	50	280.00–330.00	$299.82	$1,289	-2.14
431 unweaned	431	3	275.00	$275.00	$1,185	—
467–497	482	35	280.00–310.00	$295.13	$1,423	+14.56
475–494 unweaned	489	11	252.50–280.00	$263.91	$1,291	—
500–548	530	53	242.00–298.00	$264.82	$1,404	-2.63
540 unweaned	540	3	235.00	$235.00	$1,269	—
562–580 unweaned	574	15	251.00	$251.00	$1,441	—
553–595	575	68	230.00–285.00	$266.08	$1,530	+6.30
606–645	622	21	240.00–252.00	$245.35	$1,526	-14.66
668–690	685	12	230.00–235.00	$231.22	$1,584	+7.95
725	725	12	230.00	$230.00	$1,668	-0.88
791	791	9	226.00	$226.00	$1,788	+5.00
928	928	3	219.00	$219.00	$2,032	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
447	447	5	325.00	$325.00	$1,453	+11.00
525–539	532	82	290.00–311.00	$302.87	$1,611	—
555 unweaned	555	4	252.50	$252.50	$1,401	—
561–565	563	7	265.00–295.00	$277.91	$1,565	—
644	644	76	274.50	$274.50	$1,768	—
658–673 unweaned	669	12	245.00–271.00	$264.61	$1,770	—
689	689	19	264.00	$264.00	$1,819	+24.00
764	764	36	244.50	$244.50	$1,868	—
1092	1092	6	191.00	$191.00	$2,086	—

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
268	268	3	1,250.00	$1,250.00	—
371–386	379	6	1,200.00–1,225.00	$1,212.25	—
453	453	3	1,320.00	$1,320.00	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
385 unweaned	385	1	295.00	$295.00	$1,136	—
394	394	7	390.00	$390.00	$1,537	—
406 unweaned	406	3	348.00	$348.00	$1,413	—
490	490	12	284.00–319.00	$301.50	$1,477	—
545 unweaned	545	1	255.00	$255.00	$1,390	—
596 unweaned	596	4	271.00	$271.00	$1,615	—
601 unweaned	601	9	267.00	$267.00	$1,605	+8.00
610	610	3	265.00	$265.00	$1,616	—
650–663 unweaned	662	11	252.50–262.00	$261.15	$1,729	+13.65
718 unweaned	718	4	246.00	$246.00	$1,766	—

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
915–995	954	80-85%	8	133.00–170.00	$152.38	$1,454	—
1020–1365	1171	80-85%	26	110.00–160.00	$126.08	$1,476	—
1025–1760	1329	80-85%	84	108.00–118.00	$112.83	$1,500	—
1215–1770	1412	80-85%	20	100.00–108.00	$104.05	$1,469	+2.09

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1135–1570	1372	75-80%	25	115.00–170.00	$131.13	$1,799	—
1200–1850	1518	75-80%	73	118.00–129.50	$123.96	$1,882	—
1510–1675	1581	75-80%	4	105.00–113.00	$108.86	$1,721	-12.62
1400–1905	1640	75-80%	36	130.00–146.00	$135.63	$2,224	—

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
840–995	938	85-90%	7	85.00–99.00	$92.12	$864	—
920–1120	1013	85-90%	8	96.00–108.00	$104.25	$1,056	—
735–1355	1126	85-90%	48	44.00–95.00	$84.51	$952	-22.40
980–1430	1180	85-90%	47	94.00–107.00	$102.16	$1,205	+27.46

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1215–1275	1245	2	126.00–130.00	$127.95	$1,593	—
1340–2345	1727	16	120.00–156.00	$142.10	$2,454	+42.46
1500–2275	1788	3	164.00–172.00	$168.31	$3,009	—
1906–1945	1926	2	107.00–114.00	$110.54	$2,129	-35.35

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1415–1465	1433	4	128.50–145.00	$139.87	$2,004	-19.80
1310–1580	1486	9	154.50–165.50	$160.30	$2,382	—
1180–1825	1590	31	165.00–174.25	$170.80	$2,716	—

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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.