Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 13, 2025

22,819 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $292.60/cwt +1.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,114/hd at 722 lb · 1,742 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $308.97/cwt +3.91 vs last sale · ≈ $2,086/hd at 675 lb · 1,708 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $273.88/cwt +0.36 vs last sale · ≈ $2,257/hd at 824 lb · 1,509 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 22,819 29,398 13,922
Feeder cattle 21,492 27,196 13,258
Slaughter cattle 1,327 2,202 664

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, most weights of steer calves and yearling sold uneven ranging from 2.00 lower to 5.00 higher. Heifer feeder calf trade saw all weight classes steady to 5.00 higher. Demand was very good. Cattle producers continue to see the rises in the market week after week and those prices have been impressive as ranchers are currently marketing cattle at prices they have never previously received.

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
328–345 337 12 422.50–430.00 $426.34 $1,437 +10.72
356–398 377 52 357.00–425.00 $396.57 $1,495 +10.05
400–449 427 133 345.00–407.50 $379.09 $1,619 -4.70
440–441 unweaned 440 16 338.00–365.00 $358.24 $1,576 +7.49
450–498 475 298 335.00–390.00 $364.28 $1,730 +2.65
492 fancy 492 13 366.50 $366.50 $1,803 -43.50
524 fancy 524 15 387.00 $387.00 $2,028 —
500–548 526 460 322.50–380.00 $353.23 $1,858 +2.66
557 fancy 557 112 383.00 $383.00 $2,133 +40.00
550–599 577 1,123 305.00–364.00 $338.90 $1,955 +5.18
600 unweaned 600 34 296.00 $296.00 $1,776 +3.30
605–626 fancy 611 95 320.00–353.50 $337.54 $2,062 -1.70
600–649 626 1,038 288.00–342.50 $316.26 $1,980 -3.96
658–671 fancy 660 96 303.25–329.00 $324.64 $2,143 —
650–698 676 1,612 275.00–322.00 $308.04 $2,082 +2.98
701–749 722 1,669 271.00–318.75 $292.51 $2,112 +1.80
731 fancy 731 73 294.75 $294.75 $2,155 -8.75
752–778 fancy 764 179 290.25–299.75 $294.10 $2,247 +15.10
750–799 775 1,268 262.50–293.00 $277.87 $2,153 -2.02
800–848 824 1,509 252.50–300.00 $273.88 $2,257 +0.30
852–890 866 561 245.50–280.00 $272.98 $2,364 +8.04
900 900 9 250.00 $250.00 $2,250 +2.32
901 thin fleshed 901 6 242.00 $242.00 $2,180 —
902–947 915 227 235.00–269.00 $259.21 $2,372 +11.53
951–987 966 127 240.00–253.00 $251.48 $2,429 +7.43
1025 1025 9 226.00 $226.00 $2,316 —
1142 1142 10 200.00 $200.00 $2,284 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
333 333 4 350.00 $350.00 $1,166 -11.16
400–442 431 22 302.50–355.00 $344.76 $1,486 -4.45
472–492 481 53 329.00–340.00 $332.28 $1,598 +1.65
500–547 532 92 257.50–335.00 $321.50 $1,710 +10.96
550–598 581 149 275.00–330.00 $316.77 $1,840 +12.87
600–645 620 229 252.50–316.00 $297.64 $1,845 +12.63
655–698 680 84 210.00–294.50 $278.45 $1,893 +4.85
715–740 729 48 253.00–287.00 $264.53 $1,928 -5.71
750–795 764 67 242.00–265.00 $252.60 $1,930 -6.02
806–845 821 35 227.00–269.00 $253.74 $2,083 +13.08
850–888 867 9 240.00–256.00 $253.16 $2,195 +1.71
929 929 12 205.00 $205.00 $1,904 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1370 1125 21 174.00–208.00 $193.17 $2,173 —
1150–1695 1379 54 190.00–207.75 $203.33 $2,804 +5.11
1253–1693 1518 402 205.00–218.25 $211.87 $3,216 +3.53
1720–1895 1780 12 205.00–218.50 $214.60 $3,820 +12.47
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
532 532 5 311.00 $311.00 $1,655 -12.00
647 647 8 280.00 $280.00 $1,812 +5.55
719 719 10 274.00 $274.00 $1,970 —
782 782 5 260.00 $260.00 $2,033 +6.05
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1044 1044 12 235.00 $235.00 $2,453 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318–333 325 11 355.00–372.50 $360.17 $1,171 -9.76
372 fancy 372 4 377.00 $377.00 $1,402 —
353–397 379 119 317.00–377.50 $361.36 $1,370 +2.99
401–445 425 204 336.00–371.00 $352.32 $1,497 +14.60
448 unweaned 448 14 327.50 $327.50 $1,467 +2.50
451–498 474 316 297.00–351.00 $327.48 $1,552 -0.67
500–549 528 768 284.00–343.00 $321.03 $1,695 +4.90
559–589 fancy 575 89 288.00–325.00 $304.54 $1,751 -22.78
550–599 577 1,091 265.00–320.00 $302.69 $1,747 +0.44
606–628 fancy 616 77 299.75–311.00 $303.38 $1,869 -0.82
600–648 625 919 260.00–310.50 $288.63 $1,804 +2.07
631 unweaned 631 13 265.00 $265.00 $1,672 —
638 638 37 301.00 $301.00 $1,920 +14.44
650–699 674 845 250.00–293.50 $272.65 $1,838 +0.10
650–688 fancy 675 118 266.25–300.50 $281.54 $1,900 +1.54
661–686 684 76 270.00–284.00 $271.07 $1,854 -1.48
706–720 716 72 262.50–274.00 $265.87 $1,904 +6.02
716 fancy 716 28 281.00 $281.00 $2,012 +3.17
703–747 724 576 245.00–293.50 $269.16 $1,949 +9.31
762–768 766 30 259.00–267.00 $262.18 $2,008 +9.34
750–799 769 659 230.00–276.00 $252.09 $1,939 -0.75
800–845 820 110 230.00–268.00 $250.85 $2,057 -2.69
857–890 862 195 237.00–255.00 $248.19 $2,139 +8.42
903–928 917 22 225.00–230.00 $229.33 $2,103 +33.33
955 955 12 239.00 $239.00 $2,282 +2.26
1106–1115 1111 14 188.00–190.00 $189.00 $2,100 —
1166 1166 7 191.00 $191.00 $2,227 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1225 1088 15 161.00–200.50 $189.25 $2,059 +2.82
1030–1465 1262 57 190.00–207.00 $202.73 $2,558 +4.03
1112–1665 1413 278 204.00–218.50 $212.17 $2,998 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
437–442 441 15 312.50–330.00 $317.13 $1,399 +15.50
450–496 486 21 300.00–314.00 $309.63 $1,505 +7.73
505–548 521 67 272.50–312.00 $291.22 $1,517 +0.51
561–588 576 48 255.00–280.00 $267.71 $1,542 -9.07
610–645 632 31 237.50–273.00 $259.77 $1,642 -6.65
652–699 686 84 241.00–277.00 $269.43 $1,848 +16.54
714–744 736 24 248.00–255.00 $251.59 $1,852 +34.00
777–790 787 15 244.00–246.00 $245.47 $1,932 +4.33
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–475 469 8 300.00–301.00 $300.76 $1,411 —
591–592 591 11 274.00–289.00 $279.46 $1,652 —
606–648 622 73 269.00–274.00 $270.50 $1,683 —
651–669 661 38 255.00–266.00 $258.28 $1,707 —
730 730 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,752 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1008–1015 1010 25 204.00–228.00 $222.21 $2,244 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
361–378 366 10 1,100.00–1,275.00 $1,220.79 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
704 704 16 260.00 $260.00 $1,830 —
718 718 9 238.00 $238.00 $1,709 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582–592 588 24 286.00–320.00 $300.03 $1,764 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1480 1336 75-80% 20 124.00–177.50 $141.39 $1,889 —
1200–1885 1475 75-80% 44 120.00–131.00 $125.02 $1,844 —
1265–2085 1536 75-80% 58 130.00–159.00 $139.45 $2,142 +15.61
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1560 1164 80-85% 27 120.00–195.00 $134.00 $1,560 —
1180–1460 1315 80-85% 3 107.00–109.00 $108.26 $1,424 +3.15
1070–1620 1353 80-85% 35 110.00–120.00 $114.43 $1,548 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–885 858 85-90% 2 107.00–112.00 $109.58 $940 +18.10
695–1390 969 85-90% 14 53.00–94.00 $74.97 $726 —
1025–1605 1331 85-90% 18 90.00–109.00 $103.32 $1,375 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550–2265 1902 18 158.50–189.00 $171.48 $3,262 +30.89
1340–2390 1922 27 124.00–162.00 $147.13 $2,828 +6.54

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1403 1403 6 191.00 $191.00 $2,680 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1595 1372 3 121.00–147.00 $131.10 $1,799 —
1280–1585 1404 18 156.00–171.00 $164.00 $2,303 —
1345–1920 1587 33 173.00–188.00 $178.68 $2,836 —

↑ Back to top

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.