Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 20, 2025

21,294 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $309.75/cwt +0.78 vs last sale · ≈ $2,099/hd at 678 lb · 1,556 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $294.77/cwt +2.17 vs last sale · ≈ $2,137/hd at 725 lb · 1,553 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $323.36/cwt +5.96 vs last sale · ≈ $2,024/hd at 626 lb · 1,532 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 21,294 22,819 22,579
Feeder cattle 20,545 21,492 21,034
Slaughter cattle 749 1,327 1,545

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week offerings, steers weighing less than 500lbs sold 6.00 higher, 500 to 700lbs steers sold 4.00-5.00 higher, steers weighting 700lbs sold unevenly steady. Heifers weighing less than 500lbs sold 8.00-9.00 higher, while heifers weighing more than 500lbs sold. Demand was very good with plenty of momentum from record high cash cattle prices as seen during the recent weeks.

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
220 220 1 400.00 $400.00 $880 —
265–295 279 8 380.00–407.50 $399.55 $1,115 —
315–348 338 26 365.00–455.00 $418.98 $1,416 -7.36
350–393 370 66 355.00–436.00 $404.71 $1,497 +8.14
409–427 unweaned 419 20 379.00–407.00 $391.30 $1,640 +33.06
400–448 434 189 345.00–425.00 $393.70 $1,709 +14.61
451–499 481 376 325.00–405.00 $372.16 $1,790 +7.88
468–492 unweaned 483 30 320.00–357.50 $347.71 $1,679 —
510–528 unweaned 520 14 272.50–350.00 $317.44 $1,651 —
500–545 525 372 318.00–390.00 $356.77 $1,873 +3.54
552–588 unweaned 562 38 292.50–330.00 $321.91 $1,809 —
557–573 fancy 569 43 350.00–377.50 $356.89 $2,031 -26.11
550–599 573 969 300.00–363.00 $343.60 $1,969 +4.70
613–623 unweaned 618 17 289.00–313.00 $301.80 $1,865 +5.80
619 fancy 619 15 329.00 $329.00 $2,037 -8.54
600–649 626 1,500 291.00–341.50 $323.55 $2,025 +7.29
650 650 3 258.00 $258.00 $1,677 -50.04
650–683 unweaned 664 43 288.00–294.00 $291.20 $1,934 —
650–685 fancy 677 59 306.50–317.25 $308.77 $2,090 -15.87
650–699 678 1,451 281.00–327.50 $310.45 $2,105 +2.41
712–725 unweaned 715 19 258.00–292.75 $285.33 $2,040 —
701–748 725 1,462 274.00–307.50 $294.66 $2,136 +2.15
729 fancy 729 72 299.50 $299.50 $2,183 +4.75
757 fancy 757 53 284.50 $284.50 $2,154 -9.60
750–798 775 1,078 263.00–289.50 $280.63 $2,175 +2.76
791 unweaned 791 13 262.50 $262.50 $2,076 —
809 fancy 809 44 268.25 $268.25 $2,170 —
801–848 827 742 256.00–285.00 $272.41 $2,253 -1.47
850–899 866 717 250.00–279.00 $266.33 $2,306 -6.65
900–941 917 329 235.00–268.25 $263.30 $2,414 +4.09
928 928 6 255.00 $255.00 $2,366 -4.21
951–995 978 159 224.00–259.50 $254.02 $2,484 +2.54
1022 1022 11 228.50 $228.50 $2,335 +2.50
1073 1073 4 228.00 $228.00 $2,446 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–346 unweaned 337 9 375.00–399.00 $385.30 $1,298 —
433 433 4 372.50 $372.50 $1,613 +27.74
453 unweaned 453 24 361.00 $361.00 $1,635 —
473–492 480 25 300.00–355.00 $327.55 $1,572 -4.73
505–545 531 60 257.50–360.00 $332.09 $1,763 +10.59
569 unweaned 569 33 300.00 $300.00 $1,707 —
555–597 580 118 270.00–326.00 $311.90 $1,809 -4.87
600–646 635 82 272.50–319.00 $306.10 $1,944 +8.46
675 unweaned 675 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,721 —
650–699 684 107 250.00–297.00 $275.51 $1,884 -2.94
710 unweaned 710 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,882 —
700–748 735 20 251.00–279.00 $268.97 $1,977 +4.44
750–795 788 96 250.00–279.00 $263.97 $2,080 +11.37
835 835 7 255.00 $255.00 $2,129 +1.26
993 993 4 238.00 $238.00 $2,363 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1270 1243 6 199.00–208.00 $203.67 $2,532 —
1200–1620 1387 62 200.00–215.00 $211.43 $2,933 +8.10
1318–1677 1554 206 215.50–230.00 $220.59 $3,428 —
1700–1755 1728 2 204.00–205.00 $204.49 $3,534 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 5 305.00 $305.00 $842 —
351–360 354 6 320.00–345.00 $336.53 $1,191 —
435 435 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,457 —
451–478 456 15 316.00–330.00 $319.09 $1,455 —
600–626 620 8 251.00–255.00 $251.97 $1,562 -28.03
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
654 654 6 256.00 $256.00 $1,674 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 349 5 337.50 $337.50 $1,178 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1108 1108 4 205.00 $205.00 $2,271 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,064 —
315–348 338 23 345.00–390.00 $373.38 $1,262 +13.21
353–389 unweaned 367 13 335.00–392.50 $369.05 $1,354 —
353–397 371 52 347.50–409.00 $375.86 $1,394 +14.50
395 fancy 395 13 399.00 $399.00 $1,576 +22.00
414–433 fancy 419 15 380.00–390.00 $382.76 $1,604 —
404–449 432 298 312.00–375.00 $358.64 $1,549 +6.32
434 unweaned 434 5 351.00 $351.00 $1,523 +23.50
455 fancy 455 13 365.00 $365.00 $1,661 —
450–499 475 357 289.00–354.00 $329.64 $1,566 +2.16
501–548 521 616 281.00–340.00 $316.09 $1,647 -4.94
558–563 fancy 561 28 306.00–310.50 $308.74 $1,732 +4.20
550–598 573 1,231 273.00–333.00 $305.93 $1,753 +3.24
596 unweaned 596 11 260.00 $260.00 $1,550 —
613–645 fancy 622 142 281.00–292.00 $288.55 $1,795 -14.83
600–649 623 971 252.50–305.00 $284.53 $1,773 -4.10
630–645 unweaned 640 12 256.00–256.50 $256.16 $1,639 -8.84
648 648 17 288.00 $288.00 $1,866 -13.00
650–699 671 1,085 250.00–291.75 $274.84 $1,844 +2.19
651–685 671 116 288.00–312.75 $298.15 $2,001 +25.50
680–693 fancy 686 81 268.00–280.50 $276.66 $1,898 -4.88
707–732 722 31 279.00 $279.00 $2,014 +9.84
700–748 729 791 247.50–272.00 $260.66 $1,900 -8.50
718–745 fancy 739 91 253.00–280.00 $258.76 $1,912 -22.24
751–796 768 752 239.00–270.75 $255.38 $1,961 +3.29
774–794 780 47 266.00–273.00 $270.88 $2,113 +18.79
804 804 21 265.50 $265.50 $2,135 +14.65
808–848 826 289 229.00–264.00 $256.45 $2,118 +5.60
855–899 875 242 231.00–247.25 $243.04 $2,127 -5.15
903–947 905 63 233.00–241.65 $241.22 $2,183 +11.89
1038 unweaned 1038 3 212.50 $212.50 $2,206 —
1105 1105 4 216.00 $216.00 $2,387 +27.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 7 340.00 $340.00 $1,037 —
330 330 14 345.00 $345.00 $1,138 —
359–385 371 9 335.00–360.00 $348.46 $1,293 —
435 435 11 334.00 $334.00 $1,453 +16.87
463–498 486 53 307.00–320.00 $315.29 $1,532 +5.66
510–535 522 25 285.00–310.00 $295.52 $1,543 +4.30
535 unweaned 535 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,471 —
558–599 580 67 251.00–285.00 $269.43 $1,563 +1.72
605–646 627 55 232.50–277.00 $265.64 $1,666 +5.87
652–698 678 47 249.00–270.00 $257.31 $1,745 -12.12
725–736 unweaned 728 10 228.00–235.00 $230.12 $1,675 —
725–745 741 6 230.00–240.00 $236.87 $1,755 -14.72
834–840 839 22 235.00 $235.00 $1,972 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1245 1194 10 195.00–205.00 $203.12 $2,425 —
1230–1615 1383 30 201.00–215.00 $210.56 $2,912 —
1204–1615 1411 150 214.00–226.00 $220.90 $3,117 +8.73
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–325 308 9 300.00–335.00 $314.92 $970 —
360–382 364 16 316.00–335.00 $323.32 $1,177 —
423–427 425 8 292.50–307.50 $301.84 $1,283 —
530–535 533 3 260.00–279.00 $266.29 $1,419 —
576 576 6 271.00 $271.00 $1,561 -8.46
610–632 630 32 266.00–267.50 $267.36 $1,684 -3.14
719 719 27 242.50 $242.50 $1,744 +2.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 4 305.00 $305.00 $1,601 —
855–870 861 7 233.00–244.50 $239.52 $2,062 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,172 —
447 447 5 322.50 $322.50 $1,442 —
464–475 470 14 320.00–345.00 $330.57 $1,554 —
516 unweaned 516 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,548 —
608 608 6 315.00 $315.00 $1,915 —
615 unweaned 615 6 255.00 $255.00 $1,568 —
732 unweaned 732 6 246.00 $246.00 $1,801 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1510 1331 75-80% 19 132.00–165.00 $146.39 $1,948 +5.00
1170–1840 1446 75-80% 30 121.00–139.00 $132.08 $1,910 —
1225–2070 1577 75-80% 41 133.00–166.00 $147.08 $2,319 —
1420–1735 1613 75-80% 6 111.00–127.00 $119.95 $1,935 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745–965 886 80-85% 5 140.00–215.00 $190.45 $1,687 —
1010–1180 1095 80-85% 2 107.00–109.00 $107.92 $1,182 —
965–1390 1153 80-85% 14 130.00–197.50 $153.58 $1,771 +19.58
1050–1525 1228 80-85% 16 112.00–127.00 $120.11 $1,475 —
1140–1530 1358 80-85% 12 132.00–144.00 $139.28 $1,891 +24.85
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1650 1168 85-90% 6 65.00–103.00 $81.17 $948 —
975–1485 1194 85-90% 7 111.00–118.50 $116.18 $1,387 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250 1250 1 170.00 $170.00 $2,125 —
1405–2075 1763 23 141.00–167.00 $157.99 $2,785 —
1535–2405 2027 7 160.00–192.00 $175.47 $3,557 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–1695 1507 3 166.00–174.00 $170.27 $2,566 —
1525–1767 1688 10 178.00–199.00 $183.82 $3,103 —

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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.