Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 27, 2025

15,065 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 $302.09/cwt +7.32 vs last sale · ≈ $2,170/hd at 718 lb · 1,256 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $288.55/cwt +3.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,797/hd at 623 lb · 989 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $314.54/cwt +4.79 vs last sale · ≈ $2,111/hd at 671 lb · 893 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 15,065 21,294 20,444
Feeder cattle 13,346 20,545 18,728
Slaughter cattle 1,719 749 1,716

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week offerings, steers weighing less than 500lbs sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher, 500 to 700lbs steers sold 4.00 to 5.00 higher, steers weighting over 700lbs sold 7.00 to 8.00 higher. Heifers weighing less than 500lbs sold 6.00 to 7.00 higher, while heifers weighing 500 to 700lbs sold mostly steady. Heifers weighing more than 700lbs sold sharply higher from 12.00 to 13.00 higher. Slaughter cattle sold 12.00 to 13.00 lower on a light test. Slaughter Cows and Bulls are 3.00 to 4.00 lower on a light test. Demand was good for all classes of feeder calves. These record high prices are being driven by record cash cattle prices.

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
352–397 375 21 408.00–425.00 $415.72 $1,559 +11.01
400–443 420 67 367.50–415.00 $387.59 $1,628 -6.11
450–499 468 137 360.00–392.00 $378.01 $1,769 +5.85
505 fancy 505 12 382.50 $382.50 $1,932 —
500–549 530 322 344.00–381.00 $365.26 $1,936 +8.49
548 unweaned 548 12 332.00 $332.00 $1,819 +14.56
550–599 582 745 321.00–360.50 $345.39 $2,010 +1.79
612–628 unweaned 619 12 282.50–297.00 $290.87 $1,800 -10.93
626 fancy 626 33 341.75 $341.75 $2,139 +12.75
601–648 627 507 307.50–341.50 $327.60 $2,054 +4.05
650–695 671 893 293.00–328.00 $314.54 $2,111 +4.09
706 fancy 706 80 312.00 $312.00 $2,203 +12.50
700–749 719 1,176 284.00–318.00 $301.42 $2,167 +6.76
750–798 774 669 270.00–299.00 $286.87 $2,220 +6.24
802–842 822 617 268.00–297.50 $284.37 $2,338 +11.96
853–892 863 410 255.50–282.75 $276.30 $2,384 +9.97
901–942 913 160 257.50–272.25 $268.06 $2,447 +4.76
959–997 964 136 223.00–269.00 $264.93 $2,554 +10.91
1200 1200 18 203.50 $203.50 $2,442 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1270 1151 20 197.00–224.00 $210.86 $2,427 —
965–1370 1214 44 167.00–210.00 $196.80 $2,389 -6.87
1293–1490 1351 14 203.50–208.00 $205.42 $2,775 —
1180–1690 1413 151 195.00–209.50 $204.49 $2,889 —
1342–1493 1427 16 211.00–213.50 $212.47 $3,032 —
1475 1475 6 209.50 $209.50 $3,090 —
1263–1695 1512 424 210.00–222.50 $214.43 $3,242 —
1527 1527 7 213.00 $213.00 $3,253 —
1510–1555 1535 4 205.00–209.00 $206.13 $3,164 —
1610–1660 1635 2 205.50–210.00 $207.78 $3,397 —
1632–1745 1651 7 196.00–202.00 $201.09 $3,320 —
1700–1790 1744 35 200.00–218.00 $212.77 $3,711 +8.28
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–448 440 19 300.00–375.00 $334.96 $1,474 -37.54
458–492 484 34 300.00–342.50 $324.48 $1,570 -3.07
510–544 525 66 311.00–345.00 $329.99 $1,732 -2.10
556–583 575 52 282.50–332.50 $316.61 $1,821 +4.71
621–649 634 34 275.00–310.00 $302.32 $1,917 -3.78
652–691 678 48 270.00–302.00 $290.61 $1,970 +15.10
724–744 736 24 260.00–288.00 $275.51 $2,028 +6.54
752 752 4 270.00 $270.00 $2,030 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
553 553 13 348.00 $348.00 $1,924 —
693 693 4 272.00 $272.00 $1,885 —
712 712 21 297.50 $297.50 $2,118 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322 322 4 420.00 $420.00 $1,352 +46.62
350–389 373 28 380.00–400.00 $393.08 $1,466 +17.22
404–449 432 76 330.00–383.00 $355.80 $1,537 -2.84
435 unweaned 435 4 310.00 $310.00 $1,348 -41.00
455–492 473 198 247.00–358.00 $335.05 $1,585 +5.41
509 fancy 509 19 332.00 $332.00 $1,690 —
503–549 520 331 294.00–336.00 $318.41 $1,656 +2.32
540 540 5 291.00 $291.00 $1,571 -25.09
555 fancy 555 17 323.00 $323.00 $1,793 +14.26
550–598 570 540 271.00–321.00 $302.53 $1,724 -3.40
603 fancy 603 90 301.00 $301.00 $1,815 +12.45
612 612 8 262.00 $262.00 $1,603 -22.53
605–648 625 891 264.00–304.00 $287.53 $1,797 +3.00
650 fancy 650 61 285.00 $285.00 $1,852 —
650–698 671 762 260.00–295.00 $278.62 $1,870 +3.78
683–687 685 40 286.00 $286.00 $1,959 +11.16
718 718 33 292.00 $292.00 $2,097 +13.00
722 fancy 722 64 273.50 $273.50 $1,975 +14.74
701–745 727 421 246.00–291.00 $272.98 $1,985 +12.32
752 752 24 273.50 $273.50 $2,057 +18.12
750–793 769 580 225.00–277.50 $265.68 $2,043 +10.30
788 fancy 788 75 259.75 $259.75 $2,047 —
800–848 807 224 238.00–276.00 $261.53 $2,111 -3.97
855 fancy 855 60 260.00 $260.00 $2,223 —
850–875 862 207 245.00–267.50 $262.76 $2,265 +19.72
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1275 1093 13 150.00–206.00 $194.18 $2,122 —
1103 1103 4 205.50 $205.50 $2,267 —
985–1259 1194 45 196.50–213.00 $205.75 $2,457 +2.63
1110–1645 1286 115 195.00–209.50 $205.73 $2,646 —
1250–1495 1364 11 199.00–202.00 $200.35 $2,733 -10.21
1235–1424 1376 45 208.50–213.50 $211.86 $2,915 +1.30
1150–1695 1391 256 204.00–221.00 $213.80 $2,974 +3.24
1318–1437 1399 16 208.50–214.00 $212.04 $2,966 +1.48
1580–1690 1635 2 201.00 $201.00 $3,286 —
1700 1700 2 201.50 $201.50 $3,426 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 381 5 340.00 $340.00 $1,295 -8.46
406–443 431 33 282.50–334.00 $318.56 $1,373 -15.44
458–497 488 56 285.00–320.00 $307.67 $1,501 -7.62
511–548 535 83 268.00–295.00 $285.58 $1,528 -9.94
552–598 577 71 250.00–287.00 $274.32 $1,583 +4.89
610–641 631 24 240.00–269.00 $257.35 $1,624 -8.29
675–695 682 92 245.00–269.00 $262.03 $1,787 +4.72
706–748 722 91 250.00–261.00 $255.35 $1,844 +18.48
787 787 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,849 —
805–825 814 7 240.00–245.00 $242.17 $1,971 +7.17
903 903 3 231.50 $231.50 $2,090 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 8 313.00 $313.00 $1,596 +8.00
597 597 15 275.00 $275.00 $1,642 —
653 653 14 274.00 $274.00 $1,789 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 unweaned 349 5 407.50 $407.50 $1,422 —
463 unweaned 463 18 352.00 $352.00 $1,630 —
482 482 6 315.00 $315.00 $1,518 -15.57
537 537 4 327.50 $327.50 $1,759 —
620 620 6 280.00 $280.00 $1,736 -35.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1390 1192 80-85% 41 117.00–203.00 $145.17 $1,730 —
1055–1660 1335 80-85% 56 115.00–129.50 $123.16 $1,644 —
1060–1740 1343 80-85% 13 97.50–118.00 $107.10 $1,438 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1690 1436 75-80% 31 132.00–184.00 $146.25 $2,100 +14.17
1315–1790 1511 75-80% 45 128.00–138.50 $133.38 $2,015 —
1290–1840 1564 75-80% 6 112.50–121.00 $117.82 $1,843 -29.26
1270–2095 1613 75-80% 28 135.00–154.00 $142.61 $2,300 +22.66
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745–970 918 85-90% 8 100.50–125.00 $107.97 $991 —
700–1495 1092 85-90% 5 59.00–97.50 $81.48 $890 —
1015–1175 1105 85-90% 4 110.00–118.00 $114.37 $1,264 —
1015–1485 1159 85-90% 24 100.00–115.00 $109.57 $1,270 +28.40

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1280 1193 3 169.00–185.00 $177.16 $2,114 —
1520–1735 1638 3 117.00–122.00 $119.10 $1,951 —
1270–2385 1778 28 130.00–164.50 $147.03 $2,614 -10.96
1600–2335 2009 18 164.00–192.00 $173.19 $3,479 -2.28

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1350 1337 3 205.00–208.00 $207.02 $2,768 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1610 1573 2 198.50–204.00 $201.18 $3,165 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1235 1225 2 132.50–165.00 $148.88 $1,824 —
1330–1580 1442 7 162.50–172.00 $165.58 $2,388 —
1315–1965 1557 11 176.50–190.00 $181.75 $2,830 —

↑ 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.