Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 17, 2025

8,149 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 heifers $294.02/cwt +11.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,993/hd at 678 lb · 520 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $280.04/cwt -1.35 vs last sale · ≈ $2,313/hd at 826 lb · 516 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $296.76/cwt +5.72 vs last sale · ≈ $2,282/hd at 769 lb · 511 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 8,149 — —

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
245 245 1 517.50 $517.50 $1,268 +27.50
270–280 273 8 505.00–535.00 $524.02 $1,431 —
300–335 310 10 470.00–507.50 $500.67 $1,552 +35.67
335 unweaned 335 3 450.00 $450.00 $1,508 —
352–392 377 88 420.00–500.00 $466.82 $1,760 +17.82
403 thin fleshed 403 3 488.00 $488.00 $1,967 —
410–418 unweaned 415 22 420.00–460.00 $445.38 $1,848 —
405–448 431 107 410.00–475.00 $441.57 $1,903 +8.62
435 fancy 435 7 470.00 $470.00 $2,044 +25.58
471 unweaned 471 5 390.00 $390.00 $1,837 +26.35
450–496 472 245 395.00–450.00 $415.09 $1,959 +17.58
502 fancy 502 2 411.00 $411.00 $2,063 +11.00
525–531 unweaned 527 21 357.50 $357.50 $1,884 -1.97
500–549 530 256 342.50–415.00 $386.59 $2,049 +13.58
550–595 574 360 335.00–394.00 $363.67 $2,087 +2.09
616 unweaned 616 13 298.00 $298.00 $1,836 —
600–648 624 422 310.00–362.00 $340.96 $2,128 +0.68
669 unweaned 669 9 288.00 $288.00 $1,927 -26.00
650–697 675 355 312.50–349.00 $332.24 $2,243 +3.33
702–744 724 377 277.00–320.00 $305.25 $2,210 -4.95
750–799 769 511 281.00–310.25 $296.76 $2,282 +5.72
805–849 826 516 259.00–290.50 $280.04 $2,313 +0.38
852–897 882 342 263.00–281.50 $276.56 $2,439 +1.80
904–939 925 138 250.00–269.50 $264.88 $2,450 +2.62
956–983 959 48 225.00–256.75 $252.68 $2,423 -0.35
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1000 991 7 200.00–206.25 $205.35 $2,035 —
1080–1270 1106 13 190.00–200.00 $191.28 $2,116 +2.02
1120–1675 1286 27 195.00–209.00 $204.49 $2,630 +9.47
1225–1555 1451 23 204.00–211.00 $207.85 $3,016 —
1180–1688 1459 114 207.50–216.75 $213.80 $3,119 —
1238–1683 1535 128 214.00–223.50 $218.88 $3,360 +0.55
1597 1597 4 211.50 $211.50 $3,378 —
1606 1606 7 205.50 $205.50 $3,300 —
1705–1875 1755 8 217.00–219.50 $218.43 $3,833 +6.46
1760–1805 1790 3 202.00–205.50 $204.35 $3,658 -7.62
1780–1890 1830 13 198.00–209.75 $206.08 $3,771 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 3 370.00 $370.00 $1,739 +18.28
508–547 523 32 350.00–352.50 $351.33 $1,837 +9.71
558–597 579 53 290.00–335.00 $319.61 $1,851 -0.01
625–645 637 11 302.00–310.00 $306.96 $1,955 +2.45
788–793 791 8 270.00–279.00 $273.36 $2,162 +58.36
925 925 6 238.00 $238.00 $2,202 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
763 763 4 267.00 $267.00 $2,037 —
1024–1026 1025 11 215.00–219.50 $217.86 $2,233 -32.89
1069 1069 6 212.00 $212.00 $2,266 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 4 490.00 $490.00 $1,313 —
300–345 328 33 370.00–445.00 $425.86 $1,397 —
363 fancy 363 8 445.00 $445.00 $1,615 +5.00
352–397 374 97 379.00–435.00 $411.02 $1,537 -0.61
376 unweaned 376 8 385.00 $385.00 $1,448 —
405–447 433 140 356.00–410.00 $374.50 $1,622 -11.87
415–443 unweaned 440 32 356.00–380.00 $368.43 $1,621 +26.90
450–495 467 218 332.00–388.00 $367.62 $1,717 +11.86
472 fancy 472 16 360.00 $360.00 $1,699 —
500–546 525 309 304.00–358.00 $333.04 $1,748 -4.19
535 unweaned 535 15 321.00–322.50 $321.20 $1,718 +3.20
554–573 unweaned 557 52 279.00–317.50 $311.41 $1,735 +11.91
550–599 581 360 300.00–338.75 $320.72 $1,863 +3.67
601–649 623 482 279.00–333.50 $310.00 $1,931 +8.43
663 fancy 663 49 295.00 $295.00 $1,956 —
650–699 679 404 273.00–307.50 $292.43 $1,986 +10.36
654–688 682 63 304.00–309.00 $304.84 $2,079 +22.77
687 unweaned 687 4 272.00 $272.00 $1,869 —
719 fancy 719 8 289.00 $289.00 $2,078 +7.22
700–749 733 298 257.00–299.00 $281.49 $2,063 +12.58
753–793 774 342 241.00–276.50 $265.22 $2,053 +3.96
803–839 819 67 224.00–267.00 $253.61 $2,077 +2.20
824–827 826 36 265.00–271.00 $266.16 $2,198 -3.61
845 fancy 845 3 256.00 $256.00 $2,163 —
856–889 867 46 210.00–245.50 $235.34 $2,040 -14.28
888 fancy 888 16 242.25 $242.25 $2,151 —
900–940 917 18 228.00–247.00 $237.44 $2,177 -1.21
960–990 974 17 213.00–234.00 $220.87 $2,151 -10.60
1055 1055 8 208.00 $208.00 $2,194 +8.00
1154–1195 1171 10 178.00–186.00 $183.06 $2,144 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1035 973 2 178.00–196.00 $187.58 $1,825 —
1050–1060 1057 3 190.00–203.00 $198.69 $2,100 —
970–1225 1082 6 172.50–198.00 $192.75 $2,086 —
1099 1099 6 195.25 $195.25 $2,146 —
1042–1510 1217 22 200.00–210.00 $205.13 $2,496 +1.13
1210–1555 1365 88 199.00–217.50 $210.68 $2,876 -6.99
1215–1640 1409 72 216.00–222.00 $219.65 $3,095 —
1430 1430 1 192.00 $192.00 $2,746 —
1480 1480 2 209.50 $209.50 $3,101 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 4 365.00 $365.00 $1,325 -23.20
481–483 482 12 305.00–325.00 $310.02 $1,494 -0.13
502–532 521 8 275.50–310.00 $287.97 $1,500 -21.48
551 551 4 287.50 $287.50 $1,584 -21.76
608–648 617 29 273.00–291.00 $285.93 $1,764 +11.41
661–685 667 15 261.00–274.00 $267.54 $1,784 +2.96
725 725 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,885 +4.97
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 8 357.50 $357.50 $1,591 —
545 545 9 322.00 $322.00 $1,755 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 287 2 480.00 $480.00 $1,378 —
367 unweaned 367 2 427.50 $427.50 $1,569 —
402 unweaned 402 2 375.00 $375.00 $1,508 -24.00
414–438 418 11 365.00–390.00 $385.24 $1,610 -14.76
452 unweaned 452 2 390.00 $390.00 $1,763 —
450–495 486 5 345.00–352.60 $346.41 $1,684 -13.59
520 unweaned 520 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,573 —
510–543 528 6 310.00–312.50 $311.21 $1,643 —
555 unweaned 555 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,859 +28.92
560–576 573 12 275.00–305.00 $292.58 $1,676 -12.42
620 unweaned 620 1 274.00 $274.00 $1,699 —
738 738 3 256.00 $256.00 $1,889 —
762 762 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,867 —
852 852 2 245.00 $245.00 $2,087 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1540 1323 75-80% 37 140.00–195.00 $159.41 $2,109 +6.51
1205–1915 1471 75-80% 30 133.00–147.50 $140.66 $2,069 +3.92
1155–1795 1480 75-80% 34 141.00–200.00 $154.71 $2,290 +17.97
1645–1835 1740 75-80% 2 124.00–130.00 $127.16 $2,213 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–990 916 80-85% 8 140.00–210.00 $185.45 $1,699 —
1000–1255 1129 80-85% 29 129.00–200.00 $148.10 $1,672 —
1005–1975 1302 80-85% 36 121.00–139.00 $130.86 $1,704 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650–985 885 85-90% 5 110.00–140.00 $124.58 $1,103 —
875–1265 1093 85-90% 5 81.00–104.00 $94.06 $1,028 —
1050–1420 1186 85-90% 14 109.00–126.00 $116.08 $1,377 +1.16

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–2540 1750 35 130.00–177.50 $164.16 $2,873 —
1405–2135 1802 12 170.00–195.00 $184.83 $3,331 —

↑ Back to top

Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1383 1383 2 201.00 $201.00 $2,780 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1265 1263 2 147.50–165.00 $156.23 $1,973 —
1410–1920 1539 12 174.50–179.50 $176.54 $2,717 —
1280–1880 1588 26 180.00–188.00 $184.21 $2,925 —

↑ 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.