Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 21, 2025

9,254 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $288.83/cwt +5.58 vs last sale · ≈ $2,533/hd at 877 lb · 790 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $372.92/cwt +13.89 vs last sale · ≈ $2,120/hd at 568 lb · 459 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $393.60/cwt +9.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,062/hd at 524 lb · 449 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 9,254 — —

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
320 fancy 320 7 552.50 $552.50 $1,768 —
320–349 340 16 492.50–514.00 $497.42 $1,691 +48.64
337–343 unweaned 340 7 447.50–455.00 $450.75 $1,533 -2.74
351–395 371 112 428.00–517.50 $480.32 $1,782 +46.11
397 unweaned 397 6 445.00 $445.00 $1,767 +20.21
403–446 423 103 424.00–505.00 $456.19 $1,930 +34.51
469–489 unweaned 477 55 400.00–415.00 $408.35 $1,948 +3.28
452–496 478 315 390.00–446.00 $423.42 $2,024 +20.28
500–543 523 384 360.50–425.00 $396.27 $2,072 +7.95
523 523 22 402.00 $402.00 $2,102 +13.68
512–543 unweaned 531 43 335.00–395.00 $365.42 $1,940 +0.16
550–599 567 386 357.50–398.00 $378.04 $2,143 +17.92
564–598 unweaned 576 73 335.00–356.00 $345.84 $1,992 -14.16
600–649 626 325 329.00–383.00 $353.13 $2,211 +11.97
634 unweaned 634 11 331.00 $331.00 $2,099 +36.00
662–678 unweaned 671 13 328.00–336.00 $331.64 $2,225 —
651–698 672 391 323.00–359.00 $338.94 $2,278 +15.85
705 705 6 325.00 $325.00 $2,291 +50.00
702–711 unweaned 706 17 290.00–291.00 $290.47 $2,051 —
701–745 728 148 292.00–335.00 $319.37 $2,325 +5.49
755–793 772 267 290.50–313.00 $300.36 $2,319 +0.15
806–847 824 336 284.00–302.85 $295.94 $2,439 +1.95
851–898 877 790 273.00–301.50 $288.83 $2,533 +5.58
902–949 925 427 276.00–286.00 $280.66 $2,596 +2.88
953–997 986 51 231.00–265.00 $251.91 $2,484 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–391 386 11 430.00–437.50 $434.13 $1,676 +36.57
403–449 428 36 412.50–447.50 $429.65 $1,839 +60.55
455–498 488 38 372.50–411.00 $389.37 $1,900 +16.39
500–548 529 43 350.00–380.00 $365.67 $1,934 -8.33
555–597 582 68 349.00–358.00 $352.01 $2,049 +25.21
605–647 631 76 313.00–345.00 $327.60 $2,067 +8.60
656–693 674 25 309.50–318.00 $312.88 $2,109 +50.38
707–712 710 10 294.00–295.00 $294.50 $2,091 —
805 805 8 261.00 $261.00 $2,101 —
862 862 4 240.00 $240.00 $2,069 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1270 1134 5 181.00–215.00 $195.95 $2,222 —
1176–1605 1346 19 200.00–210.00 $206.93 $2,785 -0.41
1300–1495 1422 19 209.50–215.00 $212.64 $3,024 -0.67
1250–1665 1445 85 212.00–220.50 $217.18 $3,138 —
1383–1675 1530 65 221.00–230.00 $226.21 $3,461 +0.02
1565–1742 1711 10 201.00–216.00 $213.63 $3,655 —
1707–1795 1727 8 222.00–227.00 $224.93 $3,885 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1103 1103 119 252.75 $252.75 $2,788 —
1155 1155 3 213.00 $213.00 $2,460 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
246 246 5 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —
266 266 5 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–342 339 77 434.00–467.50 $456.21 $1,547 +40.64
350–398 372 66 385.00–472.50 $430.39 $1,601 +21.66
390–398 unweaned 396 11 399.00–405.00 $400.61 $1,586 -16.36
400–448 427 155 355.00–430.00 $392.69 $1,677 +9.48
415–443 unweaned 438 26 390.00–399.00 $394.44 $1,728 -0.41
450–499 476 415 350.00–407.00 $381.64 $1,817 +13.94
477–495 unweaned 481 33 332.50–367.00 $356.34 $1,714 -20.56
500–545 520 311 327.50–394.00 $358.01 $1,862 +3.49
508–523 unweaned 520 50 369.00–385.00 $376.33 $1,957 +11.46
525 fancy 525 30 395.00 $395.00 $2,074 —
554–596 574 325 305.00–366.00 $333.20 $1,913 +19.20
575 575 7 358.00 $358.00 $2,058 +44.00
563–595 unweaned 582 22 317.00–327.00 $320.96 $1,868 -1.04
614–640 unweaned 621 28 299.50–301.00 $299.94 $1,863 +24.94
600–645 623 347 291.00–336.00 $314.30 $1,958 +20.90
627 fancy 627 6 337.50 $337.50 $2,116 +7.25
650–699 668 249 279.00–309.00 $299.66 $2,002 +14.65
702–749 721 277 265.00–313.00 $293.83 $2,119 +19.84
752–796 780 160 250.00–300.00 $274.45 $2,141 +19.95
810–849 826 328 217.50–277.25 $272.01 $2,247 +16.78
850–886 873 374 237.00–266.50 $264.35 $2,308 —
932–938 933 35 252.00–254.50 $252.22 $2,353 +61.22
984–986 985 21 224.00–247.75 $237.58 $2,340 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367–395 384 26 402.50–425.00 $419.21 $1,610 +24.16
454–494 481 42 340.00–368.00 $350.45 $1,686 +7.20
511 unweaned 511 4 336.00 $336.00 $1,717 —
515–541 534 25 335.00–354.00 $338.79 $1,809 +16.05
552–591 572 59 306.00–325.00 $317.36 $1,815 +32.36
600–646 628 32 272.00–300.00 $289.55 $1,818 +31.85
678–698 687 35 265.00–271.00 $268.32 $1,843 -2.68
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,192 —
1080–1230 1163 3 192.00–212.00 $199.67 $2,322 —
1005–1565 1256 19 200.00–210.00 $207.58 $2,607 +2.64
1255–1260 1259 5 199.50–201.50 $199.90 $2,517 -5.04
1112–1570 1322 107 210.00–219.50 $215.27 $2,846 +6.72
1221–1670 1350 58 220.00–229.00 $223.69 $3,020 +8.64
1228–1577 1360 25 209.00–217.00 $214.31 $2,915 -0.74
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
241 241 3 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
780 780 6 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —
802–845 814 82 2,275.00–2,525.00 $2,380.93 —
868–871 870 95 2,375.00–2,435.00 $2,412.94 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 538 4 350.00 $350.00 $1,883 +20.00
575 575 4 347.50 $347.50 $1,998 -1.56
636 636 3 317.50 $317.50 $2,019 +31.06
701 701 26 286.00 $286.00 $2,005 —
821 821 4 263.00 $263.00 $2,159 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1625 1378 75-80% 29 145.00–184.00 $159.69 $2,201 +1.69
1295–1755 1503 75-80% 18 141.00–149.00 $146.53 $2,202 —
1310–1915 1575 75-80% 32 150.00–170.00 $157.78 $2,485 —
1415–1880 1627 75-80% 10 120.00–139.50 $129.80 $2,112 -29.06
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–985 942 80-85% 7 140.00–212.50 $172.14 $1,622 —
1000–1275 1108 80-85% 24 135.00–225.00 $162.64 $1,802 -14.63
1005–1835 1319 80-85% 35 130.00–141.00 $136.35 $1,798 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–955 893 85-90% 5 114.00–128.00 $122.44 $1,093 —
720–1595 1005 85-90% 5 55.00–100.00 $76.16 $765 —
1000–1660 1248 85-90% 18 105.00–128.00 $120.06 $1,498 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1485 1485 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,930 —
1350–2145 1768 7 191.00–205.00 $196.19 $3,469 —
1310–2450 1872 20 145.00–188.00 $173.36 $3,245 —

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Beef/Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490–1725 1630 3 204.50–215.00 $208.90 $3,405 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1742 1570 8 208.00–215.50 $211.18 $3,316 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 1 171.50 $171.50 $2,358 —
1380–1750 1549 23 184.50–198.00 $192.24 $2,978 —
1445–1895 1716 14 200.00–209.00 $204.00 $3,501 —

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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.