Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 19, 2025

9,892 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $358.38/cwt +3.93 vs last sale · ≈ $2,054/hd at 573 lb · 890 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $369.82/cwt +6.09 vs last sale · ≈ $2,303/hd at 623 lb · 718 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $419.53/cwt +1.58 vs last sale · ≈ $2,201/hd at 525 lb · 684 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 9,892 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 565.00 $565.00 $1,300 —
306–312 fancy 309 11 570.00–610.00 $588.37 $1,818 —
301–346 335 23 450.00–540.00 $509.73 $1,708 -0.27
360–398 381 71 455.00–525.00 $488.63 $1,862 -7.23
400–426 fancy 414 50 497.50–500.00 $498.82 $2,065 —
404–446 417 119 445.00–506.00 $477.54 $1,991 +20.03
440–441 unweaned 441 7 425.00–440.00 $435.72 $1,922 —
465 fancy 465 1 441.00 $441.00 $2,051 —
451–498 468 257 370.00–479.00 $446.49 $2,090 +0.73
460–486 unweaned 475 7 402.50–435.00 $415.99 $1,976 —
512 fancy 512 45 439.00 $439.00 $2,248 —
500–548 525 585 387.50–436.50 $421.10 $2,211 +3.15
505–544 unweaned 531 54 360.00–395.50 $386.35 $2,052 —
550–599 577 598 360.00–406.00 $387.82 $2,238 -1.88
594 unweaned 594 5 342.50 $342.50 $2,034 —
600 thin fleshed 600 3 322.00 $322.00 $1,932 —
600–648 622 669 350.00–394.00 $372.25 $2,315 +8.52
605–643 unweaned 633 46 326.00–354.00 $337.57 $2,137 —
653–694 unweaned 667 15 310.00–330.00 $323.06 $2,155 —
658–696 674 490 329.00–364.50 $350.25 $2,361 +7.03
700–744 716 243 304.00–350.00 $339.15 $2,428 +10.50
776 unweaned 776 5 269.00 $269.00 $2,087 —
755–799 782 265 282.00–329.50 $312.63 $2,445 +1.90
804–847 830 277 260.00–310.00 $303.82 $2,522 +8.10
858–899 885 326 273.00–304.50 $294.74 $2,608 +3.90
900–945 937 135 267.00–286.75 $284.19 $2,663 +3.38
957–983 963 168 245.00–287.75 $281.93 $2,715 +13.57
1075–1083 1079 108 261.75–263.00 $262.38 $2,831 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125 1125 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,531 —
1055–1344 1240 16 223.00–228.00 $225.48 $2,796 +17.37
1120–1330 1249 6 170.00–222.00 $209.22 $2,613 +1.11
1335 1335 10 227.00 $227.00 $3,030 —
1293–1590 1386 61 222.50–230.75 $226.40 $3,138 —
1225–1625 1403 31 213.00–225.00 $221.03 $3,101 -3.68
1210–1620 1432 201 227.00–233.75 $230.33 $3,298 +5.62
1506–1584 1545 17 227.00–232.00 $229.02 $3,538 —
1437–1685 1550 101 234.00–240.00 $236.94 $3,673 —
1583 1583 29 230.00 $230.00 $3,641 +5.45
1543–1740 1599 7 226.50–229.00 $228.22 $3,649 +3.67
1607–1793 1744 33 223.50–230.00 $227.76 $3,972 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366–395 379 11 447.50–465.00 $456.71 $1,731 +44.21
406–443 425 34 410.00–447.50 $433.50 $1,842 +23.67
450–495 476 85 375.00–436.00 $413.97 $1,970 +22.45
500–549 533 137 356.00–400.00 $381.65 $2,034 +18.59
575 unweaned 575 7 340.00 $340.00 $1,955 —
564–597 582 48 310.00–378.00 $347.64 $2,023 -8.36
606–636 614 37 312.00–342.00 $321.19 $1,972 -21.41
664–697 689 57 307.50–327.50 $317.12 $2,185 -0.40
780 780 5 294.00 $294.00 $2,293 +9.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
428 428 15 400.00 $400.00 $1,712 —
507 507 22 350.00 $350.00 $1,774 —
603 603 13 350.00 $350.00 $2,110 —
663–697 676 18 324.00–339.00 $332.99 $2,251 —
761 761 26 311.50 $311.50 $2,371 —
919 919 6 260.00 $260.00 $2,389 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–235 230 2 540.00–570.00 $555.33 $1,277 —
250 250 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,225 —
327–332 329 18 460.00–500.00 $480.70 $1,582 +40.70
342 unweaned 342 7 430.00 $430.00 $1,471 —
355 unweaned 355 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,384 —
350–397 376 126 445.00–515.00 $465.55 $1,750 +8.65
365–386 fancy 380 10 485.00 $485.00 $1,843 —
402–440 419 141 400.00–475.00 $436.03 $1,827 +18.60
425–436 unweaned 431 19 400.00–414.00 $406.46 $1,752 —
451 fancy 451 32 424.00 $424.00 $1,912 —
466–481 unweaned 472 16 360.00–362.00 $361.51 $1,706 —
450–496 478 344 375.00–430.00 $396.01 $1,893 -5.54
503–540 unweaned 515 69 343.00–376.00 $363.10 $1,870 —
503–548 528 384 348.00–395.00 $376.95 $1,990 +13.95
551–579 fancy 572 97 377.00–394.50 $387.99 $2,219 —
550–598 573 752 340.00–370.00 $355.81 $2,039 +1.36
553–595 unweaned 577 41 324.00–350.00 $335.49 $1,936 —
603–635 unweaned 611 35 324.00–349.50 $335.72 $2,051 —
601–647 620 234 320.00–356.00 $343.51 $2,130 +15.36
614–625 fancy 621 54 350.50–371.00 $362.74 $2,253 +15.74
651–691 659 209 293.00–345.00 $334.03 $2,201 +26.21
654–689 unweaned 673 15 290.00–324.00 $305.43 $2,056 —
700–748 722 209 285.00–314.00 $306.27 $2,211 +12.10
765 fancy 765 6 321.00 $321.00 $2,456 —
750–797 780 115 270.00–292.50 $279.94 $2,184 -10.95
806–843 825 129 276.50–282.50 $278.18 $2,295 +2.61
939 939 47 267.50 $267.50 $2,512 -0.74
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–385 374 8 425.00–445.00 $437.86 $1,638 —
415–447 432 56 340.00–415.00 $395.90 $1,710 +33.35
462–497 486 91 330.00–380.00 $369.13 $1,794 +37.19
490 unweaned 490 6 290.00 $290.00 $1,421 —
500–546 520 81 315.00–377.00 $345.96 $1,799 +19.28
554–595 578 63 327.00–340.00 $334.90 $1,936 +48.47
606–646 633 43 300.00–320.00 $311.89 $1,974 +26.72
666–685 681 47 270.00–312.00 $295.29 $2,011 +3.19
705 705 4 261.00 $261.00 $1,840 —
798 798 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,835 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1280 1132 3 210.00 $210.00 $2,377 —
1010–1189 1167 8 210.00–221.00 $219.81 $2,565 +2.73
1075–1480 1234 41 213.00–227.50 $223.22 $2,755 +4.46
1095–1508 1331 44 220.00–226.50 $224.54 $2,989 —
1176–1685 1354 199 220.00–234.75 $230.23 $3,117 +5.48
1304–1535 1407 26 235.00–239.50 $236.03 $3,321 +8.38
1563–1655 1580 25 211.00–229.25 $227.27 $3,591 +6.16
1581 1581 3 230.00 $230.00 $3,636 +8.89
1595–1638 1624 3 214.00–216.00 $214.65 $3,486 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 4 460.00 $460.00 $1,679 —
450 450 10 380.00 $380.00 $1,710 —
528 528 18 343.00 $343.00 $1,811 —
672–692 679 39 294.00–315.00 $307.86 $2,090 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 unweaned 332 5 475.00 $475.00 $1,577 —
372–391 380 7 457.50–485.00 $469.62 $1,785 —
488–495 492 16 393.00–410.00 $399.32 $1,965 —
635 635 4 335.00 $335.00 $2,127 —
725 unweaned 725 8 275.00 $275.00 $1,994 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 6 295.00 $295.00 $1,655 —

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1520 1311 75-80% 40 144.00–187.00 $165.44 $2,169 +3.33
1125–1775 1451 75-80% 44 147.00–159.00 $154.19 $2,237 —
1285–1910 1579 75-80% 16 160.00–173.00 $164.60 $2,599 —
1540–1650 1601 75-80% 7 130.00–142.00 $137.85 $2,207 -28.79
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–985 947 80-85% 3 144.00–150.00 $146.90 $1,391 —
1030–1335 1166 80-85% 24 144.00–232.50 $161.61 $1,884 +0.34
1010–1625 1263 80-85% 25 135.00–149.00 $141.42 $1,786 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–990 959 85-90% 6 115.00–133.00 $123.58 $1,185 —
1000–1480 1228 85-90% 18 112.00–135.00 $125.80 $1,545 —
1030–1505 1296 85-90% 4 78.00–105.00 $96.69 $1,253 -5.26

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,940 -20.21
1240–1960 1572 3 115.00–140.00 $129.34 $2,033 —
1415–2405 1845 20 147.00–191.00 $175.23 $3,233 -26.58
1695–2320 1972 8 194.00–220.00 $203.26 $4,008 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1569–1670 1586 6 208.00–215.00 $209.23 $3,318 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1633–1717 1691 14 219.50–226.00 $223.45 $3,779 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480–1482 1482 11 180.00–186.50 $185.32 $2,746 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280 1280 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,189 —
1437 1437 3 207.00 $207.00 $2,975 +56.06
1325–1965 1581 7 185.00–194.00 $188.30 $2,977 —
1475–1795 1663 29 197.00–216.00 $201.96 $3,359 —

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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.