Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 15, 2025

7,363 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 $371.44/cwt -0.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,678/hd at 721 lb · 532 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $351.96/cwt +5.25 vs last sale · ≈ $2,379/hd at 676 lb · 487 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $372.45/cwt +16.64 vs last sale · ≈ $2,339/hd at 628 lb · 454 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 7,363 — —

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
304–329 314 12 555.00–564.00 $558.92 $1,755 +38.81
395 395 7 545.00 $545.00 $2,153 +23.71
411–449 434 130 427.50–532.50 $492.64 $2,138 -15.03
468–497 474 30 465.00–485.00 $477.27 $2,262 +4.28
510 fancy 510 5 530.00 $530.00 $2,703 +25.00
502–548 525 166 430.00–516.00 $470.91 $2,472 +20.80
564 fancy 564 28 457.00 $457.00 $2,577 +24.43
552–597 571 205 417.00–465.00 $445.41 $2,543 +19.72
604 unweaned 604 9 395.00 $395.00 $2,386 -0.67
600–645 624 372 397.00–439.00 $421.46 $2,630 +18.41
658 fancy 658 47 413.00 $413.00 $2,718 +16.53
653–696 678 302 373.00–426.00 $393.92 $2,671 +7.64
678 unweaned 678 13 337.50 $337.50 $2,288 -25.78
701–748 721 532 337.00–398.00 $371.44 $2,678 -2.07
750–799 773 416 334.00–386.00 $359.53 $2,779 +5.68
800–846 818 175 320.00–360.00 $345.59 $2,827 -0.47
851–898 881 143 315.00–350.00 $337.53 $2,974 +57.53
907–924 918 57 334.50–340.50 $336.40 $3,088 +6.88
955–987 971 22 319.00–328.50 $323.67 $3,143 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
941–1337 1119 44 185.00–227.00 $216.51 $2,423 +2.29
1075–1340 1229 13 215.00–234.00 $220.60 $2,711 —
1351–1455 1377 8 225.50–226.85 $226.49 $3,119 +2.78
1190–1630 1419 96 210.00–226.50 $217.45 $3,086 —
1431 1431 6 227.10 $227.10 $3,250 —
1402–1499 1466 40 224.00–226.35 $225.63 $3,308 —
1195–1690 1510 353 219.00–233.50 $227.36 $3,433 +1.05
1516–1593 1545 13 224.25–226.00 $225.58 $3,485 +0.33
1528–1558 1548 12 223.50–227.00 $225.85 $3,496 +0.60
1676–1715 1683 6 220.50–226.00 $225.07 $3,788 —
1705–1895 1806 30 195.00–225.00 $211.10 $3,812 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
263 263 3 512.50 $512.50 $1,348 —
365 365 5 451.00 $451.00 $1,646 +1.63
411–446 437 52 390.00–465.00 $446.39 $1,951 -13.01
475–495 479 21 410.00–460.00 $441.17 $2,113 +15.26
517–543 532 72 355.00–465.00 $443.78 $2,361 +20.71
555–596 584 101 350.00–420.00 $402.37 $2,350 +10.88
601–648 631 16 360.00–375.00 $365.88 $2,309 -3.40
650–699 676 121 349.00–372.00 $361.76 $2,445 +5.96
748 748 6 349.00 $349.00 $2,611 +7.88
763–788 777 56 315.00–330.00 $320.64 $2,491 +5.39
875 875 4 225.00 $225.00 $1,969 -75.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
370 370 4 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–338 322 14 500.00–552.50 $510.71 $1,644 +40.51
361–397 388 53 400.00–470.00 $453.11 $1,758 +13.41
405 fancy 405 15 482.00 $482.00 $1,952 —
400–433 419 44 407.50–466.00 $434.88 $1,822 -3.33
469 unweaned 469 6 375.00 $375.00 $1,759 -23.20
453–499 475 89 376.00–441.00 $412.75 $1,961 +0.77
501–543 fancy 524 68 418.00–479.00 $443.71 $2,325 +30.88
505–548 529 283 385.00–429.00 $415.15 $2,196 +20.22
555–583 fancy 570 26 385.00–431.00 $405.67 $2,312 -5.58
550–598 574 304 376.00–412.00 $398.05 $2,285 +13.86
596 unweaned 596 7 346.00 $346.00 $2,062 -12.16
617 617 36 405.50 $405.50 $2,502 +48.87
601–645 628 370 342.50–393.50 $368.52 $2,314 +11.89
635 fancy 635 48 378.00 $378.00 $2,400 +25.24
673 fancy 673 15 355.00 $355.00 $2,389 -15.00
650–698 676 472 329.00–381.00 $351.86 $2,379 +2.53
707 707 37 356.00 $356.00 $2,517 +26.00
700–748 721 264 315.00–342.00 $334.70 $2,413 +4.70
752–792 773 158 317.00–348.00 $330.82 $2,557 +7.41
789 789 12 337.00 $337.00 $2,659 +13.59
807–832 813 74 307.00–325.00 $318.87 $2,592 -3.41
863 863 4 316.50 $316.50 $2,731 -18.00
935 935 4 302.50 $302.50 $2,828 +27.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1145 1078 2 211.00–231.00 $220.37 $2,376 -13.81
945–1350 1117 33 180.00–222.00 $212.34 $2,372 —
1264 1264 4 224.50 $224.50 $2,838 —
1172–1400 1286 12 214.00–219.00 $217.17 $2,793 —
1095–1535 1300 82 210.00–227.50 $217.52 $2,828 -7.09
1316–1522 1376 25 224.25–227.00 $226.16 $3,112 -0.43
1175–1659 1407 399 218.00–234.00 $226.95 $3,193 —
1440–1477 1455 5 213.50–218.50 $215.53 $3,136 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–447 439 18 417.00–428.00 $421.78 $1,852 +25.88
476–488 484 9 370.00–417.50 $385.57 $1,866 -15.23
511–535 525 7 325.00–352.00 $340.73 $1,789 -40.08
554–598 570 51 317.50–365.00 $340.56 $1,941 -13.59
605–649 637 35 332.50–343.00 $338.13 $2,154 +16.09
652–699 684 36 252.50–329.00 $313.21 $2,142 -3.48
710–732 723 7 300.00–305.00 $302.11 $2,184 +13.95
917 917 4 260.00 $260.00 $2,384 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1012–1013 1012 11 282.50–287.50 $285.68 $2,891 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
370–391 376 11 1,600.00–1,650.00 $1,635.81 +107.65

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1490 1363 75-80% 21 158.00–193.00 $171.78 $2,341 +0.33
1235–1840 1512 75-80% 42 151.00–170.00 $162.37 $2,455 —
1435–1755 1594 75-80% 14 135.00–150.00 $142.96 $2,279 -17.92
1370–1970 1607 75-80% 37 172.50–188.00 $178.64 $2,871 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–995 973 80-85% 6 171.00–245.00 $211.80 $2,061 —
1000–1430 1164 80-85% 48 144.00–227.50 $172.65 $2,010 -7.01
1035–1595 1345 80-85% 16 115.00–142.00 $133.55 $1,796 —
1075–1825 1372 80-85% 43 143.00–160.00 $151.74 $2,082 +2.26
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–970 950 85-90% 2 118.00–136.00 $127.19 $1,208 —
860–1270 1062 85-90% 12 70.00–105.00 $88.49 $940 —
1050–1285 1197 85-90% 5 110.00–136.00 $129.00 $1,544 -0.72
890–1500 1213 85-90% 42 110.00–143.00 $131.08 $1,590 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,322 —
1320–2320 1821 6 140.00–152.00 $147.84 $2,692 —
1395–2260 1866 33 154.00–195.00 $176.69 $3,297 —
1930–2170 2018 3 195.00–199.00 $197.07 $3,977 +19.26

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Beef/Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1577–1680 1634 9 198.00–213.00 $210.37 $3,437 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1245 1220 2 206.00–216.00 $210.90 $2,573 —
1460 1460 1 198.00 $198.00 $2,891 —
1527–1995 1738 14 210.00–212.50 $211.85 $3,682 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395–1850 1606 17 189.50–205.00 $196.80 $3,161 —
1370–1860 1670 82 203.00–213.00 $208.41 $3,480 —

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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.