Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 20, 2026

10,860 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $340.20/cwt -11.41 vs last sale · ≈ $3,133/hd at 921 lb · 595 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $340.52/cwt -18.93 vs last sale · ≈ $2,639/hd at 775 lb · 559 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $448.17/cwt -4.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,825/hd at 630 lb · 453 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,860 8,401 11,261
Feeder cattle 9,986 7,207 10,425
Slaughter cattle 874 1,194 836

Market comments — USDA reporter

For the week bawling and weaned steers less than 600 lbs sold 10.00 to 20.00 lower, 6 weights sold steady with yearlings steady to 10.00 lower. Heifer calves weaned and bawling sold 10.00 to 15.00 lower with yearlings 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Slaughter steers sold 1.00 higher and slaughter heifers sold 3.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 lower and bull sold 10.00 lower. Demand was moderate to good. Quite a few bawling fall calves on the market this week along with weaned and yearling cattle. The CME cattle boards lower sporadic through the week putting some pressure on the cattle auction market but overall still a really good market for the sellers.

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
259 unweaned 259 8 690.00 $690.00 $1,787 —
270–286 280 11 720.00–735.00 $729.74 $2,043 —
308–344 329 7 635.00–680.00 $653.08 $2,149 -24.24
332 unweaned 332 3 655.00 $655.00 $2,175 -100.00
352–385 369 60 600.00–655.00 $636.44 $2,348 +10.05
396 unweaned 396 12 590.00 $590.00 $2,336 -110.00
416 fancy 416 7 605.00 $605.00 $2,517 -34.24
403–449 426 140 530.00–592.50 $568.87 $2,423 -27.38
447 unweaned 447 22 552.50 $552.50 $2,470 -72.92
451–497 471 227 481.00–570.00 $540.40 $2,545 -24.39
476–488 unweaned 484 51 512.50–543.00 $525.77 $2,545 -57.80
493–499 fancy 496 62 533.00–551.00 $543.11 $2,694 —
500–539 unweaned 521 112 497.50–520.00 $505.80 $2,635 -3.60
500–548 528 312 492.50–546.00 $510.51 $2,695 -9.19
550–590 unweaned 563 40 455.00–474.00 $461.54 $2,598 -17.78
551–593 fancy 568 65 475.00–515.00 $503.10 $2,858 -17.90
550–597 576 299 460.00–507.50 $483.98 $2,788 -18.86
603–644 unweaned 626 104 410.00–451.50 $439.99 $2,754 +3.44
610–649 629 273 431.00–462.50 $451.56 $2,840 -0.39
604–645 fancy 641 76 446.00–458.00 $447.19 $2,866 -13.31
650–698 unweaned 658 61 365.00–427.50 $417.94 $2,750 —
650–698 667 265 400.00–463.00 $431.59 $2,879 +5.30
683 fancy 683 28 424.00 $424.00 $2,896 —
704–748 732 172 368.00–422.50 $386.73 $2,831 -4.22
761 fancy 761 14 398.00 $398.00 $3,029 —
754–796 779 285 345.00–387.00 $366.61 $2,856 -24.46
800–836 813 341 351.50–376.50 $364.85 $2,966 -9.62
867 867 3 316.00 $316.00 $2,740 -37.41
857–899 879 313 338.50–366.00 $361.08 $3,174 +7.67
900–947 921 595 315.00–349.00 $340.20 $3,133 -11.41
958–979 974 86 316.00–324.00 $316.84 $3,086 —
1038 1038 8 297.00 $297.00 $3,083 —
1087 1087 19 287.00 $287.00 $3,120 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 5 625.00 $625.00 $2,038 -30.00
398 398 3 575.00 $575.00 $2,288 —
402–443 424 11 540.00 $540.00 $2,290 +40.00
463–495 482 30 465.00–530.00 $511.88 $2,467 -23.51
530 unweaned 530 4 425.00 $425.00 $2,252 -30.00
501–547 534 109 450.00–510.00 $483.01 $2,579 -11.63
555–598 581 67 430.00–473.00 $446.97 $2,597 -10.65
603–639 619 17 415.00–422.50 $418.73 $2,592 —
650–699 685 67 352.50–420.00 $403.34 $2,763 —
789 789 6 320.00 $320.00 $2,525 —
855–896 881 20 310.00–337.50 $321.94 $2,836 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1138 1099 7 244.00–280.00 $269.46 $2,961 —
1095–1185 1174 10 240.00–269.00 $264.41 $3,104 —
1182–1310 1232 9 243.00–257.00 $250.69 $3,089 —
1247–1275 1256 3 259.00–263.50 $261.98 $3,290 +14.92
1180–1660 1373 20 231.00–246.00 $240.15 $3,297 -12.48
1170–1682 1470 160 244.25–252.00 $248.50 $3,653 +5.00
1260–1615 1495 45 240.00–247.00 $244.56 $3,656 +1.06
1745 1745 1 246.00 $246.00 $4,293 -2.24
1745–1867 1826 3 235.00–247.50 $238.98 $4,364 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1041 1027 155 317.00–319.00 $317.74 $3,263 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
256–275 262 9 610.00–630.00 $623.01 $1,632 —
325 325 4 610.00 $610.00 $1,982 +50.15
303–346 unweaned 333 15 550.00–565.00 $555.68 $1,850 -69.32
369 unweaned 369 13 545.00 $545.00 $2,011 -25.00
352–398 373 67 535.00–570.00 $555.07 $2,070 +0.92
405–446 426 110 485.00–557.50 $525.21 $2,237 +2.90
427–434 unweaned 431 31 515.00–516.00 $515.42 $2,221 +10.86
464 fancy 464 38 480.00 $480.00 $2,227 -5.00
450–497 470 177 460.00–507.50 $487.23 $2,290 -5.83
460–493 unweaned 485 96 450.00–484.00 $465.25 $2,256 -3.82
506–534 fancy 513 38 441.00–485.00 $472.96 $2,426 -2.04
500–549 527 317 425.00–470.00 $447.95 $2,361 -20.96
545 unweaned 545 5 400.00 $400.00 $2,180 -66.05
555–576 fancy 562 37 437.00–444.00 $441.48 $2,481 -7.52
552–595 573 175 399.00–468.00 $428.34 $2,454 -4.07
580–581 unweaned 580 46 385.00–420.00 $416.19 $2,414 —
601–620 unweaned 615 33 370.00–401.00 $381.62 $2,347 -23.38
601–647 618 191 377.50–427.50 $399.43 $2,468 -7.57
611–643 fancy 632 21 365.00–410.00 $379.49 $2,398 -45.51
650–694 677 313 350.00–388.00 $371.67 $2,516 -17.33
706–741 717 260 340.00–397.00 $365.59 $2,621 +4.48
739 fancy 739 26 361.00 $361.00 $2,668 —
743 unweaned 743 3 300.00 $300.00 $2,229 —
753–794 775 559 324.00–354.00 $340.52 $2,639 -18.93
802–849 829 350 317.00–345.00 $329.48 $2,731 -8.63
845 fancy 845 23 373.00 $373.00 $3,152 —
861–883 863 148 296.00–333.75 $329.68 $2,845 +11.96
900–906 904 109 305.00–311.00 $308.53 $2,789 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 3 530.00 $530.00 $1,839 —
370 unweaned 370 7 470.00 $470.00 $1,739 —
366–389 376 18 465.00–540.00 $493.89 $1,857 —
418–448 431 50 450.00–485.00 $468.97 $2,021 +2.20
460–497 479 58 360.00–463.00 $439.93 $2,107 -26.95
516–543 537 41 369.00–427.50 $418.26 $2,246 -19.09
555–594 577 13 310.00–414.00 $380.14 $2,193 -27.86
630–631 630 10 352.00–367.50 $361.29 $2,276 —
663–696 680 44 320.00–360.00 $336.77 $2,290 —
715–736 722 16 335.00–338.00 $337.04 $2,433 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
907–1285 1051 10 200.00–245.00 $222.65 $2,340 -30.47
1060–1160 1090 5 241.00–267.00 $256.69 $2,798 +3.57
1120–1175 1144 7 254.00–257.00 $255.32 $2,921 —
1205 1205 1 238.00 $238.00 $2,868 —
1055–1525 1339 25 232.00–245.00 $241.34 $3,232 -0.23
1200–1685 1381 121 241.00–252.00 $246.81 $3,408 -3.91
1405–1530 1447 3 235.00–239.00 $236.41 $3,421 —
1660 1660 2 235.00 $235.00 $3,901 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
821 821 25 2,900.00 $2,900.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
297 297 5 655.00 $655.00 $1,945 —
463 463 3 427.50 $427.50 $1,979 —
493 unweaned 493 5 440.00 $440.00 $2,169 —
574 unweaned 574 4 400.00 $400.00 $2,296 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1615 1416 75-80% 33 166.00–219.00 $188.86 $2,674 —
1215–1835 1517 75-80% 49 168.00–184.00 $175.98 $2,670 -20.53
1405–2005 1584 75-80% 9 186.00–199.00 $191.71 $3,037 +34.39
1580–1805 1693 75-80% 6 150.00–163.00 $156.88 $2,656 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–980 876 80-85% 10 185.00–277.50 $225.92 $1,979 —
1000–1365 1145 80-85% 50 158.00–285.00 $196.86 $2,254 —
1090–1715 1353 80-85% 26 154.00–172.00 $162.14 $2,194 —
1500–1505 1503 80-85% 4 132.50–145.00 $141.25 $2,123 -7.77
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–980 908 85-90% 6 117.50–149.00 $128.93 $1,171 -25.26
1005–1445 1175 85-90% 19 130.00–151.00 $141.30 $1,660 -0.81

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,968 —
1385–2465 1702 13 220.00–231.00 $227.23 $3,867 —
1280–2885 1799 21 166.00–220.00 $201.38 $3,623 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1720 1526 16 233.00–243.50 $238.72 $3,643 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,794 —
1285–1670 1472 10 188.00–219.00 $210.39 $3,097 —
1390–1735 1595 26 221.00–237.00 $229.74 $3,664 —

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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.