Cattle Market Pulse

Iowa Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 21, 2026

10,319 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 $338.31/cwt -6.29 vs last sale · ≈ $2,953/hd at 873 lb · 1,220 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 steers $337.89/cwt +12.49 vs last sale · ≈ $3,088/hd at 914 lb · 561 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $346.96/cwt +13.96 vs last sale · ≈ $2,873/hd at 828 lb · 519 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 10,319 9,978 5,976
Feeder cattle 8,821 8,136 4,013
Slaughter cattle 1,498 1,842 1,963

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, trade was mostly Active on Good to Very Good demand. Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold sharply lower, and over 500 lbs sold uneven. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold mostly sharply lower, and over 600 lbs were mostly 3.00 to 7.00 lower. Average dressing slaughter cows were 7.00 to 10.00 lower; average dressing slaughter bulls 6.00 lower.

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
268 unweaned 268 7 631.00 $631.00 $1,691 —
344 unweaned 344 7 550.00 $550.00 $1,892 +47.49
353–395 376 39 497.50–580.00 $528.19 $1,986 -47.86
391 unweaned 391 32 555.00 $555.00 $2,170 +24.94
406–447 435 79 470.00–525.00 $496.57 $2,160 -34.10
444 unweaned 444 29 482.50 $482.50 $2,142 -2.47
450–498 480 102 405.00–499.00 $471.87 $2,265 -20.91
488 488 3 419.00 $419.00 $2,045 -73.78
465–495 unweaned 490 108 410.00–476.00 $463.04 $2,269 +5.20
500–532 511 180 398.00–492.00 $450.00 $2,300 +10.82
519–530 unweaned 526 30 410.00–434.00 $418.57 $2,202 -5.38
551–598 572 138 370.00–445.00 $408.20 $2,335 -14.89
563–593 unweaned 579 57 365.00–405.00 $396.12 $2,294 -1.06
600–648 619 306 357.00–417.00 $386.71 $2,394 -15.10
608–634 unweaned 625 31 350.00–381.25 $363.78 $2,274 -28.33
634 634 13 360.00 $360.00 $2,282 -41.81
651 unweaned 651 5 347.00 $347.00 $2,259 -15.72
650–697 668 263 337.25–390.50 $367.49 $2,455 +28.49
705 705 19 326.00 $326.00 $2,298 -36.62
701–736 unweaned 713 31 321.00–339.00 $324.18 $2,311 -14.82
701–747 728 287 341.50–382.50 $367.67 $2,677 +5.05
753–796 783 312 331.00–364.50 $347.10 $2,718 -14.93
802–848 828 519 332.75–364.00 $346.96 $2,873 +13.96
850–899 873 1,220 316.00–357.25 $338.31 $2,953 -6.29
904–933 914 561 315.00–352.00 $337.89 $3,088 +12.49
955–991 958 147 303.00–324.25 $315.82 $3,026 +9.82
1031 1031 57 301.00 $301.00 $3,103 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1230 1136 25 210.00–243.00 $222.22 $2,524 -6.05
1170–1365 1237 50 227.50–257.00 $245.05 $3,031 —
1195–1383 1272 42 213.00–234.00 $222.32 $2,828 -3.88
1145–1635 1380 64 213.00–219.00 $216.90 $2,993 -1.01
1380–1555 1424 8 212.50–216.00 $214.04 $3,048 -9.28
1317–1621 1444 35 215.50–224.50 $219.80 $3,174 -2.96
1340–1510 1466 16 217.00–224.50 $217.93 $3,195 -6.34
1265–1679 1482 375 217.00–225.50 $221.27 $3,279 -3.00
1643–1650 1645 4 190.00–216.25 $209.67 $3,449 -14.29
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
418 418 11 460.00 $460.00 $1,923 -29.45
471 unweaned 471 11 455.00 $455.00 $2,143 +25.00
460–495 487 16 390.00–447.50 $424.85 $2,069 -37.45
504–549 532 77 375.00–434.00 $406.01 $2,160 +11.66
547 unweaned 547 7 401.00 $401.00 $2,193 —
578–596 587 30 350.00–385.00 $369.24 $2,167 -5.95
624–637 632 21 346.00–350.00 $347.57 $2,197 -34.56
651–685 677 16 312.00–347.00 $324.29 $2,195 -15.18
712–748 716 253 341.25–347.50 $341.99 $2,449 -2.42
800–838 828 39 312.50–326.00 $322.58 $2,671 —
853–884 875 28 304.00–321.00 $317.80 $2,781 +6.80
900 900 5 315.00 $315.00 $2,835 —
1060 1060 3 261.00 $261.00 $2,767 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
285 285 7 1,925.00 $1,925.00 —
318–336 327 6 1,825.00–1,900.00 $1,863.53 —
360–393 373 12 1,810.00–1,850.00 $1,827.97 —
456–478 467 6 1,925.00–1,950.00 $1,937.79 —
541 541 3 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —
633 633 5 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1016–1038 1027 12 275.00–283.00 $278.96 $2,865 —
1078 1078 14 272.00 $272.00 $2,932 -25.85

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–342 325 8 495.00–522.50 $508.03 $1,651 -29.73
358–381 368 15 470.00–505.00 $496.45 $1,827 -15.10
387 unweaned 387 40 526.00 $526.00 $2,036 +48.02
392 fancy 392 9 455.00 $455.00 $1,784 —
405–448 unweaned 424 28 427.50–475.00 $463.27 $1,964 +4.00
404–442 430 109 448.00–480.00 $458.59 $1,972 -8.67
451–498 476 101 389.00–450.00 $413.56 $1,969 -20.05
473–483 unweaned 480 78 393.00–445.00 $432.63 $2,077 +11.43
500–549 519 233 361.00–419.00 $389.05 $2,019 -16.12
512–540 unweaned 530 52 350.00–403.00 $383.10 $2,030 +1.13
551–560 unweaned 555 15 351.00–352.00 $351.40 $1,950 -7.41
563 563 6 385.00 $385.00 $2,168 -2.13
551–595 569 192 340.00–387.00 $366.93 $2,088 -20.20
601–648 615 271 331.00–373.00 $358.66 $2,206 +3.39
603–623 unweaned 617 13 335.00–340.00 $336.50 $2,076 -26.76
651–686 665 101 316.00–350.00 $334.31 $2,223 -4.49
665 unweaned 665 3 326.00 $326.00 $2,168 +26.00
700–747 fancy 713 47 395.00–400.00 $397.61 $2,835 —
701–739 724 87 313.00–375.00 $328.48 $2,378 -7.27
752–788 766 307 314.00–333.50 $322.30 $2,469 -6.07
800–837 818 229 290.00–346.00 $316.12 $2,586 +2.81
854–890 869 162 291.50–305.00 $298.30 $2,592 -27.28
900–949 937 281 276.00–311.00 $288.24 $2,701 -0.94
955–973 964 73 234.00–289.25 $283.13 $2,729 —
1042 1042 56 276.25 $276.25 $2,879 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1053 1053 9 244.00 $244.00 $2,569 +21.05
800–1242 1086 45 200.00–235.00 $219.84 $2,387 -3.11
950–1300 1241 12 216.00–230.00 $220.17 $2,732 +1.46
1120–1465 1261 91 210.00–219.75 $216.74 $2,733 -4.77
1247–1457 1316 32 208.00–219.50 $216.29 $2,846 -7.09
1191–1630 1368 218 214.00–226.00 $220.70 $3,019 —
1373–1473 1410 10 210.00–216.00 $211.27 $2,979 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364–378 368 10 470.00–480.00 $476.92 $1,755 +35.47
445 unweaned 445 4 432.00 $432.00 $1,922 —
475–497 491 25 368.50–403.00 $386.45 $1,897 +49.24
528–542 533 19 359.00–367.00 $362.00 $1,929 +29.60
547 unweaned 547 11 359.50 $359.50 $1,966 -28.93
556–599 579 36 335.00–350.00 $344.68 $1,996 —
646–647 646 22 325.00–327.50 $325.57 $2,103 -7.37
665 665 22 328.00 $328.00 $2,181 +11.03
715–738 723 6 290.00–295.00 $291.70 $2,109 -8.30
768 768 2 279.00 $279.00 $2,143 -11.89
802–847 840 18 287.50–306.00 $290.45 $2,440 —
978 978 3 244.00 $244.00 $2,386 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
348 348 3 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —
561–566 564 8 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018–1030 1024 6 251.00–252.00 $251.50 $2,575 -5.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408 unweaned 408 6 492.50 $492.50 $2,009 +10.00
625 625 12 380.00 $380.00 $2,375 —
782 unweaned 782 3 275.00 $275.00 $2,150 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–995 975 80-85% 2 192.50–198.00 $195.31 $1,904 —
1000–1465 1258 80-85% 15 150.00–232.00 $171.62 $2,159 +18.21
1075–1600 1316 80-85% 64 137.00–154.00 $143.78 $1,892 —
1295–1650 1444 80-85% 12 117.00–140.00 $128.39 $1,854 -14.04
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725–995 889 85-90% 7 114.00–161.00 $126.55 $1,125 —
1005–1600 1229 85-90% 63 108.00–139.00 $124.14 $1,526 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1435 1332 75-80% 9 159.00–221.00 $176.06 $2,345 +5.08
1275–1910 1513 75-80% 38 146.00–166.00 $153.41 $2,321 -10.38
1345–1980 1640 75-80% 19 121.00–143.00 $135.30 $2,219 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1600 1550 65-75% 2 193.00–196.00 $194.55 $3,016 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1190 1145 2 125.00–140.00 $132.79 $1,520 —
1040–2125 1568 6 120.00–171.00 $156.69 $2,457 —
1200–2420 1761 31 161.00–211.00 $196.87 $3,467 -27.04
1840–2080 1970 3 212.00–221.00 $216.18 $4,259 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1695 1531 9 210.00–218.00 $215.93 $3,306 +8.48

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425–1670 1531 11 179.00–199.00 $194.08 $2,971 -8.57
1523–1630 1584 7 204.50–205.00 $204.79 $3,244 -9.33
Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
529 529 11 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —

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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.