Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 10, 2020

1,193 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction report →

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,193 1,464 0
Slaughter cattle 1,193 1,464 0

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 3.50-3.75 lower, Dairy steers 1.25 higher, slaughter cows were .25 lower. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1310 1214 20 84.00–101.50 $94.49 $1,147
1040–1505 1320 56 94.00–101.50 $98.97 $1,306 -1.42
1130–1665 1437 288 102.00–107.50 $104.73 $1,505

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1190 1133 4 86.00–98.00 $92.31 $1,046
1058–1465 1242 44 93.00–102.50 $98.12 $1,219
1085–1570 1335 251 102.00–107.60 $104.80 $1,399

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1800 1338 80-85% 121 47.00–59.00 $53.00 $709
1130–1780 1468 80-85% 10 38.00–46.00 $43.12 $633
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–1370 1159 85-90% 16 25.00–37.00 $33.83 $392
925–1585 1233 85-90% 44 39.00–46.00 $43.34 $534 -0.26
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1885 1527 75-80% 23 60.00–69.00 $62.90 $960
1595 1595 75-80% 1 71.00 $71.00 $1,132

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1515–1825 1673 4 63.00–67.00 $65.32 $1,093
1175–1945 1723 6 70.00–80.00 $75.74 $1,305

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1535 1372 5 64.00–79.00 $74.99 $1,029
1240–1600 1428 12 81.00–89.50 $85.32 $1,218 -1.24
1215–1630 1497 23 91.00–100.50 $94.57 $1,416

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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.