Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 18, 2021

652 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 652 500 0
Slaughter cattle 652 500 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 1.50 higher, choice Dairy steers steady, slaughter cows: breakers 1.75 higher, boner and lean steady to .25 higher. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1134 1134 5 113.25 $113.25 $1,284 —
1090–1425 1292 12 107.00–113.00 $111.32 $1,438 +0.75
1155–1665 1436 120 114.25–120.60 $118.25 $1,698 +1.39

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1190 1085 3 107.00–117.75 $113.18 $1,228 —
1005–1550 1341 16 105.00–112.50 $108.26 $1,452 —
1091–1600 1355 110 114.00–122.25 $118.44 $1,605 +1.43

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1555 1349 75-80% 15 83.00–87.00 $84.26 $1,137 —
1035–1890 1423 75-80% 80 70.00–82.00 $76.66 $1,091 -4.71
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–2085 1418 80-85% 73 60.00–71.00 $65.95 $935 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1335 993 85-90% 9 32.00–48.00 $41.83 $415 —
655–1615 1193 85-90% 36 51.00–59.00 $55.92 $667 -0.09
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1585 1488 65-75% 8 90.00–106.00 $95.41 $1,420 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1865 1493 4 60.00–74.00 $70.11 $1,047 —
1170–2470 1628 4 83.00–92.00 $86.27 $1,404 —
1375–2200 1885 3 106.00–110.00 $107.47 $2,026 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1495 1358 4 98.00–101.50 $99.80 $1,355 —
1420 1420 1 97.00 $97.00 $1,377 —
1420–1715 1540 6 100.00–104.00 $101.79 $1,568 —

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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.