Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 4, 2021

871 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 871 1,013 529
Slaughter cattle 871 1,013 529

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers .25-.50 higher, Dairy steers 2.50 lower, slaughter cows were mostly steady. 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
1030–1190 1099 6 101.00–107.00 $104.81 $1,152
1055–1550 1309 32 106.00–112.00 $109.85 $1,438 -0.68
1210–1671 1432 304 112.50–118.75 $115.06 $1,648 +0.21

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1040 1033 2 101.00 $101.00 $1,043 -2.55
1040–1590 1261 42 105.00–112.25 $109.73 $1,384
1040–1580 1339 155 112.50–118.25 $115.43 $1,546 +5.49

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1760 1333 80-85% 81 60.00–69.00 $65.12 $868
1470–1750 1647 80-85% 6 53.00–56.00 $55.03 $906
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780–1460 1154 85-90% 18 35.00–49.00 $43.28 $499
830–1705 1271 85-90% 31 50.00–59.00 $55.67 $708
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1460 1298 75-80% 3 81.00–86.00 $83.33 $1,082
1150–1880 1482 75-80% 31 70.00–78.00 $72.34 $1,072 +0.41

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–2085 1491 5 74.00–79.00 $75.54 $1,126
1180–2000 1646 12 80.00–97.00 $90.48 $1,489
1550–2485 2176 5 103.00–108.00 $106.10 $2,309

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1700 1455 19 94.00–99.50 $96.57 $1,405
1420–1767 1607 7 79.00–91.00 $87.67 $1,409

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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.