Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 16, 2021

904 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 904 1,237 899
Slaughter cattle 904 1,237 899

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers steady, Dairy steers .50 higher, slaughter cows 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
865–1235 1075 8 101.00–115.00 $110.35 $1,186
1217–1640 1377 91 121.50–135.50 $131.59 $1,812 +2.37
1285–1705 1473 185 136.00–142.00 $138.53 $2,041 -0.25

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1230 1124 9 111.00–116.50 $115.10 $1,294
1040–1540 1324 71 122.00–135.50 $130.58 $1,729 +2.24
1210–1527 1368 156 136.00–143.75 $139.52 $1,909 +1.07

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1690 1333 80-85% 78 54.00–66.00 $60.25 $803
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–1335 1056 85-90% 22 21.00–44.00 $36.56 $386
1060–1565 1256 85-90% 24 45.00–53.00 $49.32 $619 -0.27
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1695 1443 75-80% 37 66.00–75.00 $68.72 $992
1320–1820 1557 75-80% 3 76.00 $76.00 $1,183

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1600 1452 8 52.00–67.00 $62.33 $905
1080–2155 1678 12 70.00–87.00 $77.73 $1,304
2440 2440 1 92.00 $92.00 $2,245

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1125 1115 2 82.00–88.00 $84.97 $947
1160–1500 1359 9 98.00–108.00 $103.77 $1,410 -2.40
1285–1880 1584 35 110.50–116.25 $114.16 $1,808

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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.