Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 17, 2022

769 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 769 756 760
Slaughter cattle 769 756 760

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers steady, Dairy steers 2.00 lower, slaughter cows steady to .75 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
1140–1520 1285 23 132.50–139.50 $136.53 $1,754 —
1240–1667 1460 144 140.00–147.25 $143.96 $2,102 -1.23

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1195 1127 6 106.00–131.00 $117.77 $1,327 —
1070–1505 1255 36 128.00–140.75 $136.70 $1,716 -1.67
1150–1526 1335 153 141.00–150.25 $145.32 $1,940 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1910 1388 75-80% 45 80.00–86.00 $83.36 $1,157 —
1185–1835 1516 75-80% 28 87.00–94.00 $90.46 $1,371 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–2020 1319 80-85% 61 66.00–79.00 $73.13 $965 -0.13
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1315 1117 85-90% 14 32.00–52.00 $43.64 $487 —
750–1480 1152 85-90% 24 51.00–65.00 $59.26 $683 +18.35
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1550 1434 65-75% 4 96.00–104.00 $98.66 $1,415 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1585 1585 1 70.00 $70.00 $1,110 —
1175–2545 1805 23 83.00–109.00 $98.33 $1,775 —
1580–2115 1819 8 110.00–117.00 $112.80 $2,052 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1275 1115 3 93.00–100.00 $96.92 $1,081 —
1185–1610 1379 14 111.00–119.50 $116.74 $1,610 -0.41
1245–1812 1534 36 120.00–128.50 $123.50 $1,894 —

↑ Back to top

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.