Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 26, 2023

911 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 911 639 1,014
Slaughter cattle 911 639 1,014

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers steady to .25 lower, Dairy steers 3.75 higher, slaughter cows steady to .25 lower. 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
1055–1197 1156 13 145.50–159.50 $157.45 $1,820 +5.78
1160–1630 1379 55 149.00–157.00 $153.94 $2,123 —
1295–1685 1481 114 158.00–165.00 $161.07 $2,385 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1180 1038 11 127.00–146.50 $138.42 $1,437 —
1005–1615 1270 87 145.00–157.50 $153.95 $1,955 —
1216–1665 1391 277 158.00–165.50 $161.57 $2,247 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1670 1248 80-85% 70 70.00–79.50 $75.45 $942 —
1190–1395 1254 80-85% 8 80.00–85.00 $81.55 $1,023 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1790 1404 75-80% 53 80.00–85.50 $82.46 $1,158 -0.16
1255–1790 1499 75-80% 15 86.00–92.00 $88.45 $1,326 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725–1300 1011 85-90% 9 29.00–51.00 $42.06 $425 -5.64
875–1515 1130 85-90% 32 56.00–69.00 $64.32 $727 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1455 1455 65-75% 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,542 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420 1420 1 70.00 $70.00 $994 —
1055–1855 1525 32 80.00–116.00 $102.19 $1,558 —
1090–2435 1954 7 119.00–138.00 $128.12 $2,503 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1590 1449 11 121.00–135.50 $130.68 $1,894 -1.58
1355–1930 1606 17 136.00–148.00 $142.39 $2,287 —

↑ 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.