Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 17, 2023

883 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 883 977 866
Slaughter cattle 883 977 866

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 2.50 lower, Dairy steers 2.75 lower, slaughter cows Breaker and Boners steady, Lean cows 1.50 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
830–1185 1112 10 139.00–188.00 $180.42 $2,006 —
1125–1510 1275 29 172.00–184.00 $180.96 $2,307 —
1213–1745 1423 291 185.00–193.75 $189.77 $2,700 -2.43

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1252 986 9 146.00–195.00 $168.00 $1,656 +5.71
1025–1337 1184 17 175.00–184.00 $180.40 $2,136 —
1102–1640 1317 155 185.00–193.50 $189.80 $2,500 -2.55

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1795 1380 75-80% 62 111.00–119.50 $114.99 $1,587 —
1200–1800 1500 75-80% 22 120.00–128.00 $124.22 $1,863 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1740 1249 80-85% 72 101.50–110.50 $106.42 $1,329 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1455 1129 85-90% 47 74.00–101.00 $94.12 $1,063 -1.67
1025–1320 1173 85-90% 2 50.00–59.00 $53.93 $633 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–1705 1533 65-75% 5 130.00–133.00 $131.20 $2,011 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935 935 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,543 —
1210–1860 1403 10 115.00–134.00 $126.48 $1,775 —
1235–1890 1558 8 135.00–151.00 $140.88 $2,195 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1250 1168 3 120.00–138.00 $130.00 $1,518 —
1165–1540 1312 10 139.00–154.00 $147.88 $1,940 —
1225–1615 1489 12 157.00–165.00 $161.93 $2,411 -2.74

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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.