Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 26, 2023

823 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 823 784 865
Slaughter cattle 823 784 865

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 1.25-1.50 lower, Dairy steers 5.00 lower, slaughter cows .50-1.75 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
1110–1190 1142 8 160.00–171.00 $167.04 $1,908 —
1145–1590 1291 29 170.00–179.00 $175.73 $2,269 —
1250–1692 1484 276 180.00–187.50 $184.26 $2,734 -1.33

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1088–1510 1287 36 172.00–179.00 $176.53 $2,272 +0.19
1111–1640 1350 178 180.00–187.50 $183.76 $2,481 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1640 1108 85-90% 8 33.00–68.00 $54.47 $604 -34.14
875–1390 1120 85-90% 47 70.00–95.00 $86.52 $969 -2.09
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1750 1350 80-85% 36 96.00–106.00 $100.27 $1,354 -1.00
1165–1720 1461 80-85% 14 80.00–93.00 $88.41 $1,292 -3.25
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1765 1430 75-80% 11 109.00–118.00 $112.98 $1,616 —
1365–2150 1751 75-80% 10 119.00–126.00 $121.28 $2,124 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1350 1300 65-75% 2 135.00–139.00 $137.08 $1,782 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1770 1770 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,664 —
1130–2215 1813 15 108.00–125.00 $116.56 $2,113 —
2040 2040 1 127.00 $127.00 $2,591 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1840 1522 19 159.00–165.00 $162.29 $2,470 -6.72
1315–2115 1545 15 146.00–158.00 $154.86 $2,393 -14.15

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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.