Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 7, 2024

890 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 890 748 746
Slaughter cattle 890 748 746

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were steady, Dairy steers steady, slaughter cows 2.75-3.25 higher. 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
1185–1590 1364 71 173.00–183.00 $181.83 $2,480 +0.18
1302–1655 1459 190 184.50–190.50 $188.03 $2,743 +0.19

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095 1095 2 176.00 $176.00 $1,927 +7.26
1075–1535 1283 38 170.00–184.50 $180.28 $2,313
1175–1580 1373 172 184.00–191.25 $188.34 $2,586

↑ Back to top

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1875 1398 75-80% 38 115.00–119.50 $117.37 $1,641
1230–1855 1519 75-80% 42 120.00–129.00 $123.04 $1,869
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1700 1261 80-85% 39 107.00–114.50 $110.74 $1,396 +3.43
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485–1290 994 85-90% 8 45.00–77.00 $68.72 $683
685–1385 1020 85-90% 21 80.00–106.00 $97.53 $995

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1165 1078 5 116.00–146.00 $132.58 $1,429
1330–2175 1700 14 141.00–161.00 $151.82 $2,581 +0.77
1055–2270 1728 18 110.00–135.00 $127.31 $2,200 +2.92
3070 3070 1 106.00 $106.00 $3,254

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1570 1380 29 149.00–158.50 $155.84 $2,151
1420–1625 1510 41 159.00–167.00 $161.09 $2,432 +9.26

↑ Back to top

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.