Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 2, 2024

779 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 779 518 591
Slaughter cattle 779 518 591

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 3.25-3.75 higher, Dairy steers 1.50 higher, slaughter cows were .25-.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
1280–1325 1295 8 170.00–176.00 $175.13 $2,268 —
1110–1535 1349 9 175.00–183.00 $180.09 $2,429 +1.27
1220–1685 1472 213 185.00–192.00 $188.31 $2,772 —
1710–1825 1746 4 186.00–190.00 $188.21 $3,286 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1275 1173 10 160.00–173.00 $171.44 $2,011 —
1125–1595 1239 25 177.00–184.00 $182.38 $2,260 —
1122–1550 1369 127 186.00–194.25 $189.43 $2,593 +3.85

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1505 1299 75-80% 24 135.00–155.00 $142.48 $1,851 —
1110–1760 1494 75-80% 33 126.00–135.00 $131.14 $1,959 +0.85
1235–1755 1524 75-80% 34 136.50–150.00 $140.91 $2,147 +18.99
1205–1820 1577 75-80% 9 111.00–125.00 $121.88 $1,922 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–950 933 80-85% 2 135.00–142.00 $138.57 $1,293 —
1055–1315 1185 80-85% 17 124.00–143.00 $131.35 $1,556 —
1020–1550 1203 80-85% 19 115.00–128.00 $119.24 $1,434 —
1025–1655 1308 80-85% 12 104.00–115.00 $111.72 $1,461 -7.31
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670–980 825 85-90% 5 110.00–117.00 $114.14 $942 —
695–985 905 85-90% 4 85.00–109.00 $95.91 $868 —
1045–1130 1096 85-90% 4 80.50–90.00 $85.94 $942 —
920–1590 1173 85-90% 10 98.00–111.00 $106.06 $1,244 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1260 1176 7 122.00–146.00 $133.96 $1,575 —
1340–1345 1343 2 113.00–121.00 $117.01 $1,571 —
1310–2420 1775 33 129.00–158.00 $145.83 $2,588 -18.39
1515–2360 1909 10 161.00–172.00 $164.78 $3,146 —

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1585–1670 1613 3 180.00–187.75 $185.08 $2,985 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495–1793 1683 27 171.00–188.50 $180.49 $3,038 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1620 1548 4 154.00–163.00 $160.18 $2,480 +2.72
1335–1800 1571 30 164.50–174.00 $168.72 $2,651 +2.02

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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.