Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 8, 2024

847 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 847 602 977
Slaughter cattle 847 602 977

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 3.00-3.25 lower, Dairy steers no comparison, slaughter cows steady - 1.50 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
1005–1180 1125 20 189.00–199.00 $195.22 $2,196
1135–1307 1208 18 190.00–198.50 $195.44 $2,361
1125–1583 1351 57 185.00–192.50 $189.48 $2,560
1287–1680 1414 286 193.00–199.25 $194.95 $2,757 -3.01

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–1045 985 8 178.00–195.00 $187.74 $1,849
1045–1495 1226 39 185.00–193.00 $190.89 $2,340 +0.58
1190–1485 1301 90 192.00–195.75 $194.20 $2,527 -3.29

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1480 1247 75-80% 14 144.00–155.00 $147.19 $1,835
1260–1725 1442 75-80% 27 144.00–157.50 $147.46 $2,126
1130–1745 1463 75-80% 26 134.50–143.00 $139.49 $2,041 +0.45
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–985 945 80-85% 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,228
1000–1195 1069 80-85% 11 127.00–146.00 $136.99 $1,464
1025–1510 1228 80-85% 30 124.00–134.50 $129.88 $1,595
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–995 873 85-90% 3 108.00–111.00 $109.86 $959
1030–1730 1209 85-90% 9 106.50–123.00 $117.15 $1,416
1035–1585 1214 85-90% 4 72.00–94.00 $86.38 $1,049

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1215 1151 5 126.00–169.50 $145.97 $1,680
1210–2155 1576 17 134.00–168.00 $156.05 $2,459
1680–2550 1999 12 170.00–202.00 $184.36 $3,685

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–1870 1544 17 173.00–181.00 $177.81 $2,745

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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.