Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 7, 2024

1,013 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 1,013 953 941
Slaughter cattle 1,013 953 941

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 3.25-3.50 lower, Dairy steers no comparison, slaughter cows Breaker and Boners were mostly steady, Lean cows were 5.00 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
1002–1305 1151 19 153.00–178.00 $171.51 $1,974 —
1180–1690 1409 56 180.00–186.00 $183.40 $2,584 —
1225–1680 1489 272 186.00–193.00 $188.73 $2,810 -3.67
1722–1765 1732 9 182.00–188.00 $186.99 $3,239 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1220 1066 31 150.00–178.00 $168.26 $1,794 —
1130–1505 1319 62 180.00–186.00 $183.10 $2,415 -9.15
1145–1685 1375 194 186.50–193.50 $188.87 $2,597 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–995 900 80-85% 8 150.00–192.50 $173.31 $1,560 +31.34
1055–1430 1134 80-85% 11 112.00–175.00 $134.50 $1,525 —
1009–1530 1263 80-85% 37 113.00–124.50 $118.81 $1,501 —
1155–1560 1315 80-85% 10 99.00–111.00 $106.71 $1,403 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1495 1285 75-80% 11 120.00–145.00 $128.82 $1,655 —
1350–1610 1463 75-80% 4 114.00–119.50 $116.32 $1,702 -11.31
1225–1885 1496 75-80% 21 125.00–131.50 $128.36 $1,920 +13.11
1310–1920 1537 75-80% 20 132.00–146.00 $136.49 $2,098 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–975 901 85-90% 6 100.00–114.00 $105.09 $947 —
580–1450 1071 85-90% 23 54.00–93.00 $78.02 $836 —
1005–1600 1310 85-90% 17 95.00–111.00 $104.35 $1,367 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570–1610 1590 2 89.00–113.00 $100.85 $1,604 —
1345–2200 1800 18 120.00–162.00 $149.12 $2,684 —
2050–2310 2135 4 165.00–175.00 $169.31 $3,615 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1575 1453 2 172.00–173.00 $172.46 $2,506 —
1370–1610 1461 5 180.00–181.00 $180.19 $2,633 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260 1260 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,701 -21.10
1270–1480 1429 17 154.00–163.50 $160.27 $2,290 —
1340–1725 1503 6 165.00–168.00 $165.81 $2,492 —

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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.