Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 1, 2025

558 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction report →

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 558 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1035 1030 2 182.50–205.00 $193.80 $1,996 —
1030–1590 1323 16 200.00–210.00 $207.81 $2,749 +0.43
1155–1695 1445 114 213.00–221.50 $218.50 $3,157 +1.32
1220–1635 1502 99 222.00–230.00 $226.27 $3,399 +0.06
1705–1770 1714 7 215.75–221.00 $216.52 $3,711 -8.41
1745–1790 1764 4 228.00–231.00 $229.88 $4,055 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1225 1029 6 175.00–204.00 $182.71 $1,880 —
1144–1520 1322 43 212.00–220.00 $217.01 $2,869 +1.28
1040–1565 1337 28 201.00–210.00 $206.38 $2,759 -9.35
1170–1418 1352 33 221.00–229.00 $224.92 $3,041 +1.23

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1640 1374 75-80% 22 144.00–170.00 $160.22 $2,201 +0.53
1190–1875 1414 75-80% 17 145.00–154.00 $149.58 $2,115 —
1305–1855 1572 75-80% 21 150.00–173.50 $161.71 $2,542 +3.93
1490–2085 1788 75-80% 2 132.00–134.50 $133.46 $2,386 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865–980 928 80-85% 3 137.00–176.00 $156.06 $1,448 -16.08
1030–1405 1142 80-85% 16 145.00–177.50 $158.20 $1,807 -4.44
1015–1700 1316 80-85% 33 131.00–145.50 $139.64 $1,838 +3.29
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–945 892 85-90% 6 110.00–132.50 $119.64 $1,067 -2.80
920–985 953 85-90% 2 91.00–107.00 $99.27 $946 —
1030–1660 1260 85-90% 13 120.00–133.00 $126.30 $1,591 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1215 1165 2 188.00–210.00 $199.47 $2,324 —
1300–2110 1719 10 164.00–189.00 $176.97 $3,042 —
1795 value added 1795 1 252.00 $252.00 $4,523 —
1520–2125 1806 8 190.00–209.00 $197.03 $3,558 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1730 1472 9 202.00–214.00 $211.57 $3,114 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1485–1880 1659 8 192.00–209.00 $196.07 $3,253 —
1510–1995 1670 33 181.00–191.00 $187.46 $3,131 —

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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.