Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 22, 2025

803 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 803

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1151–1257 1225 10 226.00–228.00 $226.56 $2,775 +22.20
1120–1330 1249 6 170.00–222.00 $209.22 $2,613 +4.86
1225–1625 1380 25 213.00–225.00 $221.18 $3,052
1210–1620 1432 201 227.00–233.75 $230.33 $3,298
1437–1685 1550 101 234.00–240.00 $236.94 $3,673

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1280 1132 3 210.00 $210.00 $2,377 +8.45
1075–1480 1234 41 213.00–227.50 $223.22 $2,755 +5.55
1176–1685 1343 150 225.00–234.75 $231.54 $3,110
1304–1535 1407 26 235.00–239.50 $236.03 $3,321 +7.81

↑ Back to top

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1520 1311 75-80% 40 144.00–187.00 $165.44 $2,169 +3.12
1125–1775 1451 75-80% 44 147.00–159.00 $154.19 $2,237
1285–1910 1579 75-80% 16 160.00–173.00 $164.60 $2,599
1540–1650 1601 75-80% 7 130.00–142.00 $137.85 $2,207
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–985 947 80-85% 3 144.00–150.00 $146.90 $1,391
1030–1335 1166 80-85% 24 144.00–232.50 $161.61 $1,884
1010–1625 1263 80-85% 25 135.00–149.00 $141.42 $1,786
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–990 959 85-90% 6 115.00–133.00 $123.58 $1,185
1000–1480 1228 85-90% 18 112.00–135.00 $125.80 $1,545
1030–1505 1296 85-90% 4 78.00–105.00 $96.69 $1,253 -5.26

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,940 -20.21
1240–1960 1572 3 115.00–140.00 $129.34 $2,033
1415–2405 1845 20 147.00–191.00 $175.23 $3,233
1695–2320 1972 8 194.00–220.00 $203.26 $4,008

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280 1280 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,189
1325–1965 1581 7 185.00–194.00 $188.30 $2,977
1475–1795 1651 13 198.00–216.00 $206.96 $3,417

↑ 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.