Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 4, 2025

676 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 676 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1160 1143 4 212.00–226.00 $218.52 $2,498 +4.02
1220–1280 1259 6 213.00–224.50 $219.26 $2,760 —
1160–1535 1361 46 210.00–219.50 $216.56 $2,947 +0.24
1275–1697 1545 223 220.00–228.50 $224.44 $3,468 —
1700–1880 1755 13 199.00–229.00 $220.18 $3,864 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1225 1085 8 203.00–218.00 $211.75 $2,297 —
1100–1470 1295 42 210.00–220.00 $216.18 $2,800 -0.76
1177–1626 1405 137 221.00–229.25 $224.77 $3,158 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1490 1395 75-80% 5 168.00–194.50 $180.38 $2,516 —
1200–1715 1415 75-80% 37 160.00–192.00 $172.12 $2,435 —
1445–1935 1639 75-80% 27 174.00–193.00 $181.13 $2,969 +0.76
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–965 963 80-85% 2 152.00–187.50 $169.80 $1,635 —
1005–1295 1152 80-85% 23 154.00–210.00 $173.51 $1,999 -2.14
1020–1950 1332 80-85% 23 146.00–161.00 $152.89 $2,036 +1.69
1210–1495 1355 80-85% 4 122.50–142.50 $135.51 $1,836 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–965 929 85-90% 5 117.50–133.00 $124.27 $1,154 —
1010–1590 1190 85-90% 22 110.00–145.00 $132.02 $1,571 +33.83

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–2066 1821 11 150.00–200.00 $181.30 $3,301 —
1585–2020 1853 5 210.00–221.00 $215.87 $4,000 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1525 1418 4 187.00–210.00 $200.24 $2,839 —
1412–1682 1589 8 219.00–220.00 $219.57 $3,489 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1720 1473 5 197.00–208.00 $205.86 $3,032 +3.92
1505–1715 1609 16 210.00–217.00 $213.59 $3,437 —

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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.