Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 18, 2025

858 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 858 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1337 1243 16 185.00–227.00 $213.46 $2,653 —
1230–1295 1246 6 219.00–223.00 $219.99 $2,741 —
1190–1595 1429 73 210.00–219.50 $216.00 $3,087 —
1328–1690 1541 159 219.00–227.00 $222.79 $3,433 -1.65
1705–1890 1793 17 205.00–225.00 $213.36 $3,826 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1350 1146 20 180.00–222.00 $210.49 $2,412 —
1133–1510 1295 66 210.00–219.50 $216.30 $2,801 +0.12
1200–1600 1404 183 218.00–227.50 $222.54 $3,124 -2.23

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1490 1356 75-80% 13 167.00–193.00 $174.68 $2,369 —
1235–1840 1478 75-80% 32 155.00–170.00 $164.31 $2,429 —
1435–1755 1588 75-80% 8 141.00–150.00 $146.26 $2,323 —
1370–1970 1607 75-80% 37 172.50–188.00 $178.64 $2,871 -2.49
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–995 970 80-85% 5 171.00–245.00 $218.26 $2,117 +48.46
1000–1430 1154 80-85% 34 144.00–227.50 $175.44 $2,025 +1.93
1235–1515 1373 80-85% 9 127.00–142.00 $136.21 $1,870 +0.70
1075–1825 1381 80-85% 34 145.00–160.00 $153.07 $2,114 +17.56
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–970 950 85-90% 2 118.00–136.00 $127.19 $1,208 —
890–1500 1213 85-90% 34 110.00–143.00 $132.18 $1,603 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,322 —
1395–2260 1822 16 160.00–193.00 $179.62 $3,273 -1.68
1365–2320 1990 4 149.00–152.00 $150.34 $2,992 —
1930–2170 2018 3 195.00–199.00 $197.07 $3,977 —

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Beef/Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1577–1680 1634 9 198.00–213.00 $210.37 $3,437 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1245 1220 2 206.00–216.00 $210.90 $2,573 —
1460 1460 1 198.00 $198.00 $2,891 —
1527–1995 1738 14 210.00–212.50 $211.85 $3,682 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490–1850 1633 15 189.50–201.00 $196.15 $3,203 -17.44
1590–1860 1716 45 203.00–210.50 $206.86 $3,550 —

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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.