Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 29, 2026

532 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 532

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1245 1242 3 232.00–235.00 $234.01 $2,906 +6.01
1195–1430 1273 6 220.00–231.50 $229.09 $2,916
1240–1375 1308 2 228.00 $228.00 $2,982
1325–1680 1546 171 236.00–244.50 $239.93 $3,709
1703–2045 1758 19 226.00–244.00 $238.11 $4,186

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1300 1108 2 177.50–207.50 $195.11 $2,162 -30.75
1070–1610 1327 12 225.00–234.50 $231.16 $3,067
1195–1670 1417 132 236.00–244.00 $239.53 $3,394

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–990 951 80-85% 7 157.50–260.00 $192.50 $1,831
1070–1360 1166 80-85% 17 156.00–222.50 $179.71 $2,095 +5.81
1000–1900 1378 80-85% 39 145.00–163.00 $154.81 $2,133 -0.08
1360–1570 1454 80-85% 4 134.00–145.00 $140.01 $2,036
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1900 1447 75-80% 27 162.00–178.00 $171.31 $2,479
1225–2085 1640 75-80% 29 179.00–200.00 $188.81 $3,096 +6.14
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1530 1183 85-90% 18 125.00–140.00 $134.67 $1,593

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1290 1288 2 189.00–211.00 $200.02 $2,576
1730–1745 1738 2 155.00–160.00 $157.49 $2,737
1655–2280 1940 6 216.00–234.00 $226.95 $4,403
1590–2270 1946 8 170.00–211.00 $192.40 $3,744

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1960 1713 22 217.00–224.50 $220.86 $3,783
1685–1940 1763 4 181.00–210.00 $201.18 $3,547

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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.