Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 5, 2026

491 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 491 779 412
Slaughter cattle 491 779 412

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 2.75-3.00 lower, Dairy steers steady, slaughter cows Breaker and Boners were 3.75 lower, Lean cows steady. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1360 1199 13 195.00–285.00 $241.73 $2,898 -0.29
1135–1680 1422 39 230.00–239.50 $237.09 $3,371 —
1327–1683 1491 65 240.00–249.00 $243.09 $3,624 -3.10
1440–1675 1636 21 250.00–252.50 $250.58 $4,099 -1.04
1725 1725 2 254.00 $254.00 $4,382 —
1730–1740 1735 2 231.00–236.00 $233.51 $4,051 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1245 1154 6 175.00–240.00 $220.20 $2,541 —
1075–1660 1390 31 230.00–240.50 $236.10 $3,282 +0.53
1175–1552 1394 35 240.00–249.50 $245.86 $3,427 —
1518–1605 1560 8 250.00 $250.00 $3,900 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1590 1408 75-80% 28 164.00–220.00 $182.50 $2,570 —
1300–1575 1444 75-80% 5 179.00–186.00 $183.18 $2,645 —
1305–2080 1579 75-80% 29 153.00–177.00 $167.48 $2,645 -3.78
1525–1705 1613 75-80% 4 140.00–153.00 $146.71 $2,366 -4.86
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–990 961 80-85% 7 170.00–295.00 $237.22 $2,280 —
1010–1400 1190 80-85% 26 157.00–237.50 $179.11 $2,131 -11.39
1040–1895 1359 80-85% 23 147.00–161.00 $154.15 $2,095 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–975 901 85-90% 5 115.00–157.50 $140.65 $1,267 +4.33
1065–1710 1275 85-90% 22 120.00–147.50 $137.03 $1,747 +0.13

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280 1280 1 223.00 $223.00 $2,854 —
1185–2070 1555 4 131.00–155.00 $144.85 $2,252 —
1310–2310 1851 21 170.00–213.00 $198.90 $3,682 -39.93
1915–2295 2016 5 216.00–232.00 $224.80 $4,532 —

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1300 1265 2 223.00–226.00 $224.46 $2,839 —
1575–1733 1688 9 238.00–239.50 $238.73 $4,030 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1645 1551 7 214.00–225.00 $218.70 $3,392 —
1501–1875 1644 13 200.00–208.25 $205.28 $3,375 —
1880–2170 2026 7 203.00–214.00 $209.30 $4,240 —

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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.