Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 2, 2026

484 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 484 542 466
Slaughter cattle 484 542 466

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 3.50-5.00 higher, Dairy steers steady- .50 higher, slaughter cows Breaker and Boners were mostly steady, Lean cows were 1.00 lower. 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
1130–1238 1210 5 240.00–243.00 $242.22 $2,931 —
1180–1640 1433 15 230.00–241.75 $238.98 $3,425 +3.62
1455–1508 1497 5 251.00–252.00 $251.81 $3,770 —
1390–1668 1564 70 243.00–248.00 $245.81 $3,844 +5.03
1706–1845 1752 11 233.00–248.00 $243.56 $4,267 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 1 238.00 $238.00 $2,487 —
1070–1470 1354 11 233.00–240.50 $237.12 $3,211 —
1213–1615 1410 57 242.00–248.00 $244.77 $3,451 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1580 1379 75-80% 19 169.00–198.00 $181.73 $2,506 —
1440–1755 1570 75-80% 10 181.00–195.00 $185.80 $2,917 +14.46
1280–1900 1592 75-80% 33 165.00–180.00 $171.17 $2,725 —
1585–2005 1723 75-80% 4 135.00–155.00 $142.39 $2,453 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–995 914 80-85% 8 185.00–290.00 $241.40 $2,206 +30.29
1015–1360 1162 80-85% 32 30.00–274.00 $203.37 $2,363 —
1025–1850 1462 80-85% 25 155.00–170.00 $162.01 $2,369 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–995 887 85-90% 7 115.00–164.00 $139.95 $1,241 -10.58
1040–1520 1200 85-90% 20 122.50–154.00 $139.50 $1,674 -2.24

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1285 1250 2 170.00–190.00 $180.28 $2,254 —
1350–2310 1876 30 185.00–222.50 $210.65 $3,952 —
1770–2325 2066 9 225.00–272.50 $244.65 $5,054 -5.21

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Beef/Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395–1752 1546 17 230.00–244.50 $240.70 $3,721 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1605 1485 3 210.00–218.00 $214.72 $3,189 —
1505–1830 1652 13 222.00–228.00 $225.61 $3,727 —

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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.