Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 23, 2026

534 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 534 672 734
Slaughter cattle 534 672 734

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 2.50 lower, Dairy steers steady, slaughter cows Breakers steady, Boner and Lean .75-2.25 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
1055–1138 1099 7 244.00–280.00 $269.46 $2,961 —
1290–1310 1295 4 243.00–245.00 $243.50 $3,153 —
1200–1475 1348 12 235.00–244.50 $240.73 $3,245 —
1345–1682 1548 78 244.25–250.00 $247.17 $3,826 —
1745–1867 1826 3 235.00–247.50 $238.98 $4,364 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
907–1155 1011 8 200.00–245.00 $225.89 $2,284 —
1190–1525 1359 21 235.00–244.00 $241.82 $3,286 +2.55
1200–1685 1409 72 245.00–250.00 $246.86 $3,478 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1575 1390 75-80% 25 175.00–219.00 $191.77 $2,666 +2.60
1215–1790 1516 75-80% 39 168.00–182.00 $176.45 $2,675 -20.06
1580–1730 1675 75-80% 3 150.00–157.50 $154.28 $2,584 —
1510–2005 1694 75-80% 5 189.00–199.00 $193.25 $3,274 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–980 876 80-85% 10 185.00–277.50 $225.92 $1,979 —
1000–1365 1141 80-85% 36 158.00–239.00 $187.69 $2,142 —
1090–1575 1327 80-85% 19 154.00–170.00 $160.49 $2,130 -3.51
1500–1505 1503 80-85% 3 132.50–145.00 $140.00 $2,104 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–980 928 85-90% 3 122.50–149.00 $137.16 $1,273 —
1005–1430 1183 85-90% 11 130.00–149.00 $143.92 $1,703 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,968 —
1395–2885 1908 11 166.00–220.00 $199.68 $3,810 -57.08

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1397–1720 1541 15 233.00–243.50 $238.59 $3,677 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,794 —
1285–1670 1472 10 188.00–219.00 $210.39 $3,097 —
1390–1735 1601 24 221.00–237.00 $229.79 $3,679 +0.45

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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.