Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, June 4, 2026

581 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 581 473 946
Slaughter cattle 581 473 946

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 5.00 lower, Dairy steers no comparison due to low receipts last week, slaughter cows steady- 2.00 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
1147–1193 1178 6 264.00–265.00 $264.68 $3,118 —
1215–1372 1284 8 256.00–260.00 $258.91 $3,324 —
1210–1585 1396 58 250.00–259.50 $256.96 $3,587 -1.16
1358–1692 1490 107 258.00–267.00 $262.13 $3,906 —
1706–1830 1746 19 250.00–261.00 $257.78 $4,501 -7.60

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–980 968 2 235.00–266.00 $250.30 $2,423 —
1120–1575 1318 13 250.00–258.50 $255.87 $3,372 —
1135–1660 1330 91 258.00–265.00 $261.41 $3,477 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855 855 75-80% 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,565 —
1245–1500 1345 75-80% 11 183.00–207.00 $191.19 $2,572 —
1230–2015 1552 75-80% 22 169.00–183.50 $178.05 $2,763 -16.08
1325–2225 1581 75-80% 28 185.00–205.00 $191.81 $3,033 -2.32
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–985 933 80-85% 2 150.00–153.00 $151.58 $1,414 —
1045–1470 1189 80-85% 18 169.00–235.00 $189.04 $2,248 -0.83
1100–1690 1317 80-85% 19 161.00–173.00 $166.32 $2,190 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–910 845 85-90% 5 117.50–155.00 $133.81 $1,131 —
1060–1490 1278 85-90% 10 139.00–159.00 $150.90 $1,929 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1260 1203 4 211.00–230.00 $219.60 $2,642 —
1385 1385 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,285 —
1080–2605 1726 10 202.00–229.00 $220.17 $3,800 +11.58
1605–2090 1820 7 231.00–247.00 $237.99 $4,331 -12.18

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Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1465 1350 12 248.00–256.50 $254.33 $3,433 —
1410 1410 1 230.00 $230.00 $3,243 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1560 1430 2 243.00–245.00 $243.91 $3,488 —
1489–1705 1514 19 248.00–255.00 $252.19 $3,818 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1620 1333 3 202.50–220.00 $215.45 $2,872 —
1305–1720 1547 11 233.00–237.00 $235.22 $3,639 -10.36
1360–1785 1578 43 238.00–245.50 $241.48 $3,811 —

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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.