Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 6, 2026

719 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 719 679 662
Slaughter cattle 719 679 662

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 5.00 higher, Dairy steers .50 higher, slaughter cows were 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
1035–1170 1119 11 226.00–256.00 $234.80 $2,627 —
1137–1290 1233 17 230.00–245.50 $235.83 $2,908 —
1105–1510 1334 51 225.00–234.00 $230.78 $3,079 —
1265–1692 1468 177 235.00–244.00 $239.81 $3,520 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1237 1157 7 235.00–237.00 $235.61 $2,726 —
1150–1270 1214 5 192.50–232.50 $218.89 $2,657 -7.02
1065–1415 1245 36 222.00–235.00 $231.60 $2,883 +5.69
1105–1460 1308 67 235.00–240.00 $237.73 $3,110 +5.04

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–985 923 80-85% 3 186.00–235.00 $217.58 $2,008 +37.11
1020–1390 1172 80-85% 19 162.00–192.00 $180.62 $2,117 —
1115–1810 1343 80-85% 13 164.00–177.00 $170.94 $2,296 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1490 1341 75-80% 12 171.00–220.00 $190.69 $2,557 —
1215–1885 1509 75-80% 13 183.00–189.00 $185.63 $2,801 —
1425–2130 1631 75-80% 6 191.00–215.00 $201.85 $3,292 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–960 920 85-90% 6 131.00–146.00 $137.24 $1,263 -9.57
1015–1185 1124 85-90% 6 120.00–163.00 $148.75 $1,672 —
1150–1795 1340 85-90% 4 100.00–110.00 $104.89 $1,406 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–2450 1723 29 185.00–235.00 $219.40 $3,780 —
1945–2095 2020 4 239.00–247.00 $242.99 $4,908 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1371 1329 12 231.00–233.00 $232.05 $3,084 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1485 1373 6 224.00–229.00 $226.23 $3,106 —
1400–1700 1466 23 229.00–237.50 $233.94 $3,430 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1225 1160 2 186.00–212.50 $198.51 $2,303 —
1280–1612 1449 13 211.00–224.50 $220.51 $3,195 —
1460–1810 1649 17 227.00–232.50 $230.21 $3,796 +0.68

↑ Back to top

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.