Cattle Market Pulse

Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction Market Report

Kalona, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 13, 2026

693 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 693 719 641
Slaughter cattle 693 719 641

Market comments — USDA reporter

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 3.50-4.00 lower, Dairy steers were 10.00 lower, slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to make an accurate market trend. Trade active. Demand moderate to 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
1035–1280 1168 5 195.00–230.00 $216.52 $2,529 —
1165–1315 1275 12 226.00–233.00 $229.79 $2,930 —
1205–1487 1332 42 222.00–233.00 $229.62 $3,059 -1.16
1308–1608 1488 170 232.00–240.00 $236.02 $3,512 -3.79
1750–1905 1820 4 220.00–233.50 $228.10 $4,151 —

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Feeder Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1145 1082 12 205.00–227.00 $219.74 $2,378 —
1145–1250 1199 9 222.50–232.00 $224.14 $2,687 —
1056–1396 1205 33 220.00–231.50 $227.61 $2,743 +8.72
1230–1489 1357 85 232.00–238.00 $233.58 $3,170 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1190 1034 80-85% 4 173.00–233.00 $196.37 $2,030 —
1000–1265 1107 80-85% 18 165.00–219.00 $189.68 $2,100 —
1045–1625 1295 80-85% 23 161.00–173.00 $167.90 $2,174 —
1545–1935 1791 80-85% 4 140.00–157.00 $146.64 $2,626 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1435 1341 75-80% 11 181.00–190.00 $185.03 $2,481 -5.66
1470–1630 1556 75-80% 4 187.00–197.00 $190.85 $2,970 —
1345–1880 1576 75-80% 29 171.00–185.00 $179.13 $2,823 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–975 897 85-90% 5 120.00–159.00 $138.40 $1,241 —
1000–1555 1250 85-90% 24 120.00–161.00 $140.30 $1,754 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–2105 1686 19 185.00–236.00 $215.36 $3,631 —
1540–2100 1853 6 241.00–253.00 $248.30 $4,601 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1781 1781 7 219.25 $219.25 $3,905 —

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Dairy Steers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1201–1650 1516 6 203.00–211.00 $208.25 $3,157 —
1420–1810 1635 25 212.50–220.00 $214.46 $3,506 -15.75

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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.