Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 5, 2021

573 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle report →

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 573 320 408
Slaughter cattle 573 320 408

Compared to two weeks ago choice steers were 3.00 higher, choice heifers .50 higher. Dairy steers were 1.00 lower. Demand was good for the heavy offerings today.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1259 1222 6 100.00–105.00 $104.29 $1,274
1037–1343 1233 64 113.00–123.00 $119.17 $1,469
1255 1255 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,130 -25.43
1313 1313 2 107.00 $107.00 $1,405 +1.00
1423 1423 2 86.00 $86.00 $1,224 -32.20
1280–1690 1451 125 115.00–126.00 $121.23 $1,759

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1270 1068 8 102.00–111.00 $106.14 $1,134
1166–1320 1228 31 114.00–124.00 $120.79 $1,483
1137–1505 1325 63 114.50–126.00 $120.08 $1,591 -0.19
1398–1500 1455 5 106.00–112.00 $109.18 $1,589

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1198–1394 1365 78 106.00–115.00 $108.85 $1,486 -0.99
1390–1510 1453 3 108.00–116.00 $113.45 $1,648
1510–1740 1701 7 97.00–105.00 $98.68 $1,679

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1318 1245 5 91.00–101.00 $95.05 $1,183 +3.46
1105–1482 1392 80 105.00–114.00 $110.18 $1,534 +36.71
1416–1735 1503 69 110.00–121.00 $113.64 $1,708

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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.