Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 25, 2022

557 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 557 477 415
Slaughter cattle 557 477 415

Compared to the sale two weeks ago, choice slaughter steers were 1.25 higher. Choice slaughter heifers 1.00 higher. Demand good. Trade active.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,356
1065–1183 1147 12 132.00–136.00 $133.84 $1,535
1313–1425 1335 7 125.00–128.50 $127.33 $1,700 -9.67
1206–1975 1384 147 131.00–141.00 $137.24 $1,899
1355–1574 1460 138 142.50–151.00 $145.16 $2,119

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1208 1133 8 117.50–128.00 $122.20 $1,385 -17.70
915–1261 1201 40 136.75–138.50 $137.65 $1,653
1204 1204 5 143.00 $143.00 $1,722
1228–1495 1317 8 112.50–119.00 $115.21 $1,517 -16.98
1272–1453 1343 31 139.00–146.00 $142.28 $1,911 +10.09
1294–1480 1362 18 132.00–138.00 $135.96 $1,852
1573–1668 1606 6 111.00–120.00 $115.59 $1,856 +16.59

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1148–1408 1278 4 108.00–109.00 $108.55 $1,387
1316 1316 4 120.00 $120.00 $1,579 -8.55
1487 1487 3 117.00 $117.00 $1,740

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1421 1383 6 118.00–121.00 $120.22 $1,663
1415–1456 1442 77 129.00–135.00 $129.60 $1,869
1525–1855 1615 18 133.50–137.00 $134.29 $2,169
1660 1660 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,909

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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.