Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 11, 2023

353 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 353 432 0
Slaughter cattle 353 432 0

Compared to the sale two weeks ago, choice slaughter steers and heifers were 3.00 lower. Upward trend on choice slaughter dairy steers with limited numbers. No comparison on dairy heifers due to low receipts. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1245 1231 7 172.00–181.00 $173.58 $2,137 -1.42
1165–1327 1284 12 160.00–169.00 $160.68 $2,063
1255–1654 1493 117 172.00–184.25 $179.48 $2,680 +25.71
1340–1745 1546 4 142.00–155.00 $151.62 $2,344 -22.68
1435–1690 1566 5 158.00–167.00 $162.38 $2,543

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1201 1191 9 145.00–157.00 $155.75 $1,855 -20.75
1125–1225 1210 10 160.00–162.00 $161.70 $1,957 -18.85
1273–1665 1365 11 160.00–170.00 $163.44 $2,231 -19.05
1266–1588 1384 57 172.00–182.50 $179.67 $2,487 -2.82
1270–1457 1390 14 153.00–155.00 $153.65 $2,136

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1350 1319 6 117.00–121.00 $118.32 $1,561
1325 1325 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,842
1325–1330 1329 5 125.00–128.00 $125.60 $1,669
1400 1400 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,666
1470–1620 1523 3 139.00–144.00 $141.32 $2,152
2100 2100 1 131.00 $131.00 $2,751

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1347 1343 6 137.00–141.00 $137.66 $1,849
1340–1349 1348 12 117.50–131.00 $129.88 $1,751
1385 1385 2 144.50 $144.50 $2,001
1480–1630 1501 7 118.00–127.00 $119.40 $1,792 +9.54
1490–1567 1561 12 140.50–141.00 $140.54 $2,194 +10.26
1445–1888 1618 21 143.50–152.00 $146.88 $2,377 +6.01

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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.