Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 7, 2023

171 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 171 533 275
Slaughter cattle 171 533 275

No comparison today, as there hasn't been a recently reported sale. Limited numbers on dairy cattle today but good quality. Good demand. Active trade.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1148–1215 1170 3 179.00–182.00 $180.04 $2,106 +4.04
1305 1305 1 161.00 $161.00 $2,101
1245–1766 1477 70 177.00–185.00 $182.26 $2,692 +1.05
1395–1570 1503 3 168.00–172.00 $170.41 $2,561

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 11 181.00 $181.00 $2,163
1220 1220 1 170.00 $170.00 $2,074 -8.42
1264–1493 1335 28 181.00–185.00 $181.87 $2,428

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1145 1047 4 125.00–132.00 $128.15 $1,342
1568 1568 3 152.50 $152.50 $2,391

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1270 1167 3 144.00–150.00 $146.18 $1,706
1410–1477 1451 18 154.00–158.00 $157.11 $2,280
1513–1808 1630 16 159.00–179.00 $166.29 $2,711 +1.11

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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.