Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 14, 2023

356 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 356 171 644
Slaughter cattle 356 171 644

Compared to the sale last week, choice slaughter steers were 3.00 higher. Choice slaughter heifers 1.00 higher. Limited numbers on dairy cattle last week for comparison. Demand good. Active trade.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1233–1559 1378 9 157.00–163.50 $160.27 $2,209
1130–1550 1443 6 170.50–177.00 $174.94 $2,524
1322–1690 1513 159 180.50–186.75 $184.97 $2,799 +14.56

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110 1110 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,865
1095–1180 1159 10 176.00–178.00 $177.02 $2,052
1202 1202 5 184.00 $184.00 $2,212 +14.00
1281–1468 1380 44 180.00–187.25 $183.23 $2,529
1360–1455 1415 8 153.00–168.00 $161.39 $2,284
1306–1618 1459 9 172.00–177.00 $176.06 $2,569

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1330 1203 2 135.00–136.00 $135.55 $1,631
1482–1505 1488 4 160.00–170.00 $167.47 $2,492

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1423 1386 12 157.00–158.00 $157.43 $2,182
1485 1485 2 149.00 $149.00 $2,213 -8.11
1450–1674 1586 76 158.75–164.50 $161.49 $2,561

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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.