Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 7, 2024

471 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 471 426 388
Slaughter cattle 471 426 388

Compared to the sale two weeks ago, choice slaughter steers were steady to 2.00 higher. Choice slaughter heifers mostly 1.00 higher. Two load lots of steers and heifers, along with small strings of quality cattle in the offering today. Good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1198–1335 1276 20 180.00–182.25 $181.32 $2,314
1405 1405 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,655 +8.03
1355–1493 1423 9 178.00–180.50 $179.15 $2,549 -5.65
1335–1485 1432 90 183.00–188.00 $187.03 $2,678 +2.23
1368–1494 1442 25 186.00–187.00 $186.24 $2,686 -2.03
1508–1545 1523 15 185.00–188.50 $187.20 $2,851 -0.85
1523 1523 13 182.75 $182.75 $2,783 -5.30
1512–1582 1559 42 184.50–189.75 $186.96 $2,915
1673 1673 2 180.50 $180.50 $3,020
1663–1766 1744 32 183.50–187.50 $186.72 $3,256

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1308 1273 6 181.00–181.50 $181.17 $2,306 -4.76
1190–1431 1350 22 180.00–184.50 $182.35 $2,462 -6.25
1339–1548 1420 34 185.50–191.00 $188.62 $2,678
1360–1565 1493 81 186.00–190.75 $187.35 $2,797
1565 1565 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,974 -1.00

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1336 1336 8 177.50 $177.50 $2,371
1440–1635 1472 13 181.75–185.00 $182.91 $2,692 +7.91
1550–1688 1658 9 177.00–179.00 $178.79 $2,964

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1537–1755 1592 4 164.00 $164.00 $2,611

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425–1660 1575 10 170.00–172.00 $171.29 $2,698

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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.