Cattle Market Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report
Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock
Sale of Thursday, May 21, 2026397 head sold ·Official USDA report
This is an archived report. See the latest Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle report →
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 397 | 392 | 230 |
| Slaughter cattle | 397 | 392 | 230 |
Market comments — USDA reporter
- → Feeder steers: with steers over 1600 lbs bringing a premium
- ▲ Slaughter cattle: Choice slaughter steers 1.00-3.00 higher
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1285 | 1285 | 2 | 255.00 | $255.00 | $3,277 | — |
| 1330 | 1330 | 2 | 258.00 | $258.00 | $3,431 | — |
| 1463–1474 | 1471 | 13 | 257.00–262.00 | $258.15 | $3,797 | — |
| 1505–1598 | 1550 | 82 | 255.00–261.00 | $259.37 | $4,020 | +7.65 |
| 1583–1710 | 1625 | 3 | 256.50–260.00 | $257.73 | $4,188 | — |
| 1600–1836 | 1706 | 32 | 259.00–265.25 | $261.81 | $4,466 | +9.73 |
| 1605–1763 | 1711 | 12 | 251.00–257.00 | $254.15 | $4,349 | +2.07 |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1245–1426 | 1396 | 6 | 255.00–261.00 | $255.89 | $3,572 | +6.47 |
| 1185–1495 | 1429 | 18 | 245.00–255.00 | $246.48 | $3,522 | -10.55 |
| 1310–1553 | 1458 | 80 | 256.00–261.75 | $258.31 | $3,766 | +0.91 |
| 1622 | 1622 | 7 | 249.00 | $249.00 | $4,039 | — |
| 1625–1713 | 1698 | 7 | 256.00–261.00 | $260.32 | $4,420 | — |
Dairy Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1333 | 1333 | 3 | 227.50 | $227.50 | $3,033 | +1.46 |
| 1463 | 1463 | 2 | 230.00 | $230.00 | $3,365 | — |
| 1718–1785 | 1741 | 5 | 238.00–243.00 | $241.77 | $4,209 | — |
Dairy Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1435–1838 | 1717 | 39 | 234.00–245.00 | $240.31 | $4,126 | — |
| 1668–1834 | 1757 | 17 | 248.00–258.50 | $253.81 | $4,459 | +19.10 |
Reading this report
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.
Compared to the auction two weeks ago: Choice slaughter steers 1.00-3.00 higher, with steers over 1600 lbs bringing a premium. Choice slaughter heifers 1.00 higher. Mostly smaller strings in the offering today. Good demand.