Cattle Market Pulse

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, July 23, 2026

545 head sold ·Official USDA report

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 545 86 288
Slaughter cattle 545 86 288

No trend applicable, as the last reported sale was three weeks ago. The auction consisted of one load of heifers, five half loads and plenty of smaller strings. Good demand for this larger offering of quality cattle today.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1235 1219 4 232.00–232.50 $232.38 $2,833
1315–1320 1318 3 238.00–243.00 $239.66 $3,159
1257–1474 1399 66 230.00–234.00 $232.48 $3,252
1369–1456 1437 37 235.50–241.00 $238.85 $3,432
1529–1554 1551 29 233.00–234.00 $233.86 $3,627
1579–1592 1585 13 236.00–243.25 $239.89 $3,802
1605–1660 1636 5 237.50–242.00 $238.79 $3,907 -18.46
1641 1641 8 232.00 $232.00 $3,807 -25.25
1798 1798 2 231.00 $231.00 $4,153

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1141–1533 1293 95 230.00–236.00 $231.53 $2,994 -24.22
1264–1353 1309 10 232.00–234.50 $233.29 $3,054
1263–1475 1341 31 237.00–243.50 $239.52 $3,212
1600 1600 1 236.50 $236.50 $3,784
1638–1808 1723 4 228.00 $228.00 $3,928

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1116–1142 1130 9 222.00–229.75 $226.35 $2,558
1275–1325 1302 25 229.00–232.25 $231.93 $3,020
1655 1655 1 223.00 $223.00 $3,691

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1183–1215 1186 10 225.50–226.00 $225.55 $2,675
1301–1905 1487 77 230.00–235.25 $232.54 $3,458

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380 1380 4 226.00 $226.00 $3,119

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1284 1284 7 223.00 $223.00 $2,863
1597 1597 5 221.00 $221.00 $3,529
1330–1855 1605 44 228.00–233.50 $230.73 $3,703 +5.73

↑ Back to top

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.