Cattle Market Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report
Sheldon, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock
Sale of Thursday, August 20, 2026312 head sold ·Official USDA report
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 312 | 470 | 373 |
| Slaughter cattle | 312 | 470 | 373 |
Market comments — USDA reporter
- → Feeder heifers: half load of heifers and many smaller strings
- → Feeder steers: No implant steers showing a 3.00-4.00 gain today
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1315–1342 | 1332 | 5 | 217.00–220.00 | $219.21 | $2,920 | -22.29 |
| 1287–1432 | 1343 | 37 | 223.25–226.25 | $225.10 | $3,023 | -16.40 |
| 1488 | 1488 | 2 | 221.00 | $221.00 | $3,288 | — |
| 1489 | 1489 | 5 | 229.25 | $229.25 | $3,414 | — |
| 1516–1531 | 1527 | 17 | 224.75–227.25 | $226.44 | $3,458 | — |
| 1520–1604 | 1595 | 9 | 230.00–234.00 | $230.42 | $3,675 | -5.64 |
| 1635–1737 | 1712 | 4 | 228.50–230.50 | $228.98 | $3,920 | — |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1198 | 1198 | 4 | 223.00 | $223.00 | $2,672 | — |
| 1297–1455 | 1358 | 9 | 226.50–229.00 | $228.16 | $3,098 | — |
| 1153–1584 | 1393 | 67 | 224.00–232.75 | $227.93 | $3,175 | — |
Beef Dairy Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1285–1395 | 1360 | 8 | 220.00–225.00 | $223.98 | $3,046 | -2.87 |
| 1275–1575 | 1385 | 3 | 211.00–214.00 | $212.60 | $2,945 | -14.25 |
Beef Dairy Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1245 | 1245 | 2 | 221.00 | $221.00 | $2,751 | — |
| 1215–1720 | 1417 | 34 | 223.25–228.75 | $224.94 | $3,187 | — |
| 1275–1670 | 1505 | 9 | 220.00–222.00 | $220.31 | $3,316 | — |
Dairy Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1480 | 1480 | 2 | 220.00 | $220.00 | $3,256 | — |
Dairy Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1341–1682 | 1576 | 46 | 210.00–218.00 | $212.09 | $3,343 | — |
| 1525–1930 | 1683 | 29 | 220.00–227.00 | $222.73 | $3,749 | -14.89 |
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.
The last reported slaughter auction was August 6, no comparison applicable. Lower trend noted, as the market has been in the decline. No implant steers showing a 3.00-4.00 gain today. The sale consisted of a half load of dairy steers, half load of heifers and many smaller strings. Good demand.