Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Feeder Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 14, 2026

1,070 head sold ·Official USDA report

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $414.01/cwt ≈ $2,420/hd at 585 lb · 189 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $425.71/cwt ≈ $2,233/hd at 525 lb · 168 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $435.93/cwt ≈ $2,063/hd at 473 lb · 128 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,070 702 0
Feeder cattle 1,070 702 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION BBQ FEEDER CALF SALE TODAY: No comparison: Today's sale consisted of calves coming off the cow with and without vaccinations, weaned calves with vaccinations. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323–325 unweaned 324 4 500.00–505.00 $502.51 $1,628 —
372–397 unweaned 379 11 500.00–515.00 $506.70 $1,920 —
410–448 unweaned 433 21 445.00–480.00 $471.36 $2,041 —
410–441 437 7 480.00–490.00 $488.66 $2,135 —
458–489 unweaned 466 39 455.00–480.00 $470.94 $2,195 —
502–548 unweaned 524 139 410.00–435.00 $424.75 $2,226 —
513–533 527 29 430.00–431.00 $430.30 $2,268 —
555–592 unweaned 584 70 394.00–421.00 $406.56 $2,374 —
579–593 585 119 403.00–431.50 $418.40 $2,448 —
601–618 611 10 382.50–392.50 $388.57 $2,374 +2.49
608–631 unweaned 620 38 362.50–394.00 $384.66 $2,385 —
661–672 unweaned 665 35 340.00–364.00 $350.81 $2,333 —
680–687 687 29 361.00–367.50 $361.44 $2,483 —
983 983 4 306.00 $306.00 $3,008 -4.28
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 unweaned 394 9 476.00 $476.00 $1,875 —
442 unweaned 442 6 435.00 $435.00 $1,923 —
453 unweaned 453 3 430.00 $430.00 $1,948 —
580–597 unweaned 591 10 370.00–385.00 $381.32 $2,254 —
650–694 685 5 330.00–340.00 $338.10 $2,316 —
718–736 724 14 324.00–345.00 $335.06 $2,426 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–375 unweaned 373 5 470.00–472.50 $472.01 $1,761 —
408–435 unweaned 424 35 452.50–475.00 $465.44 $1,973 —
457–483 unweaned 472 100 406.00–440.00 $429.99 $2,030 —
470–490 478 28 435.00–490.00 $457.16 $2,185 —
500–542 510 68 400.00–407.50 $405.91 $2,070 —
507–513 unweaned 511 13 400.00–417.50 $404.01 $2,064 —
575–588 unweaned 577 43 355.00–366.00 $364.15 $2,101 —
609 609 9 357.00 $357.00 $2,174 —
615 unweaned 615 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,122 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–340 unweaned 326 5 445.00–475.00 $456.23 $1,487 —
363–395 unweaned 379 6 432.50–440.00 $436.09 $1,653 —
508–535 unweaned 520 13 360.00–400.00 $387.58 $2,015 —
640 640 7 322.50 $322.50 $2,064 +15.83
665–698 683 5 305.00–320.00 $316.97 $2,165 -12.28
747 747 3 300.00 $300.00 $2,241 —
765–794 791 9 277.50–292.50 $290.89 $2,301 —

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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.