Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Feeder Cattle Special Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock (Special)

Sale of Friday, December 5, 2025

1,245 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Tama Livestock Feeder Cattle Special report →

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $375.68/cwt +91.96 vs last sale · ≈ $2,735/hd at 728 lb · 199 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $355.34/cwt +74.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,200/hd at 619 lb · 143 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $385.30/cwt +103.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,605/hd at 676 lb · 140 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 1,245

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458–494 477 23 440.00–461.00 $454.08 $2,166 +81.38
503–548 528 37 427.50–456.00 $448.80 $2,370 +92.18
550–593 578 15 395.00–415.00 $408.33 $2,360 +56.31
604–648 618 72 374.00–421.00 $405.50 $2,506 +81.61
651–699 676 140 350.00–399.00 $385.30 $2,605 +103.82
701–749 728 199 348.00–381.00 $375.68 $2,735 +91.96
753–796 771 72 323.00–374.00 $356.18 $2,746 +67.49
805–820 817 45 325.00–340.00 $332.99 $2,721 +88.66
853–898 875 29 295.00–336.00 $316.96 $2,773 +65.56
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313–323 320 6 430.00–460.00 $439.79 $1,407
447 447 3 430.00 $430.00 $1,922 +125.00
460–487 475 16 400.00–425.00 $416.05 $1,976
703–739 721 10 344.00–345.00 $344.49 $2,484

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–370 363 3 365.00–380.00 $369.82 $1,342
402–443 412 18 387.50–435.00 $406.91 $1,676 +68.34
453–497 469 20 355.00–410.00 $389.34 $1,826 +66.51
514–540 526 36 359.00–378.00 $371.43 $1,954 +44.00
561–594 582 69 341.00–369.00 $358.67 $2,087 +57.87
600–635 619 143 332.50–371.00 $355.34 $2,200 +74.06
653–699 673 111 310.00–351.00 $332.91 $2,240 +53.69
700–739 721 130 315.00–333.50 $324.74 $2,341 +63.45
756–790 765 12 272.50–302.50 $292.13 $2,235 +45.13
804 804 4 280.00 $280.00 $2,251 +33.35
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–440 423 3 330.00–360.00 $346.34 $1,465 +64.13
460–475 468 2 310.00–330.00 $320.16 $1,498 +32.66
510–539 535 7 315.00–345.00 $340.91 $1,824 +43.39
565–590 578 2 310.00–315.00 $312.55 $1,807 +31.55
600–625 613 2 295.00–332.50 $313.37 $1,921 +67.01
650–698 686 5 295.00–307.50 $304.53 $2,089 +64.76
705–749 742 11 285.00–305.00 $288.05 $2,137

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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.