Cattle Market Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report
Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock · usually sells Wednesdays
Sale of Wednesday, July 22, 2026264 head sold ·Official USDA report · Past reports (268)
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 264 | 231 | 322 |
| Slaughter cattle | 264 | 231 | 322 |
Market comments — USDA reporter
- ▼ Feeder heifers: Choice steers and heifers were 4.25-4.50 lower
- ▼ Feeder steers: Choice steers and heifers were 4.25-4.50 lower
- → Slaughter cattle: Slaughter cattle sale today
- → Slaughter cows: slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to get an accurate market trend
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1015–1230 | 1106 | 7 | 224.00–270.00 | $238.99 | $2,643 | +1.36 |
| 1210–1230 | 1226 | 5 | 231.00–236.00 | $235.01 | $2,881 | — |
| 1237–1400 | 1310 | 12 | 230.00–234.50 | $233.12 | $3,054 | — |
| 1268–1730 | 1501 | 89 | 235.00–241.50 | $238.87 | $3,585 | — |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1095–1160 | 1122 | 6 | 231.00–240.00 | $233.31 | $2,618 | -6.03 |
| 1200–1288 | 1257 | 11 | 230.00–233.75 | $232.23 | $2,919 | -5.85 |
| 1195–1520 | 1344 | 30 | 234.00–244.00 | $238.52 | $3,206 | -4.24 |
Slaughter Cows
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1320–1540 | 1420 | 75-80% | 13 | 178.00–225.00 | $196.38 | $2,789 | -0.68 |
| 1220–1805 | 1492 | 75-80% | 17 | 175.00–189.00 | $180.72 | $2,696 | — |
| 1450–1650 | 1549 | 75-80% | 6 | 190.00–197.00 | $192.55 | $2,983 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 855–930 | 893 | 80-85% | 2 | 210.00–270.00 | $241.26 | $2,154 | -32.77 |
| 1055–1325 | 1159 | 80-85% | 13 | 166.00–267.50 | $184.89 | $2,143 | — |
| 1120–1540 | 1283 | 80-85% | 10 | 160.00–168.00 | $164.67 | $2,113 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 885–1095 | 1018 | 85-90% | 3 | 149.00–154.00 | $151.48 | $1,542 | — |
| 1095–1235 | 1193 | 85-90% | 4 | 137.50–152.50 | $146.63 | $1,749 | +4.63 |
Slaughter Bulls
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1043 | 1043 | 2 | 262.50 | $262.50 | $2,738 | — |
| 1520 | 1520 | 1 | 165.00 | $165.00 | $2,508 | — |
| 1315–1940 | 1706 | 7 | 180.00–236.00 | $220.32 | $3,759 | — |
Price trend
1050–1099 lb N/N/A heifers — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.
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.
← Previous sale (Jul 15, 2026)
More reports from this yard
- Tama Livestock Feeder Cattle - Tama, IA Fri · Dec 12, 2025
Markets near Tama
- Keoco Feeder Cattle Auction - Sigourney, IA 53 mi · Mon · Apr 13, 2026
- Knoxville Regional Feeder Cattle - Knoxville, IA 58 mi · Tue · Feb 10, 2026
- Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction - Kalona, IA 59 mi · Thu · Jul 9, 2026
- Russell Livestock Feeder Cattle - Russell, IA 82 mi · Mon · Jul 13, 2026
- Bloomfield Livestock Feeder Cattle - Bloomfield, IA 90 mi · Wed · Jul 8, 2026
Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 4.25-4.50 lower, slaughter cows were too lightly tested last week to get an accurate market trend. Trade active. Demand good.