Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 28, 2020

693 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight N/N/A heifers $105.99/cwt +22.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,033/hd at 975 lb · 17 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 693 518 800
Slaughter cattle 693 518 800

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 2.25-2.75 lower, slaughter cows steady to .75 lower. Trade active. Demand good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–1173 1025 40 94.00–117.25 $112.30 $1,151
1115–1593 1305 39 92.00–99.00 $96.59 $1,260 -4.49
1276–1637 1488 219 100.00–105.85 $102.97 $1,532
1640–1955 1756 10 81.00–97.00 $91.69 $1,610 -6.88

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
886–1083 975 17 90.00–113.00 $105.99 $1,033 +22.99
1095–1448 1295 24 94.50–99.50 $97.70 $1,265
1115–1538 1322 200 100.00–105.25 $102.88 $1,360 +2.97

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1750 1379 80-85% 29 50.00–59.00 $53.83 $742 -1.17
1470–1560 1500 80-85% 4 45.00–49.50 $47.35 $710
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1465 1235 85-90% 11 21.00–39.00 $32.28 $399 +0.86
1015–1365 1250 85-90% 9 42.00–49.00 $45.81 $573
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1835 1518 75-80% 16 60.00–69.50 $63.46 $963 -0.23
1490–1900 1695 75-80% 2 72.50–75.00 $73.60 $1,248

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1370–1810 1565 5 65.00–68.00 $66.06 $1,034
1165–2185 1757 13 70.00–82.00 $74.92 $1,316

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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.