Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 18, 2020

1,123 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,123 986 950
Slaughter cattle 1,123 986 950

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers steady, slaughter cows 1.50 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
930–1190 1114 11 85.00–97.00 $93.01 $1,036 +1.24
1090–1500 1313 45 95.00–102.50 $99.16 $1,302 -0.80
1198–1615 1433 323 103.00–109.00 $106.63 $1,528
1620–1880 1685 15 95.50–102.00 $99.38 $1,675

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1250 1059 15 81.00–94.00 $87.49 $927
1090–1490 1277 30 95.00–102.50 $99.96 $1,276
1150–1541 1361 391 102.50–108.50 $106.68 $1,452
1505–1650 1554 7 100.00 $100.00 $1,554

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1640 1179 85-90% 29 20.00–35.00 $29.84 $352
1050–1565 1278 85-90% 19 36.00–45.00 $41.35 $528
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1920 1400 80-85% 44 46.00–59.00 $52.01 $728 -1.60
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 75-80% 1 75.00 $75.00 $1,031
1170–1850 1561 75-80% 8 62.00–68.50 $65.04 $1,015 +0.71

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–2255 1590 30 66.00–79.00 $73.29 $1,165
1570–1735 1653 2 51.00 $51.00 $843

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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.