Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 17, 2021

171 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 171 494 294
Slaughter cattle 171 494 294

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 1.75-2.00 higher, slaughter cows were steady. 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
1195–1290 1258 4 106.00–110.00 $107.71 $1,355
1201–1590 1401 33 113.50–117.50 $115.59 $1,619 +2.14

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 2 101.50–111.00 $106.25 $1,280 -0.53
1125–1653 1350 59 112.00–117.75 $115.58 $1,560

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410 1410 75-80% 1 74.00 $74.00 $1,043
1210–1925 1508 75-80% 20 60.00–68.00 $62.58 $944 -0.33
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1680 1391 80-85% 14 50.00–59.00 $55.71 $775
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1500 1325 85-90% 2 22.00–37.00 $30.49 $404
1150–1775 1358 85-90% 6 42.00–49.00 $45.21 $614

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–2135 1801 8 76.00–94.00 $84.76 $1,527

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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.