Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 27, 2024

139 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 139 342 216
Slaughter cattle 139 342 216

Slaughter cattle sale today: No comparison due to low receipts today. Trade was 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
1135–1410 1356 8 181.00–184.00 $182.74 $2,478
1353–1865 1530 17 185.00–187.75 $186.59 $2,855 -3.91

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1235 1198 2 181.00–182.00 $181.52 $2,175 -2.15
1175–1510 1351 22 186.00–190.00 $188.56 $2,547 -1.81

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1645 1392 75-80% 9 120.00–129.00 $123.18 $1,715 +4.56
1300–1935 1531 75-80% 23 130.00–139.00 $136.07 $2,083 +5.69
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–2215 1789 65-75% 13 140.00–144.00 $141.07 $2,524
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1495 1336 80-85% 10 110.00–119.00 $114.43 $1,529
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 85-90% 2 42.50–45.00 $43.75 $337
925–1420 1171 85-90% 7 87.50–104.00 $97.05 $1,136 +8.34

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1640–1745 1693 2 133.00–135.00 $133.97 $2,268
1710 1710 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,813
1550–2165 1810 3 153.00–170.00 $164.35 $2,975

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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.