Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 24, 2024

293 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 293 333 335
Slaughter cattle 293 333 335

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 1.25-2.50 higher, slaughter cows no comparison due to low receipts. 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
975–1040 1008 3 172.00–180.00 $174.83 $1,762
1123–1543 1306 55 180.00–193.50 $188.92 $2,467
1257–1540 1386 91 194.00–199.00 $196.22 $2,720 -2.60

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1390 1228 28 181.00–193.50 $191.00 $2,345 -6.94
1148–1515 1302 35 194.50–199.00 $196.66 $2,561

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1405 1318 75-80% 5 141.00–167.00 $149.08 $1,965 -1.22
1205–1840 1499 75-80% 11 135.00–141.00 $137.77 $2,065
1205–1940 1550 75-80% 31 142.00–150.00 $145.94 $2,262 +0.47
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1179 1136 80-85% 4 129.00–142.00 $137.59 $1,563
1370–1480 1420 80-85% 3 128.00–134.00 $130.42 $1,852
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–880 828 85-90% 2 107.00–120.00 $113.09 $936

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245 1245 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,241
1445–1780 1643 4 175.00–183.00 $180.06 $2,958

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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.