Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 9, 2024

345 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 345 281 396
Slaughter cattle 345 281 396

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were steady, slaughter cows steady - .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
1134–1195 1146 5 170.00–184.00 $181.08 $2,075
1165–1575 1362 23 178.00–187.00 $183.23 $2,496 +1.02
1353–1610 1501 57 188.00–193.00 $191.55 $2,875

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1263 1170 5 160.00–181.00 $171.04 $2,001
1060–1390 1214 41 179.00–187.00 $184.11 $2,235 +7.18
1193–1578 1355 127 186.00–193.00 $191.07 $2,589

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1475 1289 75-80% 5 123.00–145.00 $132.59 $1,709 +6.93
1335–1840 1565 75-80% 9 125.00–130.00 $127.76 $1,999
1500–1760 1636 75-80% 4 133.00–141.00 $136.80 $2,238
1545–1980 1798 75-80% 4 118.00–123.00 $120.73 $2,171
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1365 1185 80-85% 6 118.00–131.00 $124.71 $1,478 -5.32
1175–1415 1295 80-85% 2 105.00–112.00 $108.82 $1,409
1175–1500 1306 80-85% 9 116.00–124.00 $120.66 $1,576 -0.55
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540–905 772 85-90% 6 60.00–83.00 $66.54 $514
1105–1130 1118 85-90% 2 88.00–103.00 $95.42 $1,067
1000–1545 1300 85-90% 5 108.00–112.00 $109.95 $1,429

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 1 70.00 $70.00 $595
1005–1175 1090 2 111.00–120.00 $115.15 $1,255 -10.08
1340–1855 1570 3 150.00–163.00 $159.30 $2,501 +43.38
1890–2030 1938 3 167.00–174.00 $171.72 $3,328

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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.