Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 15, 2025

375 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 375 731 243
Slaughter cattle 375 731 243

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 2.75-3.75 higher, slaughter cows .75 higher. 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
1140–1215 1161 4 174.00–185.00 $180.97 $2,101 -4.82
1240–1645 1368 10 190.00–203.00 $198.27 $2,712 +2.06
1340–1670 1490 111 205.00–214.00 $209.49 $3,121 +2.87

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1225 1128 3 161.00–182.00 $171.54 $1,935
1250–1450 1326 14 190.00–203.50 $198.32 $2,630 +3.46
1138–1620 1391 116 204.00–213.50 $210.06 $2,922 +3.82

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1480 1364 75-80% 7 129.00–155.00 $138.60 $1,891 -8.34
1305–1865 1485 75-80% 16 132.00–147.00 $137.66 $2,044
1200–1860 1514 75-80% 19 120.00–131.00 $125.73 $1,904 +0.83
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1560 1207 80-85% 14 120.00–181.00 $132.47 $1,599
1270–1620 1456 80-85% 12 110.00–120.00 $114.44 $1,666
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
730–870 800 85-90% 2 60.00–62.50 $61.36 $491
1125–1475 1308 85-90% 3 90.00–105.00 $95.31 $1,247

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1810–1935 1873 2 158.50–162.00 $160.31 $3,003 +21.53
1500–2355 1951 7 124.00–156.00 $142.86 $2,787

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1403 1403 6 191.00 $191.00 $2,680

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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.