Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 21, 2026

280 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 280

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1153 1153 2 233.00 $233.00 $2,686
1275–1635 1444 6 225.00–229.00 $227.45 $3,284
1305–1645 1492 85 230.00–235.00 $233.90 $3,490 +1.96
1724 1724 5 233.00 $233.00 $4,017

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1217 1198 3 200.00–218.00 $212.19 $2,542 -2.11
1155–1555 1354 14 223.00–228.00 $225.53 $3,054 -6.09
1275–1555 1422 75 230.00–236.50 $234.92 $3,341

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–995 978 80-85% 3 144.00–167.50 $152.07 $1,487
1010–1375 1200 80-85% 12 148.00–183.00 $160.51 $1,926
1000–1525 1359 80-85% 27 144.00–159.00 $152.44 $2,072 +6.22
1385 1385 80-85% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,939 -6.22
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1580 1380 75-80% 11 158.00–186.00 $169.62 $2,341 -0.67
1305–1720 1589 75-80% 17 158.00–170.00 $161.91 $2,573
1565–1735 1650 75-80% 2 134.00–141.00 $137.68 $2,272
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–940 928 85-90% 2 113.00–114.00 $113.49 $1,053 -0.81
1065–1180 1112 85-90% 8 115.00–143.50 $129.27 $1,437

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1640 1640 1 141.00 $141.00 $2,312
1325–2305 1762 3 165.00–167.00 $166.50 $2,934

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1688 1688 3 208.00 $208.00 $3,511

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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.