Cattle Market Pulse

Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle Market Report

Tama, Iowa · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 16, 2026

426 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 426 253 343
Slaughter cattle 426 253 343

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were steady -1.50 higher, slaughter cow were too lightly tested to make an accurate market trend. 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
1015–1250 1135 11 212.00–233.00 $223.81 $2,540 —
1235–1409 1338 66 211.00–220.00 $218.22 $2,920 —
1265–1608 1433 115 220.00–228.00 $223.68 $3,205 -0.12

↑ Back to top

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1183 1046 17 200.00–235.00 $225.78 $2,362 +0.69
1110–1395 1183 10 216.00–221.50 $219.02 $2,591 —
1207 1207 10 220.50 $220.50 $2,661 —
1131–1441 1290 93 220.50–227.25 $224.00 $2,890 —

↑ Back to top

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1275 1149 80-85% 4 157.50–184.00 $173.60 $1,995 —
1155–1375 1267 80-85% 9 150.00–156.00 $154.24 $1,954 —
1380–1460 1420 80-85% 2 140.00–145.00 $142.43 $2,023 -4.43
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1330 1163 85-90% 13 115.00–140.00 $128.99 $1,500 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1785 1552 75-80% 10 154.00–164.00 $157.96 $2,452 —
1490–1775 1633 75-80% 2 172.00–183.00 $177.02 $2,891 —

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1855 1631 11 174.00–210.00 $197.40 $3,220 —
1723–2005 1807 4 218.00–221.00 $219.57 $3,968 +17.53

↑ Back to top

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.