Week of 11/02/2026 – 11/08/2026

Iowa cattle market

Auction averages from 9 reporting markets in Iowa, head-weighted across 5,230 head. Compared with 10/26/2026–11/01/2026.

Open the Iowa Cattle Square

How to read these figures

Head-weighted averages across every auction USDA Market News reported for the week, quoted on Medium & Large 1–2 — the same grade your sale barn quotes. Every table can be switched to all grades, which runs lower because it folds in the plain cattle. These are averages, not bids: yours will bring what they bring. Not financial advice.

5wt steers: $416.94; ▼ 20.14
7wt steers: $343.88; ▼ 15.39
Cull cows: $123.35; thin
Head sold: 5,230
Markets: 9

Feeder cattle

Head-weighted average price per hundredweight across Iowa auctions. Premium is what steers brought over heifers of the same weight. ▲ green is up on last week, ▼ red is down; thin means too few head to compare.

The run-of-the-mill good feeder calf, and the grade most sale barns quote on their own market report.

300–400 lb88 head

Steers: thinthin
Heifers: thinthin

400–500 lb731 head

Steers: $480.78▼ 24.45
Heifers: $426.14▼ 4.10
Steer premium: $54.64

500–600 lb1,424 head

Steers: $416.94▼ 20.14
Heifers: $374.27▼ 10.26
Steer premium: $42.67

600–700 lb1,012 head

Steers: $369.02▼ 11.65
Heifers: $332.81▼ 17.75
Steer premium: $36.21

700–800 lb524 head

Steers: $343.88▼ 15.39
Heifers: $313.65▼ 7.06
Steer premium: $30.23

800–900 lb788 head

Steers: $319.79▼ 31.31
Heifers: $301.86▼ 3.90
Steer premium: $17.93

900–1000 lb663 head

Steers: $309.66▼ 23.19
Heifers: $281.19thin
Steer premium: $28.47

Weight	Steers	Per head	vs last wk	Heifers	vs last wk	Premium	Head
300–400 lb	thin	—	thin	thin	thin	—	88
400–500 lb	$480.78	$2,240	▼ 24.45	$426.14	▼ 4.10	$54.64	731
500–600 lb	$416.94	$2,318	▼ 20.14	$374.27	▼ 10.26	$42.67	1,424
600–700 lb	$369.02	$2,384	▼ 11.65	$332.81	▼ 17.75	$36.21	1,012
700–800 lb	$343.88	$2,483	▼ 15.39	$313.65	▼ 7.06	$30.23	524
800–900 lb	$319.79	$2,715	▼ 31.31	$301.86	▼ 3.90	$17.93	788
900–1000 lb	$309.66	$2,874	▼ 23.19	$281.19	thin	$28.47	663

What’s a calf worth in Iowa?

At this week's Iowa class average. A class average is not a bid — yours will bring what they bring — but it is the number to argue from.

Weight, pounds

$2,293

a head at this week's 500–600 lb average of $416.94 per hundredweight — down $20.14 on last week.

Based on 832 head sold in that class across every reporting auction. A class average, not a bid — your cattle will bring what they bring.

The Iowa Cattle Square

Full tool

Every weight class priced against every other, at Iowa averages. Sell down the side, buy across the top; the figure is what the spread pays per pound of gain.

The run-of-the-mill good feeder calf, and the grade most sale barns quote on their own market report.

Your cost of gain$1.10/lb

Return on gain for selling each weight class and buying each other weight class, at Iowa averages.
Sell ↓ Buy →	400	500	600	700	800	900
400	—
500		—
600			—
700				—
800					—
900						—

Each figure is the return on gain in dollars per pound — what the spread between the two classes pays you for a pound. Green means the trade is ahead of your cost of gain, red means it is behind. Below the diagonal you sell the heavier animal and buy back lighter, so you want a high figure. Above it you are trading up and buying pounds ready-made, so you want a low one. Tap any cell for the whole trade.

This week's best spreads

Cows, bulls & replacements

Every class Iowa auctions reported this week. Cull cows price on condition — Breakers fleshiest, Leans thinnest. Replacement classes trade by the head. A class shows its price whenever anything sold; the week-over-week move is withheld when too few head changed hands for the comparison to mean anything, which happens more often at state level than nationally.

Cull cows, all$123.35 /cwt
thin208 head
Boner 80-85%$135.72 /cwt
—85 head
Lean 85-90%$98.19 /cwt
—66 head
Slaughter bulls$171.45 /cwt
thin42 head

Class	Price	vs last wk	Head
Cull cows, all	$123.35 /cwt	thin	208
Boner 80-85%	$135.72 /cwt	—	85
Lean 85-90%	$98.19 /cwt	—	66
Slaughter bulls	$171.45 /cwt	thin	42

Other states

South Dakota 22,725 Missouri 15,779 Nebraska 14,534 Oklahoma 11,985 Colorado 11,005 Wyoming 8,018 Kansas 6,392 North Dakota 6,239

Source: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Market News. Boxed beef and slaughter figures are national and appear on the home page. Averages are not bids and nothing here is financial advice.