Sale reports / Iowa / Kalona Livestock Auction / 2026-05-14

Kalona Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Kalona, Iowa · Thu, May 14
● Final23 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2528
Receipts
587 head
▲ 212 vs last sale 375▼ 52 vs year ago 639 · −8.1%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 5.00-6.00 higher, Dairy steers 5.00 higher, slaughter cows Breaker and Boners 1.00-2.25 higher, Lean cows mostly steady. Trade active. Demand good.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Beef/Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,596256.674,09611
Bulls—Average1,738224.143,89637
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,512187.472,83589
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,219184.542,25051
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,225142.631,74715
Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,645243.904,01210
Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,521231.113,5157thin
HeifersChoiceAverage1,400262.003,66846
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,345256.483,45040
HeifersSelectAverage1,123249.002,7963thin
SteersChoiceAverage1,527262.194,005173
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,394255.693,56353
SteersSelectAverage1,178247.352,9145thin

Every lot

23 lots · USDA AMS · Kalona Livestock Slaughter Cattle Auction - Kalona, IA
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Slaughter Cattle · Steers5 lots · lightest first
Steers—SelectReturn to Feed1,178247.35/cwt235.00–255.002,9145
Steers—Select and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,257253.00/cwt253.00–253.003,1802
Steers—Select and Choice1,399255.80/cwt246.00–258.003,57951
Steers—Choice1,520262.35/cwt259.00–266.003,988168
Steers—ChoiceHeavy Weight1,779256.97/cwt252.00–260.004,5715
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Heifers—SelectReturn to Feed1,123249.00/cwt247.00–250.002,7963
Heifers—Select and Choice1,345256.48/cwt250.00–258.503,45040
Heifers—Choice1,400262.00/cwt259.00–264.003,66846
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,671217.21/cwt196.00–231.003,63019
Bulls——1,718160.86/cwt150.00–169.002,7643
Bulls——1,827245.58/cwt235.00–275.004,48715
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight898249.40/cwt195.00–295.002,2404
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight960134.31/cwt124.00–144.001,2892
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,194188.24/cwt167.00–235.002,24828
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,245148.87/cwt137.00–159.001,85311
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,324165.42/cwt160.00–172.002,19019
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,378116.66/cwt113.00–120.001,6082
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,382190.94/cwt171.00–217.002,63933
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,549179.12/cwt170.00–203.002,77533
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,647194.49/cwt186.00–217.003,20323
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers—Select and Choice1,521231.11/cwt220.00–237.003,5157
Dairy Steers—Choice1,645243.90/cwt239.00–249.004,01210
Slaughter Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers—Choice1,596256.67/cwt254.75–259.004,09611

This sale against other markets

Iowa weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Iowa auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.