Sale reports / Iowa / Sheldon Livestock Auction / 2026-05-21

Sheldon Livestock Auction

Name: Sheldon Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-21

Slaughter Cattle · Sheldon, Iowa · Thu, May 21

● Final17 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2154

← May 7May 21May 28 →

Receipts

397 head

▲ 5 vs last sale 392▲ 167 vs year ago 230 · +72.6%

Also sold hereFeeder Cattle SpecialThu Sep 17, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to the auction two weeks ago: Choice slaughter steers 1.00-3.00 higher, with steers over 1600 lbs bringing a premium. Choice slaughter heifers 1.00 higher. Mostly smaller strings in the offering today. Good demand.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Dairy Heifers	Choice	Average	1,741	241.77	4,209	5thin
Dairy Heifers	Select and Choice	Average	1,385	228.50	3,165	5thin
Dairy Steers	Choice	Average	1,757	253.81	4,459	17
Dairy Steers	Select and Choice	Average	1,717	240.31	4,126	39
Heifers	Choice	Average	1,472	258.31	3,802	93
Heifers	Select and Choice	Average	1,483	247.19	3,666	25
Steers	Choice	Average	1,578	259.78	4,100	132
Steers	Select and Choice	Average	1,650	254.27	4,196	14

Every lot

17 lots · USDA AMS · Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle - Sheldon, 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Slaughter Cattle · Steers7 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Select and ChoiceCertified Prgms	1,285	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	3,277	2
Steers	—	Choice	1,330	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	3,431	2
Steers	—	ChoiceCertified Prgms	1,471	258.15/cwt	257.00–262.00	3,797	13
Steers	—	Choice	1,550	259.37/cwt	255.00–261.00	4,020	82
Steers	—	ChoiceCertified Prgms	1,625	257.73/cwt	256.50–260.00	4,188	3
Steers	—	ChoiceHeavy Weight	1,706	261.81/cwt	259.00–265.25	4,466	32
Steers	—	Select and ChoiceHeavy Weight	1,711	254.15/cwt	251.00–257.00	4,349	12
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	ChoiceCertified Prgms	1,396	255.89/cwt	255.00–261.00	3,572	6
Heifers	—	Select and Choice	1,429	246.48/cwt	245.00–255.00	3,522	18
Heifers	—	Choice	1,458	258.31/cwt	256.00–261.75	3,766	80
Heifers	—	Select and ChoiceHeavy Weight	1,622	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	4,039	7
Heifers	—	ChoiceHeavy Weight	1,698	260.32/cwt	256.00–261.00	4,420	7
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Dairy Heifers	—	Select and ChoiceReturn to Feed	1,333	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	3,033	3
Dairy Heifers	—	Select and Choice	1,463	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	3,365	2
Dairy Heifers	—	Choice	1,741	241.77/cwt	238.00–243.00	4,209	5
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Steers	—	Select and Choice	1,717	240.31/cwt	234.00–245.00	4,126	39
Dairy Steers	—	Choice	1,757	253.81/cwt	248.00–258.50	4,459	17

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.

Iowa feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Sheldon Livestock Slaughter Cattle - Sheldon, IA

Thu May 21, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Des Moines, IA (LS-NW)

Receipts 397Last week 392Year ago 230

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Choice · Certified Prgms$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,396	255.00–261.00	255.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
80	—	1,458	256.00–261.75	258.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Select and Choice · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,622	249.00	249.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,429	245.00–255.00	246.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Choice · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,698	256.00–261.00	260.32

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,741	238.00–243.00	241.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Select and Choice · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,333	227.50	227.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,463	230.00	230.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Choice · Certified Prgms$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,471	257.00–262.00	258.15
3	—	1,625	256.50–260.00	257.73

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Select and Choice · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,711	251.00–257.00	254.15

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Choice · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
32	—	1,706	259.00–265.25	261.81

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
82	—	1,550	255.00–261.00	259.37
2	—	1,330	258.00	258.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Select and Choice · Certified Prgms$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,285	255.00	255.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Steers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
39	—	1,717	234.00–245.00	240.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Steers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,757	248.00–258.50	253.81

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.