Sale reports / Iowa / Tama Livestock Auction / 2026-05-13

Tama Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Tama, Iowa · Wed, May 13
● Final17 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2165
Receipts
227 head
▲ 67 vs last sale 160▼ 2 vs year ago 229 · −0.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 3.25-4.25 higher, slaughter cow no comparison due to low receipts last week, however higher undertones were noticed. 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
Bulls—Average1,707224.353,82923
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,188192.532,28837
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,418187.842,66432
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,137149.851,7038thin
HeifersChoiceAverage1,363262.173,57352
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,325250.433,3185thin
HeifersSelectAverage1,100246.472,7114thin
SteersChoiceAverage1,431262.733,76052
SteersSelectAverage1,195258.503,0892thin
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,458254.933,7175thin

Every lot

17 lots · USDA AMS · Tama Livestock Slaughter Cattle - Tama, 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 · Steers3 lots · lightest first
Steers—SelectReturn to Feed1,195258.50/cwt258.00–259.003,0892
Steers—Choice1,431262.73/cwt259.00–266.003,76052
Steers—Select and Choice1,458254.93/cwt250.00–257.003,7175
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Heifers—SelectReturn to Feed1,100246.47/cwt240.00–250.002,7114
Heifers—Select and Choice1,325250.43/cwt241.00–258.003,3185
Heifers—Choice1,363262.17/cwt259.00–266.503,57352
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,240244.43/cwt235.00–260.003,0313
Bulls——1,743237.79/cwt230.00–248.004,14510
Bulls——1,810204.89/cwt168.00–214.003,70910
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight878263.19/cwt247.50–280.002,3113
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight980153.50/cwt153.50–153.501,5041
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,159149.33/cwt119.00–162.001,7317
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,169196.54/cwt175.00–280.002,29823
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,313164.89/cwt158.00–170.002,16511
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,350193.90/cwt180.00–225.002,61817
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,463177.85/cwt170.00–182.002,60210
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,561187.20/cwt186.00–189.002,9225

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.