Sale reports / Iowa / Tama Livestock Auction / 2026-01-16

Tama Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Tama, Iowa · Fri, Jan 16
● Final38 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2144
Receipts
1,965 head
▼ 553 vs last sale 2,518▲ 1,000 vs year ago 965 · +103.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Special Precondition calf sale: Compared to last Friday sale. Steers 600-699 lbs mixed, 700-749 lbs 12.00 higher, 750- 850 lbs 1.00-5.00 lower, Heifers 600-649 lbs steady, 650-699 lbs 9.00 higher, 700-749 lbs mostly steady, 750-799 lbs 16.00 lower. Trade active. Demand good in the stands and online.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $417.02/cwt on 68 head. That ranks 1 of 1 comparable sales and sits −53.14 against this barn's trailing median of $470.16.
Average price
$417.02
68 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,299
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$163
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$36.19/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−52.17
vs IA average
−54.96 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549426.602,34250
Medium and Large 1-2558390.412,17818thin
One grade step is worth $36.19/cwt here — about $163 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale68 hd
417.02
—
IA average9 barns · 1,717 hd
469.19
−52.17
National average187 barns · 29,067 hd
471.98
−54.96
This barn, trailing median1 sales
470.16
−53.14
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Every lot

38 lots · USDA AMS · Tama Livestock Feeder Cattle Special - 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
Feeder Cattle · Steers19 lots · lightest first
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1471483.84/cwt462.50–502.502,2799
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2483410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,9802
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1524441.54/cwt430.00–500.002,31426
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530403.85/cwt325.00–419.002,1409
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1576410.42/cwt400.00–420.002,36424
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2586376.97/cwt357.50–395.002,2099
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1624405.39/cwt381.00–417.502,530102
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2643377.99/cwt357.50–390.002,4309
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2668344.06/cwt305.00–375.002,2986
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1681392.57/cwt371.00–403.002,673141
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1728387.02/cwt373.00–395.002,818142
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2728346.14/cwt300.00–352.502,52011
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1774367.10/cwt348.00–378.002,841104
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2781342.82/cwt330.00–355.002,67714
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1826342.32/cwt331.00–350.002,828268
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1869335.41/cwt328.00–342.502,915128
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1902323.91/cwt323.00–324.002,92222
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2923291.25/cwt290.00–292.502,6882
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1952335.00/cwt335.00–335.003,1895
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1427422.50/cwt422.50–422.501,8043
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2469390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,8294
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1477426.95/cwt410.00–435.002,03724
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1519400.86/cwt385.00–427.502,08036
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2535322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,7254
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2578356.45/cwt302.50–361.002,06031
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1589384.10/cwt363.00–400.002,26267
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2600292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,7552
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1630366.39/cwt350.00–382.002,308143
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1667356.31/cwt350.00–357.502,37741
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2670330.52/cwt322.50–335.002,21412
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2718300.46/cwt295.00–310.002,15713
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1726332.94/cwt320.00–343.002,417186
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1789315.95/cwt314.00–327.002,493116
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1803314.00/cwt314.00–314.002,52142
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2840299.25/cwt296.00–302.502,5142
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1865299.77/cwt290.00–315.002,59336
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1917286.18/cwt267.50–297.502,6248
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1998260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,5952

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.