Sale reports / Iowa / Sheldon Livestock Auction / 2024-05-02

Sheldon Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Sheldon, Iowa · Thu, May 2
● Final17 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2154
Receipts
528 head
91 vs last sale 437 96 vs year ago 432 · +22.2%
Also sold hereFeeder Cattle SpecialThu Aug 20, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to the sale two weeks ago: Choice slaughter steers were steady, with heavyweights bringing 1.00-4.00 higher. Dairy steers 1.00-2.00 higher today. Dairy beef steers on an upward trend, but not enough numbers last sale for comparison. Choice slaughter heifers steady to 2.00 lower. Load lot of choice steers and many smaller strings in the offering today. With rain a constant in our area, no field work is being done. Trailers were lined up unloading cattle today, and the arena was full. Good demand.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Beef/Dairy HeifersChoiceAverage1,368176.202,41012
Beef/Dairy HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,370170.242,33210
Beef/Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,549179.572,78135
Beef/Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,689173.872,93711
Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,623162.602,63950
Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,652154.262,54812
HeifersChoiceAverage1,408183.752,587110
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,329178.902,37732
SteersChoiceAverage1,567185.162,901172
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,268181.002,2953thin

Every lot, as filed

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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
SteersChoice1,439183.09/cwt180.00–185.002,63539
Beef/Dairy SteersSelect and Choice1,689173.87/cwt172.00–175.502,93711
SteersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,268181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,2953
Dairy SteersSelect and Choice1,652154.26/cwt154.00–155.002,54812
Dairy SteersChoice1,623162.60/cwt159.00–165.002,63950
Beef/Dairy SteersChoice1,554179.79/cwt177.00–182.002,79433
HeifersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,167176.49/cwt174.50–181.002,06010
Beef/Dairy HeifersChoice1,347176.07/cwt174.00–178.002,3726
HeifersChoiceCertified Prgms1,444184.86/cwt182.50–185.502,66916
HeifersSelect and Choice1,402180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,52422
SteersChoice1,556187.35/cwt183.50–188.252,91548
SteersChoiceCertified Prgms1,590185.61/cwt184.25–186.252,95139
SteersChoiceHeavy Weight1,667184.25/cwt182.00–186.753,07146
Beef/Dairy SteersChoiceCertified Prgms1,458176.00/cwt176.00–176.002,5662
HeifersChoice1,402183.56/cwt182.25–186.252,57494
Beef/Dairy HeifersChoiceCertified Prgms1,389176.32/cwt175.00–177.002,4496
Beef/Dairy HeifersSelect and Choice1,370170.24/cwt170.00–170.502,33210

How this sale compares

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.