Sale reports / Iowa / Sheldon Livestock Auction / 2026-04-30

Sheldon Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Sheldon, Iowa · Thu, Apr 30
● Final23 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2154
Receipts
628 head
373 vs last sale 255 628 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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 10.00-12.00 higher. Choice slaughter heifers 9.00-10.00 higher. The auction consisted of two loads, half loads and plenty of smaller strings. Good demand on this large offering of quality cattle.

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 HeifersChoiceAverage1,542245.513,7865thin
Beef/Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,671250.524,1869thin
Beef/Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,618243.133,9345thin
Dairy HeifersChoiceAverage1,578225.003,5513thin
Dairy HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,624214.273,48029
Dairy SteersChoiceAverage1,594227.603,62812
Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,652223.313,68932
HeifersChoiceAverage1,441260.713,756186
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,369256.793,51665
SteersChoiceAverage1,570259.324,071158
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,479254.873,77067

Every lot, as filed

23 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
HeifersChoice1,439260.82/cwt258.75–263.503,753162
HeifersSelect and Choice1,398255.78/cwt253.00–257.503,57656
HeifersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,190263.04/cwt255.00–265.503,1309
HeifersChoiceCertified Prgms1,334260.13/cwt256.00–261.003,47014
HeifersChoiceHeavy Weight1,619259.74/cwt257.00–260.504,20510
SteersChoice1,450258.82/cwt256.00–261.003,75339
Dairy SteersSelect and Choice1,717219.55/cwt218.00–222.003,77027
Beef/Dairy SteersChoice1,671250.52/cwt247.00–252.504,1869
Beef/Dairy SteersSelect and Choice1,618243.13/cwt241.00–244.003,9345
Beef/Dairy HeifersChoice1,542245.51/cwt243.50–246.003,7865
SteersChoiceCertified Prgms1,386258.90/cwt258.00–261.003,58816
SteersSelect and ChoiceCertified Prgms1,388252.01/cwt250.00–262.003,49820
Dairy HeifersChoice1,578225.00/cwt225.00–225.003,5513
Dairy HeifersSelect and Choice1,624214.27/cwt212.00–216.003,48029
Dairy SteersChoice1,594227.60/cwt225.00–231.003,62812
SteersChoice1,552260.26/cwt258.00–262.504,03926
Dairy SteersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,301243.62/cwt235.00–246.003,1695
SteersChoiceHeavy Weight1,673258.93/cwt255.00–260.004,33269
SteersSelect and ChoiceHeavy Weight1,742253.00/cwt253.00–253.004,40716
SteersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,284267.45/cwt264.00–277.003,4348
SteersSelect and Choice1,433254.32/cwt254.00–254.503,64421
SteersSelect and Choice1,550254.01/cwt253.00–255.003,9372
SteersChoiceCertified Prgms1,693263.00/cwt263.00–263.004,4538

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.