Sale reports / Iowa / Tama Livestock Auction / 2026-03-18

Tama Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Tama, Iowa · Wed, Mar 18
● Final21 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2165
Receipts
138 head
89 vs last sale 227 32 vs year ago 170 · 18.8%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers 2.00 higher, slaughter cows no comparison due to low receipts. 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
BullsAverage825222.501,8361thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,270174.452,21511
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,612167.362,69818
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,037132.261,3718thin
HeifersChoiceAverage1,322242.953,21211
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,270239.293,03914
HeifersSelectAverage1,248223.002,7822thin
SteersChoiceAverage1,515243.273,68457
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,395236.783,3034thin
SteersSelectAverage1,152235.002,7073thin

Every lot, as filed

21 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
BullsLight Weight825222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,8361
CowsBoner 80-85%1,428154.71/cwt145.00–159.002,2095
CowsBoner 80-85%1,515134.00/cwt134.00–134.002,0301
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,635178.00/cwt178.00–178.002,9101
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,733157.50/cwt157.00–158.002,7292
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,685164.44/cwt160.00–169.002,77111
HeifersSelectReturn to Feed1,305222.00/cwt222.00–222.002,8971
HeifersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,212243.00/cwt243.00–243.002,9455
HeifersChoice1,322242.95/cwt240.50–245.003,21211
CowsBoner 80-85%Light Weight940211.52/cwt177.50–270.001,9883
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight868121.92/cwt118.00–130.001,0584
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,245188.40/cwt159.00–220.002,3462
SteersSelectReturn to Feed1,152235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,7073
SteersSelect and Choice1,395236.78/cwt236.00–239.503,3034
SteersChoiceHeavy Weight1,770233.00/cwt233.00–233.004,1241
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,346177.65/cwt169.00–190.002,3914
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,195147.22/cwt142.00–154.001,7592
CowsLean 85-90%1,215137.99/cwt137.00–139.001,6772
HeifersSelect1,190224.00/cwt224.00–224.002,6661
HeifersSelect and Choice1,302237.23/cwt234.00–238.003,0899
SteersChoice1,510243.45/cwt241.00–247.003,67656

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.