Sale reports / Iowa / Tama Livestock Auction / 2026-08-12

Tama Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Tama, Iowa · Wed, Aug 12
● Final14 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2165
Receipts
260 head
47 vs last sale 307 93 vs year ago 353 · 26.3%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers 3.00 lower, Choice heifers were steady, slaughter cows were too lightly tested to make an accurate market trend. 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
BullsAverage1,681214.613,60811
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,579182.672,88519
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,456169.402,46614
CowsLean 85-90%Average973139.481,3564thin
HeifersChoiceAverage1,309237.393,10722
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,291233.043,00955
SteersSelectAverage1,085240.362,6082thin
SteersChoiceAverage1,516236.233,58138
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,302233.073,03451

Every lot, as filed

14 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
SteersChoice1,516236.23/cwt235.00–238.253,58138
HeifersChoice1,309237.39/cwt235.50–242.003,10722
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight855146.04/cwt140.00–153.001,2492
CowsLean 85-90%1,090132.92/cwt131.00–135.001,4492
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,384184.06/cwt178.00–196.002,5476
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,700178.31/cwt173.00–186.003,03110
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,567194.43/cwt188.00–206.003,0473
CowsBoner 80-85%1,456169.40/cwt160.00–175.002,46614
SteersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed1,263232.50/cwt232.50–232.502,9369
HeifersSelect and Choice1,291233.04/cwt230.00–234.003,00955
SteersSelect and Choice1,310233.19/cwt222.00–234.753,05542
SteersSelectReturn to Feed1,085240.36/cwt225.00–258.002,6082
BullsReturn to Feed1,295212.50/cwt212.50–212.502,7521
Bulls1,720214.82/cwt177.50–235.003,69510

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.