Sale reports / Iowa / Tama Livestock Auction / 2026-09-23

Tama Livestock Auction

Slaughter Cattle · Tama, Iowa · Wed, Sep 23
● Final18 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2165
Receipts
533 head
▲ 107 vs last sale 426▲ 35 vs year ago 498 · +7.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Slaughter cattle sale today: Compared to last week. Choice steers and heifers were 2.25-2.50 lower, slaughter cows no comparison due to low receipts last week. Trade active. Demand moderate to 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
Bulls—Low1,811190.073,44213
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,425162.382,31513
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,326156.592,07724
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,223126.391,54618
HeifersChoiceAverage1,370221.473,034145
HeifersSelectAverage1,017218.172,21920
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,274218.002,77728
SteersChoiceAverage1,474221.383,263181
SteersSelectAverage1,117220.912,46815
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,333217.202,89625

Every lot, as filed

18 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
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,370146.37/cwt138.00–154.002,00515
SteersChoice—1,474221.38/cwt219.00–225.503,263181
HeifersChoice—1,370221.47/cwt220.00–225.003,034145
CowsLean 85-90%—1,273127.20/cwt117.00–139.001,61916
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight—825119.95/cwt116.00–125.009902
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed—1,375169.11/cwt159.00–184.002,3255
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,494133.34/cwt125.00–140.001,9924
Bulls——1,750120.00/cwt120.00–120.002,1001
Bulls——1,915213.56/cwt212.00–215.004,0902
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,457158.18/cwt153.00–162.002,3058
CowsBoner 80-85%Light Weight—975195.31/cwt192.50–198.001,9042
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,117212.86/cwt190.00–232.002,3783
SteersSelect and Choice—1,366218.08/cwt215.00–219.002,97919
HeifersSelect and Choice—1,274218.00/cwt215.00–219.752,77728
SteersSelect and ChoiceReturn to Feed—1,229214.42/cwt213.00–215.002,6356
SteersSelectReturn to Feed—1,117220.91/cwt211.00–228.002,46815
HeifersSelectReturn to Feed—1,017218.17/cwt200.00–227.752,21920
Bulls——1,796192.38/cwt161.00–210.003,45510

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.