CLARA LIVE: š After Big Thursday Drop, Cash Market Roars Back with Record Prices Nationwide š
Dunlap Livestock Auction (Dunlap, IA) marked its 75th Anniversary BBQ & Calf/Yearling Auction with a truly historic saleāone of the most significant days in barn, state, and national cattle market history. On Friday, the barn posted 35 all-time barn records, along with 28 Iowa state records and an incredible 9 national records, making it a day that will be remembered for generations in the cattle industry.
The 7-weight category was especially notable: 66 head at 701 lbs brought $385.50 ā a new barn record and the 6th highest 7-weight price ever recorded in the U.S. š„ Dunlap Livestock Delivers Sale of a Lifetime on 75th Anniversary š„Manhattan Commission Company (Manhattan, KS) delivered one of its most spectacular sales on record Friday, August 1, 2025, setting 27 new barn records in a single day. Most notably, two 7-weight steer draftsā73 head at 705 lbs and 72 head at 707 lbsāeach brought $385.00/cwt, setting a new barn high and now ranking 8th and 9th all-time nationally for 7-weights. This sale also established new benchmarks in the 3, 7, 8, and 9-weight categories, cementing Manhattanās role as a bellwether for Southern Plains feeder cattle pricing.
Cottonwood Livestock in Cottonwood, ID had an outstanding sale on Friday, August 1st, setting ten new barn records and showcasing some of the strongest cattle ever sold at the facility. Their 9-weight steers led the charge, including 105 head at 941 lbs bringing $313.00/cwt, 108 head at 962 lbs at $307.00/cwt, and 73 head at 922 lbs also hitting $307.00/cwtāranking among the top four 9-weight sales in barn history.
Fort Scott Livestock (Fort Scott, KS) delivered another standout sale on Saturday, August 2nd, continuing its strong run of market-setting momentum. The barn saw new all-time highs across multiple weight classes, including a record-setting 8-weight sale of 65 head at 844 lbs bringing $333.50/cwt.
Futures climbed sharply Friday, with CME August Feeder Cattle gaining $3.20 to settle at $334.575/cwt, yet the cash market continued to outpace the board. The RTI 7-Day Feeder Index rose to $337.78, while the National Steer Price surged to $340.53, now holding a $5.96 premium over futures.
CME Feeder Cattle (AUG): $334.575 (+3.20) 
RTI Feeder Index (7-Day): $337.78 (+0.62) 
National Steer Price: $340.53 (+1.68)
Feeder cattle sales on Friday were led by Dunlap, IA, which moved 3,555 head, followed by Manhattan, KS with 1,468 head. Mankato, KS reported 777 head, while Tri-State in Abingdon, VA and Cottonwood, ID sold 724 and 696 head, respectively. Receipts on Friday were up 28% compared to last Friday.
8-Weight Record Book Shattered: Dunlap and Manhattan Lead Historic Surge
The record book for 8-weight steers was completely rewritten on Friday, August 1, 2025. In a historic display of market strength, Dunlap Livestock now holds the highest price ever recorded for 800ā899 lb steers, selling a load of 812 lb cattle for an astonishing $369.25/cwt. But the story didnāt end thereāManhattan Livestock Commission unleashed a flurry of high-dollar sales that shattered existing benchmarks, setting four new all-time records in a single day. Their lots brought $362.00, $356.50, $353.50, and $352.50/cwt, ranging from 803 to 849 lbs. In total, five new records were set across just two barns on Friday alone, a rare feat that underscores the fierce competition for quality feeder cattle.
