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August 2026 08/05/26 2:09:00 PM
8-19-2026
This past week saw more rain across our area. We had 3 and a half to 5 inches in the tri state area. Most places didn’t have much wind or storm, just rain but here were some areas that were damaged by high winds, hail or tornados. Those areas will take some time for clean up and to rebuild some structures. Hail may have had an impact on a few acres, but for the most part the crop is still there. Much of the areas corn and bean crop look incredibly good. There are always a few acres that look like it ran out of nutrients too soon or sat in too much water, but for the most part it looks good. The grass looks really strong with the warm rain we have had this summer. Hay looks good but has been a challenge to get it mowed and baled dry! I hope to catch a window this week to get back at the hay. We can still say we’re thankful for the rain rather than being too dry like some have been through this year.
Saturday’s sale had a small run of livestock in the morning, a regular outside sale and right at 1000 head of yearlings. The hog market was high on fat hogs and sows. It was steady on a handful of pigs. The top butcher were at $0.92 with the bulk of them at $0.75 to $0.80. Sows topped at $0.66 on some fat 600lb outdoor sows. The ole boars were still at $0.05 to $0.07.
The sheep and goat market was lower on a run of 450 head. The lambs weighing 50lb to 70lb sold from $2.80 to $3.20. The 70lb to 90lb were mostly $2.50 to $3.00. Ewes were at $0.80 to $1.20. Kid goats ranged from $3.50 to $4.00 on those 50lb to 70lb meat kids. The nannies were at $1.50 to $2.20. The billies brought $2.20 to $2.50. The feeder kids under 40lb were very active selling $125.00 to $185.00 per head.
The outside sale had a very small run of hay. The small squares held back with the rainy conditions and sold at $3.50 to $6.00. The big bales of nice mixed alfalfa grass hay hit a new high of $71.00 on 33 big round bales. A lot of miscellaneous items out front kept me busy until noon. I forgot Derek was gone this week, so after I checked my messages and remembered he was gone, I took off into the outside sale. We made it to almost the end and Jimmy came out and finished up the last of it, so I could start on the cattle at noon. Jimmy started his auction career on the miscellaneous type items years ago. It kinda helps bring back the past for him to step out and sell those items again!
The cattle sale was out annual yearling sale featuring several loads of fancy big, black yearling steers. The weather and some tough negative news in the market made it a challenge again this year. One this for sure is the cattle looked the part and were in the very best that comes out of this area every year! The loads in the early 900lb weights sold at $3.22 to $3.26. The loads on both sides of the 100lb were at $3.14 to $3.15 and the heavy weights at 1077lb brought $3.04. It was an awesome display of high-quality yearling cattle to say the least. Thank you to all the buyers who had the guts to stay in the market and buy them! Thank you for all the sellers for their hard work and dedications to bringing out the very best product they can produce!
It’s a regular sale this coming Saturday and then Saturday the 29th will be a cow/feeder special.
Have a dandy week!
8-12-2026
August weather is hot and humid here in southeast Iowa! We are rarely below 70% humidity this week and always 90-100% humidity in the mornings. Day time highs are up in the 90’s and have made it very uncomfortable for man and beast. It’s not as nasty as it was a couple weeks ago, but it sure uncomfortable in the afternoon! We received an inch of rain Friday night and another half inch here in Keosauqua on Wednesday morning. We are in great shape for moisture to finish up the summer with! The forecast looks to ease up on the temperatures going into the weekend and a couple more chances of rain Friday and Saturday.
The hog sale had a very large run at over 300 head last Saturday. The market was steady on all classes. Big sows sold at $0.53 to $0.56 and lighter sows were in the $0.40’s. Fat hogs topped at $0.87 with the bulk of them at $0.70 to $0.75. Feeder pigs were steady at just over $1.00 per pound for all weights.
The sheep and goat run had 650 head. The lamb market was stronger on lambs under 60ls with a range of $3.20 to $3.70 per pound. The 70lb to 90lb lambs were mostly $2.56 to $3.30 per pound and fat lambs sold from $2.50 to $2.90 per pound. The weigh up ewes were $1.00 to $1.40 on the nicer kind and under $1.00 on rougher ewes. For several years those ole’ girls int eh heat of summer would be $0.30 or less!
The goat market did not move up like the lambs did. The 40lb to 60lb kids were $3.50 to $4.10. The heavier weights were at $3.20 to $3.50 per pound. Nannies sold from $1.70 to $2.25 per pound and billies were at $2.00 to $2.50 per pound.
The outside sale had a light run of hay. The square bales that got hit with an inch of rain overnight sold from $1.00 to $2.50. The morning hay that was dry sold at $4.00 to $7.00 per bale. The big round bales were lower at the $35.00 to $50.00 range this week. Big squares sold at $40.00 to $55.00. Hay has been a battle to get up dry the past 30 days, with high humidity and the showers. Several fields of 3rd cutting alfalfa are still standing in full bloom and turning yellow!
Miscellaneous items were a full assortment of items again. From old hedge, machinery items, four wheelers, barrels, panels and just about everything you can imagine and even some things you can’t imagine!
The cattle sale featured some fall bred cows and bred heifers. It kicked off with some baby calves bringing $500 to $1400. The baldie fall bred heifers sold at $5000. The bulk of those cows aged from 4yrs to 8yrs old due to calve in the next 90 days brought $3750 to $4200. The dvauction buyers were very active purchasing 75% of the cows online. There was a lighter run of feeders this weekend. The weigh cow market was steady to maybe a couple dollars lower with the yield of the cows probably the significant factor from week to week. The top cows were still over $1.90. Feeding cows and heiferettes at $2.00 to $3.10. Big bulls topped at $2.47 on a good ton bull. One angus 2yr old breeding bull brought $5800.
The 5G crew went through another group of heifers this week. There was 14% open and 76% AI bred. The heifers look good and will be a very nice set to have in the December 2nd production sale. They have 2 more groups to get through in the next few days to finish them up for this year. The weather has been very cooperative on those early morning preg checks, staying cool and not raining!
Curt and Lauren were blessed with a new baby last Thursday! A 9lb baby boy named “Leo Vern”. They’re all home and doing well. That makes 5 girls and 3 boys in the grandchild inventory! We are very thankful for them all and the blessing they are!
We have a great line up of yearlings coming up this Saturday featuring Phil & Melissa Peitz steers. This is a very outstanding, well-cared for set of steers that will feed as good as any in the country. Come take a look and enjoy watching a great set of cattle going through the sale ring Saturday afternoon.
Have a dandy week!
8-5-2026
The past week has been warm, but not horrible. Temperatures are mostly staying in the 80’s for highs and 60’s overnight. We are starting to pick up some much needed rain. We had 0.75 inch last Friday night and then 1.4 inches on Wednesday morning. So far it’s all came nice and easy and its really doing a lot of good. The corn and beans look very good here at this time. The corn should be over the hump on moisture for the summer. The beans will need some more towards the last half of August to finish them up. The pastures and hay will truly benefit from this early August moisture and will help get us on into early fall in awfully good shape. We are thankful for that!
Saturday had a decent run of hogs to kick things off again. The fat hogs selling from $0.65 to $0.75 on the better kind of outside hogs. The sows were slightly better at $0.52 to $0.56 on over 500lb and lighters sows were at $0.40 to $0.50. Big boars were at $0.07 and butcher hogs were at $0.38 to $0.45. A couple nice sets of pigs all selling over $1.00 per pound.
The sheep and goat auction had a very good quality offering. The lambs were from 60lb to 80lb were at $2.90 to $3.30. Fat lambs sold at $2.75 to $3.00. Culle ewes were mostly $0.80 to $1.10. Goats weighing 50lb to 80lb brought $3.50 to $4.10. Nannies were mostly $1.50 to $1.80. Big billies sold from $2.20 to $2.50 per pound. Feeder goats ranged from $85.00 to $160.00 per pound for some weighing under 40lb. Some of these were needing a health care plan.
The outside sale had small squares at $1.50 to $4.50 and straw at $1.00 to $2.50 per bale. It all had plenty of rain on it. The big rounds sold at $37.50 to $60.00 and big square at $45.00 to $60.00. Not as much hay in the sale this week. The miscellaneous sale had a big run and a terrific crowd out there again this week. The rabbits got up to $12.00 to $15.00, the foremost 150 chute brought $5250 and the older powder river chute brought $2000. Really good interest in all the outside merchandise this week.
The cattle sale had baby calves bringing from $600 to $1400. There was no test on head cows. The feeder market was stronger on about 120 head. The weigh up cows and bulls were steady to slightly stronger this week. The big fed 3-5yr old cows going as high at $2.20. There were lots of good fleshed cows selling at $1.80 to $1.90 this week. The bulls topped at $2.54 on good yielding 2100lb lean heavy muscled bull. I would expect the market to remain very good through August. Generally, this month will be the high and it will ease up after Labor Day. If you have cows to market I would watch it and be ready to move them. Cull cows add a substantial income to a cow/calf producers bottom line when marketed on time. Letting cows go too long in the herd can sure take income out of the enterprise!
Curt and Lauren are getting ready to add a new member to the family this week! I’m sure Lauren is ready and Dad and the kids are excited as well!
I got a little anxious and went to mowing hay Sunday. When I started I thought the forecast was good until Wednesday evening and we would be okay to get it baled dry. It was grass and clover and 50 acres of 3rd cutting alfalfa. The alfalfa was starting to have some yellow leaves and was shrinking up in full bloom. It was sure needing mowed. Monday the forecast changed and was calling for rain Tuesday night. We went ahead and baled it wet and wrapped the alfalfa.
It’s a cow sale this Saturday. We are expecting over 100 head and a nice 2 year old angus bull.
We are having a feeder expecting coming next week August 15th!
Have a dandy week.
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