Cattle Market Pulse

Southwest Direct Cattle Report (AZ/CA/NV) Market Report

California · USDA-reported Direct Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 21, 2024

645 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Southwest Direct Cattle Report (AZ/CA/NV) report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $245.08/cwt ≈ $1,635/hd at 667 lb · 102 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $221.89/cwt ≈ $1,720/hd at 775 lb · 77 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $210.34/cwt ≈ $1,315/hd at 625 lb · 55 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 645 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
612 612 9 232.72 $232.72 $1,424 —
653–675 667 102 240.34–253.40 $245.08 $1,635 —
740 740 48 239.03 $239.03 $1,769 —
775 775 32 238.48 $238.48 $1,848 —
882 882 23 230.50 $230.50 $2,033 —
900 900 19 195.34 $195.34 $1,758 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 55 210.34 $210.34 $1,315 —
775 775 77 219.34–225.48 $221.89 $1,720 —

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Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 280 350.00 $350.00 $1,225 +42.00

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What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.