Cattle Market Pulse

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

California · USDA-reported Direct Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 12, 2026 Corrected report

8,170 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.78/cwt ≈ $2,404/hd at 940 lb · 100 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 8,170 — —

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 100 255.78 $255.78 $2,404 —

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Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1,155 492.00–496.00 $494.60 $1,607 +4.60
325 325 4,485 495.00–500.00 $495.50 $1,610 +5.50
350 350 135 475.00 $475.00 $1,662 +25.00
350 350 945 462.00–475.00 $469.43 $1,643 +19.43
350 350 1,350 467.00–475.00 $471.00 $1,648 +21.00

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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.