Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock Auction (Seasonal) Market Report

Riverton, Wyoming · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 28, 2026

742 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $415.23/cwt ≈ $2,990/hd at 720 lb · 148 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $426.58/cwt ≈ $2,468/hd at 579 lb · 76 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $365.00/cwt ≈ $2,825/hd at 774 lb · 25 head
Riverton, WY 7-weight steers sold at $412/cwt, $23/cwt below the WY average ($435) and $37/cwt under Wyoming-Nebraska Direct Cattle Report ($449). The class has been flat since late April, when it peaked at $439/cwt. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 742 152 0
Feeder cattle 453 — 0
Slaughter cattle 34 — 0
Replacement cattle 255 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday selling all cattle classes; slaughter cows limited test mostly steady, slaughter bulls steady instances 2.00 lower with feeder cows steady with instances lower undertones noted. Several cow/calf pair packages with older calves at side higher overtones noted, few with smaller or individual packages mostly steady. Packages of yearling steers and load lots of replacement quality heifers being sold early due to dry conditions in area. Prices uneven with no comparisons for select weights selling. Demand good with good buyer participation.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
600–602 601 12 425.00–435.00 $430.83 $2,589
656 656 24 442.25 $442.25 $2,901
710–725 720 148 413.35–419.00 $415.23 $2,990
765–790 776 24 374.75–410.00 $393.56 $3,054
841 841 18 331.00 $331.00 $2,784
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
530 530 10 450.00 $450.00 $2,385

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
575 575 7 405.00 $405.00 $2,329
572–599 579 69 401.00–433.25 $428.77 $2,483
625 625 12 405.00 $405.00 $2,531
721 721 16 366.50 $366.50 $2,642
774 774 25 365.00 $365.00 $2,825
875 875 5 317.00 $317.00 $2,774
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
526 526 12 395.00 $395.00 $2,078

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1405–1430 1418 75-80% 2 151.00–152.00 $151.50 $2,148
1595–1817 1721 75-80% 6 162.50–166.50 $164.94 $2,839
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–1152 1073 85-90% 3 141.00–152.00 $144.13 $1,547

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1175–1510 1307 4 191.00–218.00 $210.47 $2,751
1555–1995 1675 4 201.00–211.50 $205.94 $3,449
1520–2065 1794 4 211.00–219.50 $216.68 $3,887

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920–1150 1072 (<2 yrs)Open 13 237.00–279.00 $258.81 $2,774
990–1293 1194 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 201.00–222.00 $212.02 $2,532
1075–1340 1272 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 167.00–179.00 $175.43 $2,231
1125–1367 1273 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 24 181.00–195.00 $187.65 $2,389
1325–1587 1492 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 17 170.00–186.00 $176.32 $2,631
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1122–1251 1165 (<2 yrs)Open 13 225.00–243.00 $237.77 $2,770

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 3,450.00 $3,450.00
1155–1325 1234 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 3,500.00–3,900.00 $3,738.56
1225–1555 1306 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 2,500.00–3,200.00 $2,649.25
1405 1405 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1705 1705 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 3,250.00 $3,250.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 18 3,850.00 $3,850.00
1262–1361 1280 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 49 4,700.00–5,125.00 $5,042.01
1209–1552 1307 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 14 4,000.00 $4,000.00
1010–1590 1372 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 5 3,000.00–3,500.00 $3,215.74
1471 1471 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 3,500.00 $3,500.00
1545 1545 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00
1649 1649 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 4,325.00 $4,325.00
1780 1780 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,800.00 $3,800.00

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Reading this report

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.