Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock Auction Market Report

Riverton, Wyoming · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 1, 2024

2,767 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Winter Livestock Auction report →

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $236.20/cwt ≈ $2,282/hd at 966 lb · 314 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $334.20/cwt ≈ $1,415/hd at 424 lb · 206 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $360.93/cwt +60.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,581/hd at 438 lb · 174 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,767 723 1,874
Feeder cattle 2,319 568 1,559
Slaughter cattle 259 90 130
Replacement cattle 189 65 185

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week ( Sept.24th) slaughter cows 3.00-7.00 higher, instances 12.00, slaughter bulls mostly steady. Feeder steers and heifers under 700 lbs lightly tested for an accurate market trend, with sharply higher overtones noted on reputation quality load lots. Over 700 lbs steers and heifers unevenly steady, load lot over 950 lbs sharply higher overtones noted on reputation quality offering. Demand good with good buyer attendance and participation. Friday cow sales will begin second week in October.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353 fancy 353 58 413.00 $413.00 $1,458 —
380–394 390 74 369.00–387.00 $373.20 $1,455 —
437–439 438 174 350.00–365.00 $360.93 $1,581 +60.93
457–490 472 78 275.00–331.00 $309.98 $1,463 —
502–510 508 84 301.00–327.00 $320.02 $1,626 +31.02
560–590 565 123 278.00–302.50 $296.74 $1,677 +24.74
602–622 609 76 259.00–282.00 $273.25 $1,664 +3.25
658–681 667 13 252.00–258.00 $255.64 $1,705 —
765–786 770 44 254.00–256.00 $254.46 $1,959 -3.20
828 828 70 248.50 $248.50 $2,058 +3.41
875 875 23 241.00 $241.00 $2,109 -6.50
931 931 6 135.00 $135.00 $1,257 -95.93
964–988 966 314 229.50–236.60 $236.20 $2,282 —
1248 1248 5 175.00 $175.00 $2,184 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
517 517 7 292.50 $292.50 $1,512 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
259–297 270 25 329.00–345.00 $337.02 $910 —
335 335 50 367.00 $367.00 $1,229 +37.00
419 fancy 419 128 359.00 $359.00 $1,504 —
411–448 431 78 281.00–304.00 $293.50 $1,265 —
452–484 465 32 301.00–320.00 $311.97 $1,451 —
513–549 525 86 246.00–257.50 $253.84 $1,333 +33.84
553–581 561 34 250.00–261.00 $257.65 $1,445 —
615 615 10 244.00 $244.00 $1,501 —
713 713 7 231.50 $231.50 $1,651 —
712–729 724 22 231.00–232.00 $231.31 $1,675 —
759–772 770 78 230.50–236.25 $235.23 $1,811 —
835 835 7 228.75 $228.75 $1,910 -6.90
961–987 972 22 197.00–199.00 $198.17 $1,926 —
1068 1068 16 197.00 $197.00 $2,104 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 20 281.00 $281.00 $947 —
463 463 9 244.00 $244.00 $1,130 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 29 320.00 $320.00 $1,104 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1355 1299 80-85% 13 105.00–114.00 $108.91 $1,415 —
1257–1435 1323 80-85% 7 92.00–99.00 $95.66 $1,266 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–1611 1498 75-80% 14 102.00–115.50 $108.51 $1,625 —
1570 1570 75-80% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,915 +11.81
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 85-90% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,238 —
880–1198 1133 85-90% 13 97.00–108.00 $105.47 $1,195 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1665 1576 17 124.00–135.00 $130.80 $2,061 —
1425–1915 1707 23 125.00–143.00 $132.97 $2,270 —
1817–2295 1977 4 146.00–151.50 $147.96 $2,925 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
957–1235 1008 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 41 120.25–138.00 $123.67 $1,247
999–1385 1096 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 67 108.10–118.50 $116.73 $1,279
1300–1503 1405 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 32 111.00–117.50 $113.43 $1,594

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1263 1263 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 32 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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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.