X-bar, best way is to walk through the pens with a price sheet and look at the calves, it does not take long to figure out how the $5000 calves differs from the $1500 calves. The actual price is based off what a typical customer will pay for each type of calf. Some are over priced some are under priced but usually they are priced by type: county fair, state fair, Majors, and then the top end, middle or lower end of that type.
just like the range of calf types, you get the same range in buyers, cheap county fair calf, competitive county fair calf, a calf that will compete at state fair or a calf that might have a shot at winning it class. Then the name game comes into play: the bull, cow, and/or seller name, can drive the price up or down.