A livestock market study to identify the typology ofrnlivestock markets, to estimate marketing margins and mareketrnparticipants ' share in the distribution of income from live stockrntrade and t o identify factors determining cattle pricesrnwas made using a case study method . Seven livestock markets,rnlocated along the trade route from bele (Arssi) to Addis Ababa,rnwere selected. Data on cattle prices, factors identified torndetermine cattle prices, market costs and factors specifiedrnto characterize market types were collected . Cattle pricesrnwere deseasonalized using price indices in order to removernthe seasonal component. A semi-log general model was fittedrnto both adjusted and unadjusted price data in order to seernthe relationship between cattle prices and factors determiningrncattle prices. The Chow test was conducted to seernwhether or not the same type of factors which determine cattlernprices are to be found in all types of livestock markets .rnThe results indicate that the livestock markets of therncountry can be classified as primary , secondary and terminalrnon the basis of such classificatory criteria as type of marketrnparticipants , reseasons for purchase , type of cattle marketed ,rnmode of transaction and location of the market place . Thernshare of producers in the final price of cattle was found tornbe affected by the distance of the location of the producersrnwith respect to the terminal market . Those producers locatedrnrelatively nearer to the terminal market received higherrnshare than those located far from the terminal market . Inrnthe regression analysis, the coefficients of the variablesrn.' ."rnidentified to determine cattle prices were found to berndifferent among market types . It was further noted thatrnthe cattle marketing system of the country is inefficientrn..rndue to lack of market information, poor trekking arrangementsrnand inadequate market facilities . The study , therefore ,rnconcluded by pointing out policy measures to be pursuedrnin order to promote the efficiency of the domestic cattlernmarketing system of the country.