Cattle Market Pulse

Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 27, 2021

5,337 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary report →

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $147.77/cwt ≈ $1,221/hd at 826 lb · 281 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $146.11/cwt -10.16 vs last sale · ≈ $840/hd at 575 lb · 193 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $150.14/cwt -8.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,156/hd at 770 lb · 184 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,337 3,734 7,944
Feeder cattle 4,219 2,604 5,825
Slaughter cattle 730 959 1,653
Replacement cattle 388 171 466

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Combined weighted average report for 3 Colorado auction markets included: Winter Livestock, La Junta Livestock, and Livestock Exchange. Trade activity and demand moderate on feeder calves, good on yearlings. Feeder steers under 550 lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 4.00 lower on a light test, 550-700 lbs 10.00 to 12.00 lower, and over 700 lbs sold mostly 7.00 to 8.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 700 lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher and over 700 lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Trade activity and demand moderate to good on slaughter cows and bulls. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 higher, slaughter bulls 2.00 higher. Due to the upcoming holiday, the next available report will be Tuesday, October 12, 2021.

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
313–318 316 27 197.00–212.00 $202.17 $639 -8.08
370–377 371 36 186.00–190.50 $189.74 $704 -14.27
402–446 415 79 182.00–186.00 $184.17 $764 -4.16
451–491 470 71 175.00–185.00 $179.42 $843 +2.64
500 thin fleshed 500 16 172.00 $172.00 $860 —
510–537 524 139 160.50–167.00 $163.64 $857 -1.37
550–590 574 179 139.50–151.50 $146.28 $840 -9.99
587 587 14 144.00 $144.00 $845 -12.27
600–643 unweaned 620 171 131.00–154.00 $148.95 $923 +3.11
650–687 unweaned 663 63 130.50–145.00 $137.29 $910 -18.21
668 fancy 668 27 154.50 $154.50 $1,032 —
657–682 675 69 139.00–149.50 $142.67 $963 -11.66
701 unweaned 701 7 142.50 $142.50 $999 -6.00
705–720 715 14 143.00–152.00 $146.85 $1,050 -6.97
750 unweaned 750 11 140.00 $140.00 $1,050 —
750–789 771 173 143.50–153.10 $150.79 $1,163 -8.09
800–848 826 281 141.50–151.00 $147.77 $1,221 —
858–890 872 153 135.00–148.00 $144.85 $1,263 -7.16
916–935 930 72 139.00–143.10 $141.78 $1,319 -6.65
951–979 964 124 132.50–143.75 $137.81 $1,328 -1.26
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311 311 10 188.00 $188.00 $585 —
419 419 6 171.00 $171.00 $716 —
454–467 458 6 162.00–163.00 $162.66 $745 -11.34
520 520 4 138.00 $138.00 $718 -27.00
518–547 530 17 148.00–153.00 $150.87 $800 -14.13
692–694 692 58 149.00–153.00 $149.62 $1,035 —
748 748 57 152.50 $152.50 $1,141 —
755 755 56 147.50 $147.50 $1,114 —
1034 1034 5 110.00 $110.00 $1,137 —
1174 1174 7 85.00 $85.00 $998 —
1335 1335 3 80.00 $80.00 $1,068 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 8 157.00 $157.00 $699 —
686 686 7 144.00 $144.00 $988 —
705 705 12 130.00 $130.00 $916 —
1109–1140 1122 34 70.00–80.00 $75.88 $851 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775 775 11 112.50 $112.50 $872 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351 351 17 167.00 $167.00 $586 +9.71
400–419 413 22 151.00–153.00 $151.62 $626 +6.31
462–489 472 74 140.00–151.00 $145.61 $687 +2.63
500–548 517 44 136.00–150.00 $142.39 $736 -0.76
551–592 578 69 135.00–150.00 $143.76 $831 +5.12
604–632 unweaned 620 49 129.00–139.00 $135.48 $840 —
636 636 17 144.50 $144.50 $919 -6.56
656–688 669 21 136.00–141.00 $139.02 $930 +4.27
691 unweaned 691 5 135.00 $135.00 $933 -2.50
702–731 725 50 134.00–141.75 $138.51 $1,004 -3.49
800–840 818 109 133.00–139.25 $135.99 $1,112 -1.74
855–898 882 74 129.00–133.50 $132.49 $1,169 -2.82
910–934 932 32 122.00–133.50 $130.48 $1,216 -6.52
951 951 14 127.50 $127.50 $1,213 -3.59
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 6 165.00 $165.00 $512 —
385–399 391 23 158.00–162.00 $160.45 $627 -1.55
406 406 4 152.00 $152.00 $617 —
458–485 472 33 142.50–145.00 $143.68 $678 -10.75
526–535 531 15 134.00–139.50 $136.96 $727 -7.84
532 532 3 134.00 $134.00 $713 -10.80
597 597 7 140.00 $140.00 $836 +8.25
656–665 unweaned 659 12 122.00–130.50 $127.64 $841 —
689 689 19 138.00 $138.00 $951 —
705 705 3 125.00 $125.00 $881 -15.00
753 753 4 125.00 $125.00 $941 -12.77
776 776 18 130.50 $130.50 $1,013 -7.27
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
531–538 535 20 139.00–141.00 $139.79 $748 —
575–577 576 36 136.00–136.50 $136.18 $784 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623 623 9 80.00 $80.00 $498 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740 740 4 130.00 $130.00 $962 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 4 130.00 $130.00 $670 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235 1235 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,124 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 5 170.00 $170.00 $619 —
452–483 457 19 149.00–153.00 $152.33 $696 —
750 750 6 115.00 $115.00 $862 —
822 822 8 107.00 $107.00 $880 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
616 616 7 93.00 $93.00 $573 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1708 1355 80-85% 112 52.00–67.00 $59.30 $804 —
1200–1678 1371 80-85% 111 70.00–77.50 $74.69 $1,024 —
1068–1675 1446 80-85% 80 62.00–76.00 $67.33 $974 -4.07
1319–1780 1505 80-85% 18 35.00–48.00 $42.94 $646 —
1375–1595 1516 80-85% 16 75.50–86.00 $77.90 $1,181 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1140 1041 85-90% 7 76.00–78.00 $77.28 $804 +41.98
870–1385 1126 85-90% 100 46.00–58.00 $53.49 $602 -20.19
805–1455 1150 85-90% 21 20.00–46.00 $30.69 $353 -21.71
1125–1195 1169 85-90% 7 66.50–70.00 $67.70 $791 +15.30
850–1320 1174 85-90% 65 57.00–68.00 $60.18 $707 +7.78
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1800 1461 75-80% 42 61.00–70.00 $67.03 $979 —
1355–1855 1615 75-80% 64 71.00–82.00 $75.34 $1,217 +10.10
1635–1815 1719 75-80% 9 78.00–86.50 $83.89 $1,442 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1855 1630 12 70.00–81.50 $76.38 $1,245 —
1425–2310 1869 40 82.00–98.00 $87.55 $1,636 —
1710–2265 2055 7 90.00–97.00 $93.36 $1,919 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1018–1905 1365 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 124 62.50–72.00 $66.51 $908
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1103 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 88.00 $88.00 $971

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980–1225 1103 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 910.00–960.00 $932.22
977–1219 1108 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 28 1,350.00–1,425.00 $1,382.14
1065–1413 1282 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,175.00–1,250.00 $1,199.65
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1210–1430 1294 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 15 860.00–935.00 $911.92

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
867 867 3 93.00 $93.00 $806 +2.50
975–997 991 15 91.50–94.50 $93.40 $926 +1.77
1000–1028 1019 3 94.50 $94.50 $963 +2.51
1055–1088 1074 7 94.00–94.50 $94.29 $1,013 +1.14
1107–1144 1123 10 92.00–94.00 $93.36 $1,048 +0.86
1170–1175 1173 3 93.00–95.00 $94.34 $1,107 +2.84
1280 1280 3 92.00 $92.00 $1,178 -0.33
1352–1383 1360 8 87.50–92.00 $90.86 $1,236 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
813–848 831 5 85.00–89.00 $87.38 $726 +2.37
905 905 2 88.00 $88.00 $796 -1.50

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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.