Cattle Market Pulse

Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 18, 2022

4,197 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $148.74/cwt +5.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,066/hd at 717 lb · 157 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $191.36/cwt ≈ $932/hd at 487 lb · 100 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $167.07/cwt -7.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,133/hd at 678 lb · 94 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,197 4,732 4,639
Feeder cattle 3,115 2,842 3,032
Slaughter cattle 990 1,339 903
Replacement cattle 92 551 704

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. Feeder steers under 550 lbs too thinly traded to trend. Steers 550-800 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, and over 800 lbs steady to 2.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 450 lbs were lightly tested, selling 8.00 lower, 450-600 lbs 1.00 to 3.00 lower, and over 600 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Feeder dairy heifers over 900 lbs sold mostly 1.00 to 5.00 lower on a light test. Average dressing slaughter cows and bulls sold unevenly steady. The next available report will be Monday, May 2, 2022.

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
335–344 340 8 208.00–210.00 $209.01 $711 -0.99
411–423 416 39 196.00–199.00 $197.33 $821 -8.67
460–498 487 100 186.00–205.00 $191.36 $932 —
515 thin fleshed 515 13 196.00 $196.00 $1,009 —
508–540 516 71 186.00–199.00 $189.73 $979 -11.86
559 thin fleshed 559 9 191.00 $191.00 $1,068 —
550–598 576 80 176.00–186.00 $181.84 $1,047 +3.84
610–640 623 85 170.00–180.00 $174.63 $1,088 +0.60
661–693 678 94 161.00–179.00 $167.07 $1,133 -0.59
709 709 17 164.00 $164.00 $1,163 -0.87
835–847 843 48 143.00–146.00 $145.29 $1,225 -2.70
906–916 914 36 139.00–141.50 $141.09 $1,290 +0.09
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–374 370 9 192.00–202.00 $196.38 $727 -6.42
421 421 8 184.00 $184.00 $775 -13.03
451 451 9 183.00 $183.00 $825 —
552–572 560 36 166.00–168.00 $167.15 $936 -7.23
612–639 631 29 165.00–170.00 $167.72 $1,058 +6.72
734 734 8 157.00 $157.00 $1,152 +0.47
766–775 774 68 151.00–153.00 $152.74 $1,182 +5.10
833 833 8 147.50 $147.50 $1,229 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
183 183 4 525.00 $525.00 —
208 208 9 550.00 $550.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
629 629 8 167.00 $167.00 $1,050 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
314 314 8 190.00 $190.00 $597 —
363 363 5 197.50 $197.50 $717 +22.50
431–435 434 54 173.00–177.00 $176.63 $767 +7.72
456–495 478 44 161.00–180.00 $169.87 $812 -0.53
508 thin fleshed 508 6 178.00 $178.00 $904 —
507–541 519 52 161.00–174.00 $165.44 $859 -1.17
556–589 582 61 159.00–166.00 $163.72 $953 -2.28
660–698 675 72 142.00–152.50 $148.20 $1,000 —
700–745 717 157 139.00–150.50 $148.74 $1,066 +5.12
750–762 755 53 146.50–147.50 $147.20 $1,111 +4.11
798 798 6 141.00 $141.00 $1,125 -2.09
859 859 42 136.50 $136.50 $1,173 +3.18
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 14 169.00 $169.00 $639 —
416 416 18 161.00 $161.00 $670 —
451–496 471 40 154.00–159.00 $156.37 $737 -2.63
623–642 637 25 155.00–156.00 $155.73 $992 +6.73
817–841 836 48 126.00 $126.00 $1,053 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600–605 602 10 151.00–153.00 $151.60 $913 —
720 720 10 140.00 $140.00 $1,008 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1630 1400 80-85% 15 80.50–85.00 $84.30 $1,180 +9.38
1010–1679 1402 80-85% 216 76.00–88.00 $81.00 $1,136 +6.08
1155–1570 1412 80-85% 39 88.00–102.00 $92.35 $1,304 +17.43
1100–1690 1442 80-85% 157 62.50–82.00 $74.29 $1,071 -6.58
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–1210 999 85-90% 30 45.00–71.00 $62.85 $628 —
883–1390 1093 85-90% 44 55.00–76.00 $68.80 $752 —
970–1215 1126 85-90% 7 79.00–90.00 $82.52 $929 +4.15
1020–1250 1140 85-90% 9 77.00–80.00 $78.81 $898 +0.44
835–1365 1171 85-90% 95 67.00–79.00 $73.40 $860 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–2050 1614 75-80% 94 82.00–93.00 $87.24 $1,408 —
1550–1970 1668 75-80% 17 90.00–100.00 $94.52 $1,577 —
1235–2085 1685 75-80% 58 70.00–84.00 $77.56 $1,307 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080 1080 1 102.50 $102.50 $1,107 —
1345–1490 1418 3 84.00–98.00 $91.91 $1,303 —
1230–2520 1806 52 77.50–105.50 $98.56 $1,780 +2.41
1620–2540 1946 45 104.00–118.00 $108.25 $2,107 —
1730–2400 2110 11 111.00–131.50 $116.25 $2,453 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–1405 1054 (<2 yrs)Open 14 111.00–118.00 $114.72 $1,209
1075–1355 1144 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 102.00–110.00 $106.89 $1,223
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920–1125 1026 (<2 yrs)Open 7 100.00–110.00 $106.63 $1,094
1130–1200 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 85.00–97.50 $91.94 $1,071

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1065–1265 1172 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,225.00–1,325.00 $1,268.56
1340–1353 1347 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,050.00–1,075.00 $1,062.56
1306–1558 1369 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,150.00–1,275.00 $1,195.47

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960–1085 1063 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 13 1,200.00–1,275.00 $1,254.73

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1255 1255 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
1376 1376 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
1358–1400 1382 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 14 1,325.00–1,375.00 $1,352.60 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 3 101.50 $101.50 $335 —
468 468 6 102.50 $102.50 $480 —
895 895 2 103.50 $103.50 $926 —
905–928 920 20 104.00–107.50 $106.28 $978 -1.02
989–994 992 8 107.00 $107.00 $1,061 —
1010–1045 1032 22 104.50–107.50 $105.52 $1,089 -3.44
1055–1076 1070 14 106.00–107.00 $106.35 $1,138 +2.54
1110–1136 1125 8 106.00–108.00 $107.38 $1,208 -0.88
1150–1160 1153 6 101.00–108.00 $104.50 $1,205 -5.24
1217 1217 10 106.50 $106.50 $1,296 -3.30
1280 1280 3 107.50 $107.50 $1,376 -1.50
1304–1340 1319 20 107.50–108.50 $107.90 $1,423 —
1356–1368 1359 9 107.50–108.00 $107.89 $1,466 —
Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–338 321 17 75.00–77.50 $75.46 $242 —
484 484 4 72.50 $72.50 $351 —
764 764 7 71.00 $71.00 $542 ±0.00
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
742 742 7 117.50 $117.50 $872 —
883 883 7 114.00 $114.00 $1,007 —
993 993 2 119.00 $119.00 $1,182 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
563 563 5 90.00 $90.00 $507 —

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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.