Cattle Market Pulse

Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 19, 2022

3,995 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $199.85/cwt +7.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,239/hd at 620 lb · 202 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $162.22/cwt -8.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,084/hd at 668 lb · 118 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $229.82/cwt +19.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,200/hd at 522 lb · 89 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,995 15,352 3,749
Feeder cattle 2,901 9,939 2,855
Slaughter cattle 429 1,724 870
Replacement cattle 665 3,689 24

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: No trend available due to a lack of comparable trades.

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
366–393 375 9 226.00–230.00 $228.60 $857 -9.45
418–445 429 22 201.00–218.00 $207.44 $890 -23.86
443 fancy 443 12 226.00 $226.00 $1,001 —
470 fancy 470 10 223.00 $223.00 $1,048 +8.00
454–486 480 38 200.00–227.50 $211.44 $1,015 -6.84
515–519 fancy 518 66 213.50–240.00 $236.41 $1,225 +23.41
529–536 534 23 204.00–224.00 $210.90 $1,126 -1.15
562 fancy 562 22 231.00 $231.00 $1,298 +14.00
566–580 572 50 181.00–203.00 $195.85 $1,120 -9.52
613 value added 613 107 205.50 $205.50 $1,260 +1.76
600–636 624 71 190.00–197.00 $195.68 $1,221 +5.44
637 unweaned 637 24 187.00 $187.00 $1,191 +5.00
655–694 679 75 163.00–188.00 $180.95 $1,229 -2.02
707–746 723 47 166.00–184.50 $175.47 $1,269 -5.04
1224 1224 19 140.50 $140.50 $1,720 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–336 321 17 201.00–204.00 $202.71 $651 —
425–430 427 3 220.00–222.50 $221.66 $946 —
478 478 3 212.50 $212.50 $1,016 +15.62
507–511 509 16 180.00–182.00 $181.19 $922 —
577–598 584 6 182.00–186.00 $184.63 $1,078 —
590 unweaned 590 8 170.00 $170.00 $1,003 —
665–675 667 29 163.00–171.00 $167.86 $1,120 -14.14
724 724 20 168.50 $168.50 $1,220 -9.34
808–819 814 41 161.00–167.50 $164.67 $1,340 -1.33
881–888 883 17 162.00–163.50 $162.97 $1,439 —
972 972 11 157.75 $157.75 $1,533 -4.25
1183 1183 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,479 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
761 761 17 145.00 $145.00 $1,103 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 538 9 186.00 $186.00 $1,001 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–443 441 8 192.00–193.00 $192.88 $851 -8.13
456–466 461 39 173.00–180.00 $177.86 $820 -11.88
529–543 532 49 180.00–183.00 $182.19 $969 +2.20
551–565 553 31 170.00–175.00 $174.18 $963 +1.14
579–580 unweaned 580 34 163.00–167.00 $164.29 $953 -2.03
606 606 14 168.00 $168.00 $1,018 -23.00
622–640 unweaned 627 36 160.00–164.00 $163.33 $1,024 +0.03
651–691 664 94 158.00–171.00 $163.55 $1,086 -8.34
674–694 unweaned 685 24 157.00 $157.00 $1,075 -8.45
707–711 709 16 154.00–156.00 $155.25 $1,101 -13.81
974 974 47 143.50 $143.50 $1,398 —
1060 1060 3 154.50 $154.50 $1,638 —
1096 1096 39 142.50 $142.50 $1,562 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 9 191.00 $191.00 $693 —
411–431 423 13 175.00–180.00 $178.13 $753 -5.87
505–525 525 59 163.00–178.00 $163.74 $860 -11.98
550–569 557 42 155.00–172.00 $167.17 $931 -5.83
565 unweaned 565 2 159.00 $159.00 $898 —
629–648 632 34 166.00–168.00 $167.70 $1,060 +4.83
655–673 662 26 150.00–156.00 $154.29 $1,021 -11.88
1050 1050 4 122.00 $122.00 $1,281 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
531 531 20 171.00 $171.00 $908 —
734 734 15 162.00 $162.00 $1,189 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416 416 16 161.00 $161.00 $670 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 13 166.00 $166.00 $954 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1625 1249 80-85% 21 65.00–70.00 $67.76 $846 —
1225–1286 1253 80-85% 13 72.50–73.00 $72.80 $912 +4.41
1088–1365 1262 80-85% 16 61.00–65.00 $63.48 $801 -4.91
1270–1337 1291 80-85% 13 65.50 $65.50 $846 -8.63
1135–1436 1292 80-85% 30 66.50–71.50 $68.89 $890 -5.24
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–1084 1005 85-90% 10 51.00–58.00 $56.23 $565 -0.21
940–1213 1119 85-90% 36 61.00–65.00 $63.41 $710 +0.39
1052–1287 1139 85-90% 19 62.50–64.00 $63.12 $719 ±0.00
1115–1158 1154 85-90% 10 66.00–67.50 $67.36 $777 +1.50
1050–1280 1168 85-90% 5 65.00–67.00 $65.57 $766 -0.29
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1750 1492 75-80% 28 62.00–70.00 $66.09 $986 —
1396–1780 1543 75-80% 35 69.00–79.00 $74.58 $1,151 +1.76
2015 2015 75-80% 1 81.00 $81.00 $1,632 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1580–1675 1628 2 85.00–89.00 $87.06 $1,417 —
1495–1970 1814 16 91.00–101.00 $94.61 $1,716 +0.06
1460–2235 1825 4 87.00–91.00 $88.32 $1,612 -6.23
1430–2115 1860 8 94.00–103.00 $98.82 $1,838 —
1750–2277 2069 4 106.00–107.00 $106.24 $2,198 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1003–1220 1172 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 9 800.00–1,000.00 $961.96
1187 1187 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1147–1328 1256 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,100.00–1,375.00 $1,226.63
1264 1264 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 850.00 $850.00
1308–1339 1322 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 15 1,000.00–1,100.00 $1,047.25
1176–1487 1375 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 58 860.00–1,325.00 $1,066.97
1383 1383 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 950.00 $950.00
1298–1520 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 50 1,025.00–1,475.00 $1,313.67
1303–1785 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 62 910.00–1,400.00 $1,204.78
1295–1545 1418 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 52 760.00–975.00 $904.82
1348–1468 1427 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 39 900.00–985.00 $938.44
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1326–1392 1358 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 37 1,550.00–1,700.00 $1,637.67
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1099 1099 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 650.00 $650.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1224–1311 1279 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 48 1,525.00–2,075.00 $1,853.20
1234–1345 1279 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 64 1,750.00–1,850.00 $1,812.30
1233–1446 1307 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 44 1,850.00–2,100.00 $2,029.91
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1066 1066 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 16 1,275.00 $1,275.00
920–1138 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 55 1,275.00–1,625.00 $1,499.42
1116–1278 1196 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 50 1,550.00–1,700.00 $1,628.53

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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
1385 1385 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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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.