Cattle Market Pulse

Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 23, 2023

4,681 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 $201.48/cwt +2.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,268/hd at 629 lb · 223 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $207.40/cwt +0.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,161/hd at 560 lb · 172 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $180.29/cwt +1.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,022/hd at 567 lb · 150 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,681 10,226 5,462
Feeder cattle 3,117 7,587 3,045
Slaughter cattle 1,429 935 1,098
Replacement cattle 135 1,704 1,319

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 were moderate to good. The number of feeder cattle marketed this week declined again for the second week in a row as Stock Show Specials wrap up with available offerings at similar levels compared to last year. Trade mixed on feeder steers under 450 lbs compared to last week. Steers 450-750 lbs sold steady to 2.00 lower, and over 750 lbs sold 3.00 lower on a light test. Feeder heifers under 450 lbs were mostly 2.00 higher on a light test, 450-550 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 lower, and over 550 lbs were mostly 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Dairy heifers sold mostly steady. Average dressing slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly 1.00 to 3.00 higher. The next available report will be Monday, February 6, 2023.

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
336 336 13 231.00 $231.00 $776 -19.85
357–373 362 21 250.00–265.00 $255.77 $926 -4.36
400 fancy 400 6 251.00 $251.00 $1,004 -9.00
405–447 436 39 242.00–250.00 $246.51 $1,075 +2.89
451–458 value added 453 22 253.00–254.00 $253.77 $1,150 -0.16
457 457 4 233.00 $233.00 $1,065 -0.97
500 fancy 500 6 224.00 $224.00 $1,120 —
504–538 524 124 208.00–218.50 $214.01 $1,121 -2.45
550–581 560 172 205.00–218.00 $207.40 $1,161 +1.84
600–644 627 143 191.00–207.00 $198.67 $1,246 -0.22
633 fancy 633 80 206.50 $206.50 $1,307 +5.50
652 fancy 652 15 194.00 $194.00 $1,265 —
659–695 674 80 177.50–189.00 $182.84 $1,232 +0.47
700–735 725 91 173.50–177.25 $175.32 $1,271 -1.26
758–781 768 42 170.00–174.50 $172.57 $1,325 -2.43
804–843 831 103 166.00–173.00 $168.87 $1,403 -2.31
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 10 233.00 $233.00 $1,007 —
543 543 18 196.00 $196.00 $1,064 —
550–595 585 14 192.00–196.00 $192.81 $1,128 +6.87
621 621 17 188.00 $188.00 $1,167 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 35 180.25 $180.25 $1,163 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
631 631 20 191.00 $191.00 $1,205 +1.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
262 262 6 475.00 $475.00 —
333 333 4 635.00 $635.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
246 246 5 535.00 $535.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–344 317 23 195.00–201.00 $196.66 $623 -4.87
407–444 428 42 185.00–198.00 $194.58 $833 +1.62
457 fancy 457 10 193.00 $193.00 $882 —
454–487 478 60 184.00–192.00 $188.91 $903 -1.81
500–538 517 97 181.00–190.00 $183.77 $950 -2.36
553–582 567 150 176.00–187.00 $180.29 $1,022 +3.19
609–644 624 89 169.00–172.00 $171.16 $1,068 +0.59
656–695 670 141 166.00–173.00 $169.67 $1,137 +3.24
703–711 711 52 167.00–170.00 $169.83 $1,207 +3.45
800–806 801 84 160.00–163.25 $162.82 $1,304 +22.93
868–893 876 6 142.00–149.00 $144.38 $1,265 —
1003–1010 1004 7 130.00 $130.00 $1,305 —
1086–1095 1088 6 127.00–128.00 $127.83 $1,391 —
1105 1105 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,348 —
1155–1193 1184 4 122.50–126.00 $123.35 $1,460 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
321 321 4 171.00 $171.00 $549 —
353–380 368 39 165.00–191.00 $182.97 $673 -2.10
403–446 427 64 181.00–184.00 $182.28 $778 -12.72
838 838 2 137.50 $137.50 $1,152 —
868 868 15 130.00 $130.00 $1,128 —
1088 1088 4 121.00 $121.00 $1,316 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
586–593 588 39 167.00–170.00 $169.15 $995 —
1042 1042 3 120.00 $120.00 $1,250 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
258 258 11 485.00 $485.00 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960 960 4 125.00 $125.00 $1,200 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,484 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 10 190.00 $190.00 $950 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1520 1357 80-85% 16 80.00–87.50 $82.68 $1,122 —
1240–1653 1442 80-85% 203 75.00–85.00 $79.86 $1,152 —
1080–1695 1457 80-85% 247 71.00–82.00 $74.70 $1,088 —
1350–1640 1485 80-85% 24 41.00–58.00 $50.52 $750 —
1095–1730 1490 80-85% 249 59.00–71.00 $66.88 $997 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
979–1000 996 85-90% 16 65.50–66.00 $65.59 $653 —
760–1480 1073 85-90% 34 27.50–62.00 $44.29 $475 -26.85
690–1415 1100 85-90% 72 50.00–68.00 $59.89 $659 —
1005–1210 1115 85-90% 5 80.00–86.00 $82.24 $917 +32.99
785–1270 1159 85-90% 33 70.00–78.00 $73.32 $850 +10.54
935–1379 1194 85-90% 164 65.00–76.00 $68.27 $815 +5.49
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–2105 1727 75-80% 178 75.00–86.00 $80.01 $1,382 —
1405–2160 1774 75-80% 51 64.50–74.50 $70.88 $1,257 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1385 1230 4 75.00–90.00 $82.45 $1,014 —
1175–2415 1788 17 71.00–95.00 $86.83 $1,553 +2.83
1525–2370 1942 21 95.50–104.00 $99.41 $1,931 —
1840–2245 2084 6 105.00–110.00 $107.33 $2,237 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 85.50 $85.50 $817
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
957–1035 977 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 100.00–109.00 $106.62 $1,042

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–1081 1007 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,100.00–1,235.00 $1,196.58
945–1147 1046 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 18 1,435.00–1,550.00 $1,486.95
1066 1066 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,175.00 $1,175.00
1482 1482 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,525.00 $1,525.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1178 1178 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1524 1524 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1530 1530 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,085.00 $1,085.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1236 1236 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 860.00 $860.00
1385 1385 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 910.00 $910.00

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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
1238–1635 1479 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 9 1,400.00–1,475.00 $1,420.09 —
1515 1515 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
1614 1614 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 1,660.00 $1,660.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1000–1350 1146 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 1,650.00–1,760.00 $1,695.96 —
1300 1300 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
994 994 4 121.50 $121.50 $1,208 —
1000–1045 1020 11 120.00–122.50 $120.47 $1,229 —
1050–1080 1067 3 120.00–121.50 $120.84 $1,289 —
1162–1180 1167 4 121.00–123.00 $122.49 $1,429 —
1201–1237 1220 41 121.00–122.50 $121.72 $1,485 —
1252–1270 1256 22 121.00–122.00 $121.73 $1,529 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
878–880 879 3 112.00–117.00 $115.33 $1,014 -2.07
985 985 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,084 -8.60
1020–1045 1023 8 113.00–119.00 $118.23 $1,209 -0.27
1050–1098 1082 41 115.00–119.50 $118.15 $1,278 —
1110–1145 1128 6 115.00–118.50 $117.34 $1,324 -1.16
1176 1176 9 119.50 $119.50 $1,405 —
1270 1270 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,511 +1.50
1348 1348 8 118.00 $118.00 $1,591 —
1440 1440 7 110.00 $110.00 $1,584 —
Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623 623 4 75.00 $75.00 $467 +12.50

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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.