Colorado Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 18, 2023

6,093 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $253.33/cwt +6.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,308/hd at 516 lb · 278 head

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $266.26/cwt -10.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,406/hd at 528 lb · 193 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $250.84/cwt -8.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,485/hd at 592 lb · 164 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	6,093	15,766	3,995
Feeder cattle	3,450	8,628	2,901
Slaughter cattle	1,450	1,865	429
Replacement cattle	1,193	5,273	665

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to Monday: Combined weighted average report for 4 Colorado auction markets included Winter Livestock, La Junta Livestock, Sterling Livestock, and Livestock Exchange. Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. Feeder steers under 700 lbs sold 6.00 to 12.00 lower, 700-750 lbs 8.00 higher, and over 750 lbs 11.00 to 12.00 lower on a light test. Feeder heifers under 550 lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 lower, 550-700 lbs 6.00 to 9.00 higher, and over 700 lbs sold uneven on a light test. Feeder dairy heifers over 900 lbs sold unevenly steady. Average dressing slaughter cows sold unevenly steady; average dressing slaughter bulls 3.00 lower. The next available report will be Monday, January 8, 2024. S

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
263 thin fleshed	263	2	312.00	$312.00	$821	—
285–289	287	11	297.50–301.00	$299.10	$858	—
313–333	321	5	291.00–297.50	$293.70	$943	+1.29
351–355	353	8	295.00–301.00	$298.73	$1,055	-20.15
468–492	482	22	261.00–309.00	$284.39	$1,371	-16.37
458–493 thin fleshed	486	10	270.00–272.00	$271.62	$1,320	—
501–545	528	193	250.00–282.50	$266.26	$1,406	-10.40
550–597	592	164	230.00–252.50	$250.84	$1,485	-8.53
600–645	625	57	227.00–244.00	$234.11	$1,463	-6.32
653–675	666	158	224.00–236.50	$233.31	$1,554	+2.65
709–749	738	19	208.00–209.00	$208.25	$1,537	-5.12
777	777	10	193.00	$193.00	$1,500	-3.84
818	818	2	189.00	$189.00	$1,546	—
906	906	4	187.00	$187.00	$1,694	—
1040	1040	20	166.00	$166.00	$1,726	—
1338	1338	3	123.00	$123.00	$1,646	—

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
327–341 thin fleshed	334	20	300.00–301.00	$300.51	$1,004	—
363–383	370	22	280.00–330.00	$313.76	$1,161	—
384 value added	384	5	331.00	$331.00	$1,271	—
400–423	413	29	310.00–330.00	$323.08	$1,334	+12.09
430–433 unweaned	432	7	302.50–307.50	$305.37	$1,319	+22.87
452–488	465	31	280.00–323.00	$303.08	$1,409	+9.64
506 unweaned	506	7	280.00	$280.00	$1,417	—
500–514	509	52	270.00–303.00	$288.01	$1,466	-4.57
556–598	573	53	250.00–277.50	$264.93	$1,518	+24.93
603–607 value added	604	24	255.00–260.00	$258.74	$1,563	—
602–647	637	51	243.00–255.50	$252.51	$1,608	-8.98
656–686	662	66	230.00–241.00	$234.42	$1,552	-12.27
701–732	713	37	221.00–236.50	$233.37	$1,664	+7.88
738	738	2	215.00	$215.00	$1,587	-10.49
753–799	792	14	203.00–220.00	$205.31	$1,626	-11.23
800–847	831	25	193.00–227.00	$201.77	$1,677	-11.51
863–875	873	17	187.00–207.50	$190.58	$1,664	-1.29
902	902	34	198.00	$198.00	$1,786	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
329	329	8	251.00	$251.00	$826	-49.14
355	355	3	314.00	$314.00	$1,115	+16.79
415–446	422	48	251.00–309.00	$268.21	$1,132	-10.93
455–495	475	67	236.00–294.00	$276.48	$1,313	+1.29
540	540	2	240.00	$240.00	$1,296	+1.88
608–627	622	20	211.00–230.00	$218.39	$1,358	+0.97
662–695	677	24	200.00–221.00	$214.81	$1,454	+11.61
733	733	4	205.00	$205.00	$1,503	+3.18
783	783	2	181.00	$181.00	$1,417	-5.00
805	805	1	151.00	$151.00	$1,216	-25.00

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
493	493	4	249.00	$249.00	$1,228	-18.62
656	656	7	193.00	$193.00	$1,266	-18.00

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
385	385	2	260.00	$260.00	$1,001	—
401	401	5	246.00	$246.00	$986	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
360–370	361	12	280.00–287.50	$286.86	$1,036	-15.92
400–411	408	47	257.00–290.00	$277.20	$1,131	+4.86
442 unweaned	442	5	268.00	$268.00	$1,185	—
453–480	471	22	247.50–255.00	$249.79	$1,177	-11.81
501–514 thin fleshed	506	177	256.00–259.50	$259.12	$1,311	—
501–542	534	101	236.00–248.50	$243.17	$1,299	-3.65
551 value added	551	7	225.00	$225.00	$1,240	—
569–589	581	140	222.00–247.50	$236.77	$1,376	+5.86
603–645	610	18	214.00–230.00	$218.73	$1,334	-1.03
626 thin fleshed	626	5	225.00	$225.00	$1,408	—
654–656	655	34	216.00–236.00	$225.98	$1,480	+9.72
706–739	724	38	193.00–204.00	$198.50	$1,437	-2.21
804–810	805	9	187.50–211.00	$208.37	$1,677	—
861	861	6	205.00	$205.00	$1,765	+30.08
900–917	915	27	165.00–202.00	$168.28	$1,540	-14.22
950–992	979	10	190.00	$190.00	$1,860	+15.89
1033	1033	2	155.00	$155.00	$1,601	-5.00
1056	1056	6	162.50	$162.50	$1,716	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
289–295	292	8	238.00–253.00	$245.42	$717	+6.37
329–334	332	10	251.00–255.00	$252.98	$840	-7.29
351–395	371	15	226.00–267.00	$248.58	$922	-9.38
418–431	422	104	220.00–261.00	$253.99	$1,072	+10.53
455–456	456	26	216.00–234.00	$230.54	$1,051	-0.85
500–545	521	41	211.00–229.00	$219.34	$1,143	-5.82
554–567	560	7	196.00–208.00	$202.79	$1,136	-11.00
620–648	634	28	202.00–215.00	$208.12	$1,319	+2.38
673	673	4	191.00	$191.00	$1,285	-4.50
748	748	4	184.00	$184.00	$1,376	—
784–797	792	14	171.00–172.00	$171.65	$1,359	-4.35
813	813	6	171.00	$171.00	$1,390	-0.01

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
342	342	5	275.00	$275.00	$940	+20.00
411–435 thin fleshed	418	7	251.00–253.00	$252.41	$1,055	—
416–432	425	15	233.00–241.00	$238.68	$1,014	-22.40
451–498	466	20	230.00–240.00	$233.56	$1,088	-12.52
501–545	515	43	229.00–240.00	$231.69	$1,193	-4.98
560–597	581	41	220.00–228.00	$223.39	$1,298	+5.04
602–649	630	31	207.00–217.00	$212.57	$1,339	-2.77
651	651	4	205.00	$205.00	$1,335	—
670 unweaned	670	2	207.00	$207.00	$1,387	—
725	725	1	177.50	$177.50	$1,287	+6.50
765–778	775	13	175.00–183.00	$181.63	$1,408	-9.37
870	870	24	177.50	$177.50	$1,544	—
1020	1020	1	158.00	$158.00	$1,612	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
320	320	2	263.00	$263.00	$842	+19.70
353–358	355	5	243.00	$243.00	$863	+17.00
460	460	3	227.00	$227.00	$1,044	-3.55
503–530	510	23	233.00–235.00	$234.46	$1,196	+11.32
555–565	558	16	216.00–233.00	$227.62	$1,270	+18.78
623	623	7	192.00–206.00	$200.00	$1,246	-19.00
848	848	4	161.00	$161.00	$1,365	—

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
326	326	7	236.00	$236.00	$769	—
493	493	13	206.00	$206.00	$1,016	—
526	526	7	211.00	$211.00	$1,110	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
383	383	6	232.00	$232.00	$889	—
455	455	4	222.00	$222.00	$1,010	—

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
533	533	5	202.50	$202.50	$1,079	—

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
700–1425	948	85-90%	14	40.00–60.00	$54.61	$518	—
950	950	85-90%	1	61.00	$61.00	$580	-34.98
705–1435	1019	85-90%	118	61.00–82.00	$74.13	$755	—
810–1228	1092	85-90%	14	89.00–132.50	$99.33	$1,085	+22.76
855–1670	1106	85-90%	75	83.00–96.00	$90.47	$1,001	+17.51
780–1650	1155	85-90%	404	74.00–89.50	$84.34	$974	-1.61
765–1467	1183	85-90%	53	78.00–120.00	$85.70	$1,014	-0.25

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
930–1330	1104	80-85%	10	92.50–170.00	$120.22	$1,327	+18.19
848–1425	1147	80-85%	66	87.00–129.00	$93.54	$1,073	-8.49
1033–1595	1357	80-85%	40	71.00–85.00	$78.55	$1,066	-1.95
980–2060	1398	80-85%	301	80.00–92.00	$87.72	$1,226	—
1160–1695	1398	80-85%	79	90.00–99.25	$94.33	$1,319	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1430–1665	1492	75-80%	6	78.00–85.00	$82.87	$1,236	—
1385–2155	1590	75-80%	95	86.00–98.50	$91.99	$1,463	—
1505–1681	1645	75-80%	21	91.00–98.50	$96.76	$1,592	+15.88

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1555–1870	1667	65-75%	6	97.50–100.50	$98.66	$1,645	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1070–1145	1108	2	127.50–137.50	$132.33	$1,466	—
1035–2110	1502	23	76.00–100.00	$92.21	$1,385	—
1110–2120	1775	42	96.00–109.50	$102.58	$1,821	—
1760–2095	1916	14	106.50–128.00	$111.10	$2,129	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
650–725	683	(<2 yrs)	Open	4	121.00–146.00	$128.93	$881
740–1243	967	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	190	120.00–148.00	$135.86	$1,314

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
670–1114	909	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	139	150.00–171.00	$156.62	$1,424

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
735	735	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	112.50	$112.50	$827
745–1298	1069	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	23	101.00–122.50	$110.74	$1,184

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1075	1075	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	1,500.00	$1,500.00
1020–1397	1222	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	50	1,325.00–2,700.00	$2,534.62
1175–1369	1246	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	59	2,750.00–2,950.00	$2,874.77
1282–1318	1303	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	32	3,200.00–3,225.00	$3,209.99
1293–1475	1383	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	20	1,625.00–2,000.00	$1,788.11
1281–1604	1412	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	45	2,425.00–2,900.00	$2,653.96
1332–1488	1427	Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	19	1,575.00–2,100.00	$1,976.07
1486–1652	1526	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	72	2,750.00–2,950.00	$2,820.42
1575	1575	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	1,460.00	$1,460.00
1665	1665	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	1,575.00	$1,575.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1022–1270	1045	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	1,425.00–2,400.00	$2,292.23
1092	1092	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	3	2,100.00	$2,100.00
1235–1335	1285	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	1,225.00–1,325.00	$1,276.95
1141–1498	1313	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	25	1,750.00–2,200.00	$1,931.98
1297–1378	1322	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	45	1,260.00–1,750.00	$1,436.16
1150–1486	1361	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	16	1,200.00–1,550.00	$1,367.83
1325–1407	1399	Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	23	1,310.00–1,585.00	$1,499.83
1310–1448	1402	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	1,385.00–1,435.00	$1,419.43
1416	1416	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	1,400.00	$1,400.00
1469	1469	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	9	2,200.00	$2,200.00
1474	1474	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	5	1,535.00	$1,535.00
1613	1613	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	2,050.00	$2,050.00

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1132–1385	1334	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	15	1,275.00–1,350.00	$1,287.72

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
770	770	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	810.00	$810.00
1077	1077	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	1,125.00	$1,125.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
895	895	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	1,200.00	$1,200.00
839–939	909	(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	28	1,425.00–1,900.00	$1,797.81
962–1093	1048	(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	80	2,250.00–2,600.00	$2,451.21
1081	1081	(<2 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	11	2,300.00	$2,300.00
1093	1093	(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	2,300.00	$2,300.00

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1023–1051 fancy	1047	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	2,075.00–2,100.00	$2,078.86
1100	1100	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	1,600.00	$1,600.00
1066–1230	1136	(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	77	2,725.00–3,050.00	$2,861.58
1036–1236	1183	(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	27	2,400.00–2,750.00	$2,619.96

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
710	710	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	460.00	$460.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1613	1613	Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	6	2,000.00	$2,000.00	—

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
575	575	1	127.50	$127.50	$733	—
701	701	4	136.00	$136.00	$953	—
757	757	6	138.00	$138.00	$1,045	—
813–835	820	4	142.00–143.00	$142.50	$1,168	—
873–886	880	9	142.50–143.00	$142.72	$1,256	—
927–930	928	6	143.00–144.00	$143.83	$1,335	+1.33
963–965	964	4	143.50–144.00	$143.75	$1,386	+1.75
1000–1028	1014	7	142.00–144.50	$143.16	$1,452	-0.03
1059–1098	1082	27	143.00–144.00	$143.65	$1,554	-0.60
1121	1121	6	144.00	$144.00	$1,614	-0.49
1168–1187	1176	11	142.00–143.50	$142.86	$1,680	+0.46
1218–1245	1228	8	142.50–154.00	$147.23	$1,808	+4.73
1250–1281	1273	4	141.50–142.50	$141.75	$1,804	—
1310–1325	1315	3	140.00–156.00	$150.63	$1,981	—

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
298	298	2	100.00	$100.00	$298	—
558	558	2	120.00	$120.00	$670	—
634	634	6	125.00	$125.00	$792	-15.00
669	669	6	121.00	$121.00	$809	—
825	825	1	136.00	$136.00	$1,122	—
1160	1160	2	150.00	$150.00	$1,740	—
1296	1296	4	148.00	$148.00	$1,918	+5.80

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1205	1205	1	165.00	$165.00	$1,988	—
1285	1285	1	154.00	$154.00	$1,979	—

Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
845	845	2	85.00	$85.00	$718	—

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
725	725	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	1,150.00	$1,150.00	—

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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.