Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 28, 2020

1,545 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest La Junta Livestock Commision report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $126.67/cwt +0.74 vs last sale · ≈ $854/hd at 674 lb · 98 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $137.83/cwt +3.49 vs last sale · ≈ $805/hd at 584 lb · 86 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $124.24/cwt +1.14 vs last sale · ≈ $726/hd at 584 lb · 72 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,545 3,788 2,245
Feeder cattle 1,160 3,238 1,947
Slaughter cattle 135 200 58
Replacement cattle 250 350 240

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last Wednesday: Several cancellations due to the winter weather and road conditions. Steer and heifer calves in a light supply mostly steady. Slaughter cows and bulls mostly steady. Demand moderate.

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
277 277 3 187.00 $187.00 $518 —
367–373 370 6 180.00–185.00 $182.52 $675 —
400 thin fleshed 400 9 165.00 $165.00 $660 —
400–448 432 14 155.00–161.00 $158.83 $686 +0.50
453 thin fleshed 453 10 164.00 $164.00 $743 —
455–490 477 21 151.00–160.00 $154.82 $738 +5.16
508–546 525 45 146.00–155.00 $149.61 $785 +1.08
562–589 584 86 137.00–141.00 $137.83 $805 +4.24
601–648 611 9 130.00–134.00 $133.06 $813 +2.34
629–636 unweaned 631 26 120.00–123.00 $122.19 $771 -5.32
653–698 674 98 123.00–128.00 $126.67 $854 -2.10
709 709 20 126.00 $126.00 $893 —
706–720 unweaned 711 11 123.00–124.00 $123.37 $877 -0.71
771 771 12 125.50 $125.50 $968 —
785 unweaned 785 5 120.00 $120.00 $942 -1.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
562–584 575 12 126.00 $126.00 $724 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318 318 5 151.00 $151.00 $480 —
355–356 355 11 147.00–148.00 $147.36 $523 -3.29
405–445 419 14 133.00–139.00 $136.73 $573 +0.79
450–490 474 17 125.50–128.00 $126.88 $601 +1.04
502 502 27 126.00 $126.00 $633 +4.30
574–586 584 72 121.00–125.50 $124.24 $726 +1.14
600 600 2 121.00 $121.00 $726 -3.16
629–638 unweaned 633 26 115.00–118.00 $116.28 $736 -0.11
651–665 655 38 120.00–121.50 $121.02 $793 —
655–688 unweaned 664 21 113.00–116.50 $115.46 $767 -0.54
720–733 730 20 121.00–128.00 $122.38 $893 —
789 unweaned 789 10 117.00 $117.00 $923 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
489–498 492 13 121.00–122.00 $121.69 $599 +1.69
503–510 507 22 121.00–123.00 $122.09 $619 +3.09
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 18 105.00 $105.00 $525 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1220 986 85-90% 15 35.00–43.00 $41.13 $406 +2.80
895–1140 997 85-90% 9 46.00–47.00 $46.33 $462 —
1040–1140 1090 85-90% 2 48.00–49.00 $48.52 $529 +3.27
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1348 1323 75-80% 7 58.00–62.00 $60.61 $802 —
1345–1516 1444 75-80% 3 53.00–56.00 $54.36 $785 -10.64
1265–1697 1634 75-80% 11 64.00 $64.00 $1,046 +3.08
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1295 1194 80-85% 9 53.00–54.00 $53.24 $636 —
1465 1465 80-85% 4 57.50 $57.50 $842 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460–1920 1668 10 71.00–77.00 $73.80 $1,231 —
1543–2510 1831 14 78.00–83.00 $79.12 $1,449 +5.47

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1056–1570 1248 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 139 48.00–60.00 $55.02 $687

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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.