La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 15, 2021

2,536 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 $169.12/cwt +6.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,141/hd at 675 lb · 292 head

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $172.29/cwt -19.34 vs last sale · ≈ $905/hd at 525 lb · 169 head

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $154.20/cwt +0.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,095/hd at 710 lb · 126 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	2,536	3,666	2,134
Feeder cattle	2,256	3,076	2,074
Slaughter cattle	280	590	60

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last Wednesday: Steer's 300 to 400 lbs steady, 400 to 600 lbs 5.00 to 8.00 lower, 600 to 700 lbs steady to 3.00 lower with the exception of a couple loads of fancy long time weaned steers 10.00 higher, over 700 lbs mostly steady. Heifer's under 700 lbs steady to 2.00 lower, over 700 lbs scarce. Slaughter cows mostly steady. Slaughter bulls 2.00 higher. Trade and demand moderate to good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
337–348	343	29	214.00–226.00	$219.70	$754	—
371–398	389	21	199.00–201.00	$199.64	$777	-17.87
402 thin fleshed	402	10	205.00	$205.00	$824	—
470–493	486	34	180.00–187.00	$183.38	$891	-11.34
507–549	525	169	166.00–179.00	$172.29	$905	-16.48
552–598	574	80	158.00–166.00	$162.03	$930	-17.81
600–603 fancy	602	29	170.00–171.00	$170.62	$1,027	—
643–646	645	41	156.00–161.00	$158.57	$1,023	-13.61
674 value added	674	162	177.00	$177.00	$1,193	—
654–682	676	130	156.00–161.00	$159.30	$1,077	-3.23
701–728	710	126	151.00–155.50	$154.20	$1,095	+0.92
751–779	772	63	147.50–153.50	$149.78	$1,156	-3.71
800	800	14	154.00	$154.00	$1,232	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
404–446	425	10	183.00–186.00	$184.57	$784	—
465	465	14	169.00	$169.00	$786	-14.72
513–546	526	40	160.00–161.00	$160.71	$845	-12.21
611–622	617	19	150.00–152.00	$151.17	$933	—
657–664	661	16	152.00	$152.00	$1,005	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
505	505	13	168.00	$168.00	$848	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
312	312	39	187.00	$187.00	$583	—
357–368	361	15	181.00–187.00	$183.04	$661	-0.43
415–445	438	20	170.00	$170.00	$745	+1.53
473–475	474	18	165.00–170.00	$168.33	$798	+12.34
500–536	518	37	151.00–156.00	$154.45	$800	+4.14
550–592	580	117	143.00–150.00	$145.94	$846	-0.52
605–644	635	43	142.00–148.00	$144.52	$918	-3.28
635 unweaned	635	5	135.00	$135.00	$857	-4.02
650–658	655	56	143.00–145.00	$143.78	$942	+0.51
694 unweaned	694	10	131.00	$131.00	$909	—
700	700	6	142.00	$142.00	$994	-2.90
753 unweaned	753	7	136.00	$136.00	$1,024	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
334	334	10	171.00	$171.00	$571	—
400–449	439	39	151.00–155.00	$152.99	$672	-2.01
501	501	13	146.00	$146.00	$731	+4.41
568	568	12	141.00	$141.00	$801	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
376	376	40	176.00	$176.00	$662	—

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1093–1340	1162	80-85%	18	52.00–58.00	$56.13	$652	-6.21
937–1374	1165	80-85%	28	60.00–67.00	$63.11	$735	+0.77
1155–1350	1215	80-85%	14	60.50–66.00	$62.35	$758	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1375–1630	1466	75-80%	23	70.00–73.00	$71.14	$1,043	+20.14
1410–1645	1466	75-80%	8	53.00–59.00	$57.77	$847	+6.77
1389–1700	1475	75-80%	21	63.00–67.00	$63.59	$938	+12.59
1415–1535	1475	75-80%	6	60.00–66.00	$62.80	$926	+11.80

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
923	923	85-90%	3	36.01	$36.01	$332	—
880–1012	950	85-90%	8	46.00–49.00	$47.20	$448	-5.21
935–1258	1146	85-90%	13	53.00–58.00	$54.05	$619	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1625–1970	1756	5	90.00–99.00	$94.08	$1,652	+7.75
1795	1795	1	82.50	$82.50	$1,481	-3.83
1630–1980	1802	3	100.00–104.00	$102.46	$1,846	—

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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.