Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 2, 2022

2,461 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $149.08/cwt -2.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,064/hd at 714 lb · 230 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $143.71/cwt ≈ $1,105/hd at 769 lb · 137 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $157.69/cwt -7.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,139/hd at 722 lb · 136 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,461 519 1,618
Feeder cattle 2,291 433 1,553
Slaughter cattle 170 86 65

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with two week's ago; Steer's and heifer's uneven. Steer's under 650 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 instances 8.00 higher, over 650 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Heifer's under 550 lbs 5.00 to 8.00 higher, 550 to 600 lbs 2.00 higher, 600 to 700 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 lower, over 700 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Slaughter cows and bulls mostly steady. 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 $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 4 227.00 $227.00 $692 +15.00
395 395 16 229.00 $229.00 $905 —
414–418 thin fleshed 417 17 222.00–228.00 $223.40 $932 —
438 438 9 215.00 $215.00 $942 +10.21
461 fancy 461 42 220.00 $220.00 $1,014 —
466–495 477 42 210.00–217.00 $214.08 $1,021 +19.08
508–535 519 42 205.00–210.00 $207.38 $1,076 +12.68
561–574 thin fleshed 564 19 202.00–206.00 $205.14 $1,157 —
569–598 585 41 193.00–199.00 $195.46 $1,143 —
615 615 34 191.00 $191.00 $1,175 +6.00
651–690 671 28 155.00–160.00 $158.23 $1,062 -11.17
702–739 722 136 155.00–159.00 $157.69 $1,139 -7.81
758–790 786 87 145.50–151.00 $146.23 $1,149 —
810–825 812 20 143.00–147.00 $146.59 $1,190 —
854–876 860 24 141.00–142.50 $142.05 $1,222 —
912 912 10 136.00 $136.00 $1,240 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
481 481 6 201.00 $201.00 $967 +20.00
672–686 680 24 151.00–153.00 $151.91 $1,033 —
700–721 707 44 150.00–152.00 $150.41 $1,063 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
822 822 22 140.50 $140.50 $1,155 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–437 418 27 193.00–198.50 $196.16 $820 +16.17
461 fancy 461 28 190.00 $190.00 $876 —
454–481 470 55 170.00–180.00 $176.12 $828 —
528–534 533 18 175.00–180.00 $178.90 $954 +4.49
550 fancy 550 8 171.00 $171.00 $940 —
554–577 572 18 159.00–167.00 $160.72 $919 -3.28
613–630 625 79 150.00–155.00 $151.69 $948 -6.33
652–692 676 28 147.00–155.00 $150.94 $1,020 -4.06
706–725 714 230 144.00–153.00 $149.08 $1,064 -2.92
750–778 769 137 141.50–146.50 $143.71 $1,105 —
801–817 807 31 132.00–133.00 $132.61 $1,070 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550–575 559 29 151.00 $151.00 $844 —
620–640 637 18 146.00–148.00 $146.32 $932 —
734 734 31 138.50 $138.50 $1,017 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
594 594 36 152.50 $152.50 $906 —
746 746 7 143.00 $143.00 $1,067 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 15 145.50 $145.50 $1,018 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–990 890 85-90% 8 58.00–63.00 $60.58 $539 —
870–1070 903 85-90% 15 70.00–74.00 $71.14 $642 —
970 970 85-90% 1 82.00 $82.00 $795 +1.16
945–1110 1012 85-90% 9 76.00–80.00 $77.77 $787 +1.48
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1610 1389 75-80% 5 78.00 $78.00 $1,083 —
1350–1860 1503 75-80% 23 84.00–88.00 $86.28 $1,297 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1355 1135 80-85% 18 76.00–82.00 $78.42 $890 -6.19
1110–1340 1184 80-85% 8 83.00–87.00 $85.51 $1,012 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1249–1793 1538 24 101.00–113.50 $109.78 $1,688 —
1635–1710 1691 20 101.00–109.00 $107.02 $1,810 —
1708–1875 1796 17 112.00 $112.00 $2,012 —
1745–2080 1892 3 96.00–98.00 $96.94 $1,834 —

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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.