Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 7, 2022

5,905 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $186.13/cwt +2.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,154/hd at 620 lb · 435 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $185.82/cwt -1.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,080/hd at 581 lb · 287 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $161.91/cwt -3.24 vs last sale · ≈ $992/hd at 613 lb · 243 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,905 3,024 3,666
Feeder cattle 5,334 2,740 3,076
Slaughter cattle 571 284 590

Steer calves under 500 lbs 5.00 to 8.00 instances 10.00 higher, over 500 lbs steady to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves steady to 100 higher. Yearling feeder steers and heifers mostly steady. Slaughter cows steady to 100 higher. Trade and demand moderate to good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313–314 314 16 234.00–237.00 $235.12 $738 -14.88
320 unweaned 320 10 221.00 $221.00 $707
380–391 385 50 252.00–261.00 $256.41 $987 +22.96
408–423 417 66 238.00–247.00 $241.12 $1,005 +16.19
401–443 unweaned 422 59 214.00–224.00 $218.71 $923 +6.67
425 value added 425 27 252.00 $252.00 $1,071
450–493 459 98 210.00–218.00 $214.54 $985 +9.47
480 value added 480 18 222.00 $222.00 $1,066
501–531 519 149 201.00–210.00 $205.29 $1,065 +3.82
550–597 577 178 188.00–199.00 $191.85 $1,107 +6.65
568–596 unweaned 588 109 172.00–181.00 $175.98 $1,035
603–616 fancy 607 56 191.00–194.00 $192.97 $1,171
603–642 622 379 180.00–188.50 $185.12 $1,151 -1.05
650–687 fancy 661 63 181.00–183.50 $182.59 $1,207
658–685 671 114 170.00–178.50 $173.67 $1,165 -1.95
706–720 unweaned 714 96 164.00–167.50 $166.40 $1,188 +1.92
700–725 715 74 171.50–176.00 $173.85 $1,243 +0.62
771 771 10 170.50 $170.50 $1,315 -2.82
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476 unweaned 476 25 181.00 $181.00 $862
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
486 486 17 186.00 $186.00 $904

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–371 370 70 191.00–192.00 $191.16 $707 -6.92
394 fancy 394 26 204.00 $204.00 $804
401–429 fancy 420 46 193.00–195.00 $193.58 $813
429 value added 429 23 198.00 $198.00 $849 +4.35
436–448 441 46 177.50–181.00 $179.38 $791 -2.49
456–496 472 134 172.00–180.00 $175.82 $830 -0.30
483 unweaned 483 27 173.00 $173.00 $836 ±0.00
485 fancy 485 27 185.00 $185.00 $897
500 fancy 500 8 185.00 $185.00 $925
502–541 unweaned 517 51 165.00–170.00 $168.05 $869 +2.23
500–544 523 101 171.00–179.00 $175.94 $920 +1.05
566–591 580 149 168.00–179.00 $173.42 $1,006 +2.45
608–612 609 87 165.50–171.00 $169.16 $1,030 +2.29
600–647 unweaned 615 156 153.00–160.50 $157.87 $971 -3.82
650–681 661 69 161.00–168.00 $165.99 $1,097
707–713 712 56 160.00–166.00 $161.49 $1,150
763 763 12 156.00 $156.00 $1,190 -5.00

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
856–1054 986 85-90% 55 45.50–57.00 $47.73 $471
885–1170 1006 85-90% 11 51.00–61.00 $53.44 $538
1040 1040 85-90% 1 66.00 $66.00 $686
992–1266 1126 85-90% 51 62.00–64.00 $63.58 $716 +1.70
1065–1368 1187 85-90% 8 61.00–64.00 $63.19 $750 -1.81
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
984–1197 1171 80-85% 40 63.00–66.00 $63.81 $747
1095–1620 1248 80-85% 44 63.00–68.00 $64.06 $799 +1.76
1050–1419 1263 80-85% 10 66.50–71.00 $68.09 $860 -1.70
1248–1295 1276 80-85% 5 66.00–69.50 $67.37 $860 -2.42
1302 1302 80-85% 13 75.50 $75.50 $983
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1810 1523 75-80% 21 71.00–78.00 $75.53 $1,150

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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.