Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 22, 2023

1,414 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $175.82/cwt ≈ $1,189/hd at 676 lb · 66 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $180.33/cwt +3.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,038/hd at 576 lb · 60 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $174.56/cwt ≈ $1,536/hd at 880 lb · 60 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,414 939 519
Feeder cattle 1,324 830 433
Slaughter cattle 90 109 86

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last Wednesday: Steers under 700 lbs mostly steady in a light test, over 700 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Heifers under 600 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 higher, over 600 lbs mostly steady. Slaughter cows and bulls 2.00 to 3.00 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 $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–341 319 26 250.00–255.00 $251.93 $804 +9.17
361–390 380 23 243.00–245.00 $244.34 $928 +6.34
401–418 408 23 236.00–237.00 $236.40 $965 +16.74
471–493 485 17 215.00–220.00 $218.90 $1,062 -0.46
505–545 518 29 204.00–211.00 $208.90 $1,082 +1.71
564–588 571 28 197.00–202.00 $200.39 $1,144 +1.95
606 fancy 606 17 203.00 $203.00 $1,230 —
609–625 619 11 184.00–190.00 $187.85 $1,163 -6.02
651–691 673 26 184.00–185.00 $184.49 $1,242 +3.86
705–744 740 53 181.00–185.50 $185.16 $1,370 —
771 771 32 184.00 $184.00 $1,419 +7.00
856–890 880 60 173.25–178.00 $174.56 $1,536 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427–434 433 15 197.00–199.00 $198.61 $860 +7.61
476 476 11 197.00 $197.00 $938 +11.61
505–512 511 18 194.00–199.00 $198.18 $1,013 +20.40
566 fancy 566 8 192.00 $192.00 $1,087 —
572–579 577 52 176.00–182.00 $178.54 $1,030 +1.84
606–623 617 21 175.00–179.00 $176.60 $1,090 -0.76
652–693 676 66 171.00–177.00 $175.82 $1,189 —
720 720 14 173.00 $173.00 $1,246 ±0.00
757–792 764 15 168.00 $168.00 $1,284 -1.00
836 fancy 836 8 171.00 $171.00 $1,430 —
919 919 26 156.00 $156.00 $1,434 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–381 370 32 191.00–198.00 $194.83 $721 -1.17
418–423 421 18 193.00–196.00 $194.33 $818 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014–1180 1042 80-85% 11 76.00–80.00 $78.00 $813 —
1162–1445 1188 80-85% 11 86.00–87.00 $86.11 $1,023 +11.03
1208 1208 80-85% 2 91.00 $91.00 $1,099 +8.60
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–905 829 85-90% 6 63.00–68.00 $66.05 $548 —
820–1130 920 85-90% 7 70.00–75.00 $72.35 $666 —
985–1200 1060 85-90% 3 77.00–80.00 $78.13 $828 +4.29
940–1135 1063 85-90% 3 82.00–83.00 $82.71 $879 +8.87
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1475 1443 75-80% 2 92.00 $92.00 $1,328 +10.50
1460–1605 1533 75-80% 2 88.00–89.00 $88.52 $1,357 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1850 1597 3 95.00–100.00 $97.23 $1,553 —
1445–2145 1726 8 106.00–111.00 $109.06 $1,882 —
1900–2155 2028 2 117.00–121.00 $118.87 $2,411 —

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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.