Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 4, 2023

2,059 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $281.34/cwt +11.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,637/hd at 582 lb · 219 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.29/cwt +0.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,476/hd at 578 lb · 51 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $228.53/cwt +7.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,227/hd at 537 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,059 1,731 2,640
Feeder cattle 1,773 1,488 2,390
Slaughter cattle 257 210 250
Replacement cattle 29 33 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Trade activity and demand moderate. Feeder steers under 650 lbs sold 8.00 to 11.00 higher with instances of sharply higher, and over 650 lbs sold sharply lower. Feeder heifers under 450 lbs sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower, 450-750 lbs sold 9.00 to 18.00 lower, and over 750 lbs sold sharply lower. Average dressing slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00 higher on a light test. The next available report will be as receipts warrant coverage.

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
287–298 289 20 319.00–335.00 $331.82 $959 —
355–375 362 26 305.00–323.00 $313.83 $1,136 +8.08
401–447 424 48 302.00–312.00 $309.82 $1,314 +21.82
459–466 464 23 291.00–298.50 $295.92 $1,373 —
551–588 582 219 270.00–283.50 $281.34 $1,637 +11.34
603–648 613 24 247.00–252.00 $250.36 $1,535 +4.86
650–675 659 9 240.00–246.00 $241.32 $1,590 -23.68
700–723 712 4 238.00–246.00 $241.94 $1,723 -16.06
760–783 777 42 230.00–240.00 $236.77 $1,840 -27.23
805–814 812 19 207.00–220.00 $210.39 $1,708 —
895 895 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,924 -25.00
978 978 3 214.00 $214.00 $2,093 —
1000–1023 1017 4 212.00–214.00 $212.49 $2,161 +0.49
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 5 306.00 $306.00 $1,065 —
353–398 380 25 292.00–303.00 $301.01 $1,144 +5.01
425 425 2 292.00 $292.00 $1,241 +16.00
453–475 464 10 270.00–272.00 $271.02 $1,258 -10.27
500–541 525 32 256.00–270.00 $263.20 $1,382 -7.83
555–598 578 51 250.00–260.00 $255.29 $1,476 -6.89
615–626 618 15 241.00 $241.00 $1,489 -17.11
666–690 676 34 231.00–236.00 $233.28 $1,577 -23.74
723–735 729 6 220.00–225.00 $222.52 $1,622 -23.48
772–775 772 13 220.00–226.00 $225.54 $1,741 -19.46
895 895 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,709 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324–340 325 15 294.00 $294.00 $956 —
365 365 1 272.00 $272.00 $993 +4.39
422–442 432 20 254.00–279.00 $266.79 $1,153 +12.71
453–495 475 39 241.00–261.00 $255.96 $1,216 -0.31
505–542 522 11 242.00–253.00 $246.53 $1,287 —
602–620 605 7 225.00–232.00 $226.03 $1,367 -21.37
653–680 662 3 221.00–225.00 $223.63 $1,480 -36.49
700–735 729 6 205.00–211.00 $205.96 $1,501 -37.48
868 868 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,571 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 323.00 $323.00 $775 —
255–283 274 3 307.50–320.00 $316.12 $866 —
358–375 359 12 274.00–290.00 $275.39 $989 -6.26
410–418 411 47 260.00–268.00 $260.56 $1,071 -7.59
455–490 474 28 246.00–251.00 $247.58 $1,174 -17.85
505–507 507 29 237.00–242.00 $241.66 $1,225 -13.34
568 568 2 243.00 $243.00 $1,380 +17.00
603–604 604 10 230.00–234.00 $233.20 $1,409 -9.62
685 685 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,541 —
720 720 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,555 —
750–795 793 26 205.00–206.00 $205.04 $1,626 —
800–829 817 7 190.00–196.00 $193.48 $1,581 -41.02
859 859 13 186.00 $186.00 $1,598 —
959 959 8 181.00 $181.00 $1,736 -39.50
1042 1042 3 181.00 $181.00 $1,886 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 320 3 250.00–257.50 $253.54 $811 —
358–385 367 14 240.00–260.00 $244.53 $897 +1.11
414–448 428 19 231.00–246.00 $241.49 $1,034 +19.40
452–473 461 11 221.00–230.00 $224.53 $1,035 -14.26
518–549 537 49 221.00–231.00 $228.53 $1,227 +7.53
557–596 585 14 216.00–223.00 $221.60 $1,296 —
615–630 620 3 201.00–211.00 $206.04 $1,277 -24.96
675–695 682 5 200.00–211.00 $204.58 $1,395 -6.42
705–722 719 10 200.00 $200.00 $1,438 —
767–790 772 9 186.00–189.00 $186.68 $1,441 —
880 880 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,549 -31.04
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–275 270 2 281.00–283.00 $282.02 $761 —
300–315 307 3 261.00–287.50 $276.98 $850 +1.75
365–388 385 15 252.00–258.00 $257.49 $991 -5.09
407–439 417 38 245.00–257.00 $251.19 $1,047 -8.81
450–456 453 17 234.00–236.00 $234.65 $1,063 -16.35
536 536 11 236.00 $236.00 $1,265 -3.37
553–598 575 18 231.00–235.00 $232.27 $1,336 -4.39
618–627 623 18 221.00–226.00 $223.89 $1,395 -14.11
720 720 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,555 -5.00
768 768 4 201.00 $201.00 $1,544 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
236 236 21 735.00 $735.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
797–1004 868 85-90% 55 61.00–81.00 $69.54 $604 —
940 940 85-90% 1 75.00 $75.00 $705 —
953–1125 1008 85-90% 67 71.00–85.00 $80.98 $816 —
950–1079 1048 85-90% 39 91.00–96.00 $94.36 $989 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1033–1429 1191 80-85% 33 98.00–124.00 $108.12 $1,288 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1350 1340 75-80% 2 86.00–91.00 $88.52 $1,186 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1485 1478 65-75% 2 108.00–111.00 $109.51 $1,619 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1910 1552 12 95.00–122.00 $111.97 $1,738 —
1379–2370 1598 8 116.00–128.00 $119.60 $1,911 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00
1488 1488 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,750.00 $1,750.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
805 805 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
965–1085 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,375.00–1,475.00 $1,424.02
1333 1333 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,460.00 $1,460.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
700–813 775 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 860.00–925.00 $879.56
938–945 940 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,325.00 $1,316.63
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1048 1048 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,825.00 $1,825.00 —
1005–1360 1210 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,725.00–1,825.00 $1,787.95 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
695 695 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,225.00 $1,225.00 —

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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.