Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 10, 2024

1,588 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $317.25/cwt +37.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,479/hd at 466 lb · 43 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $267.30/cwt +10.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,149/hd at 430 lb · 41 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $287.10/cwt +17.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,504/hd at 524 lb · 38 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,588 2,163 3,825
Feeder cattle 1,016 1,346 3,375
Slaughter cattle 313 450 450
Replacement cattle 259 367 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold sharply higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold steady with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. All feeder calves sold noticeably better with a double vaccination program. Slaughter cows and bulls sold moderate across all weight classes. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday January 17, 2024.

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
322 value added 322 5 362.00 $362.00 $1,166 —
336–343 341 31 347.00–351.00 $350.11 $1,194 —
355–386 378 28 353.00–367.00 $356.13 $1,346 +41.13
403 value added 403 6 345.00 $345.00 $1,390 —
440 440 7 331.00–339.00 $336.71 $1,482 +7.89
465 thin fleshed 465 15 324.00 $324.00 $1,507 —
463–483 467 28 313.00–316.00 $313.64 $1,465 +33.64
509–536 524 38 280.00–291.00 $287.10 $1,504 +17.10
587 587 23 264.00 $264.00 $1,550 +14.00
632–639 637 20 252.00 $252.00 $1,605 +3.43
749 749 9 218.00 $218.00 $1,633 —
765 765 2 208.00 $208.00 $1,591 +5.00
773 value added 773 6 216.00 $216.00 $1,670 —
804 804 7 201.00 $201.00 $1,616 +5.14
852 852 9 196.00 $196.00 $1,670 +9.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
346 346 6 323.00 $323.00 $1,118 +32.00
366 366 4 337.00 $337.00 $1,233 +36.00
418–426 423 24 308.00–315.00 $310.63 $1,314 —
463–466 464 17 303.00–310.00 $305.83 $1,419 +44.12
504 504 3 276.00 $276.00 $1,391 +21.35
588 588 6 259.00 $259.00 $1,523 +19.86
618–649 641 8 223.00–229.00 $227.55 $1,459 -4.75
664–678 674 16 226.00 $226.00 $1,523 +2.00
758 758 2 196.00 $196.00 $1,486 +3.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–362 358 9 301.00–312.50 $304.88 $1,091 —
430 430 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,290 —
463 463 14 284.00 $284.00 $1,315 +35.00
533 533 7 266.00 $266.00 $1,418 —
603 603 7 256.00 $256.00 $1,544 —
651 value added 651 6 245.00 $245.00 $1,595 —
669 669 7 236.00 $236.00 $1,579 +43.00
729 729 7 208.00 $208.00 $1,516 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 2 325.00 $325.00 $878 —
318 318 4 302.00 $302.00 $960 +51.00
384 384 16 314.00 $314.00 $1,206 —
449 449 6 276.00 $276.00 $1,239 +22.57
480–497 494 11 267.00–287.00 $277.75 $1,372 +36.15
530–546 542 8 261.00 $261.00 $1,415 —
598 598 4 243.00 $243.00 $1,453 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–293 271 5 266.00–271.00 $268.16 $727 —
351–399 368 25 281.00–291.00 $288.47 $1,062 —
406–442 430 41 265.00–271.00 $267.30 $1,149 +10.30
457–465 462 16 262.00–265.00 $263.11 $1,216 —
524 524 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,258 +1.45
612–639 624 31 221.00–227.00 $223.68 $1,396 +6.54
703 703 9 203.00 $203.00 $1,427 +5.76
764 764 13 211.00 $211.00 $1,612 —
865 865 2 186.00 $186.00 $1,609 —
919 919 5 179.00 $179.00 $1,645 +14.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 17 251.00 $251.00 $1,089 —
521–539 531 31 235.00–238.00 $236.33 $1,255 +3.33
566 566 13 228.00 $228.00 $1,290 +12.00
570 value added 570 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,345 —
630 630 8 220.00 $220.00 $1,386 +28.00
703 703 6 201.00 $201.00 $1,413 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 334 4 282.00 $282.00 $942 —
420–438 425 8 252.00–261.00 $258.68 $1,099 +19.71
451–480 465 24 251.00–255.00 $252.42 $1,174 +21.77
546 546 11 234.00 $234.00 $1,278 —
563–590 575 7 221.00–226.00 $223.80 $1,287 +3.80
623–630 627 4 216.00–218.00 $217.01 $1,361 +6.14
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 3 263.00 $263.00 $907 +10.02
395 395 3 236.00 $236.00 $932 -4.68
463–494 484 9 210.00–230.00 $223.62 $1,082 +7.62
592–598 597 15 211.00 $211.00 $1,260 —
765 765 3 176.00 $176.00 $1,346 +4.35

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
576 576 4 223.00 $223.00 $1,284 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
573 573 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,094 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1295 1026 85-90% 52 61.00–82.00 $73.98 $759 —
833–1641 1115 85-90% 19 91.00–96.00 $92.77 $1,034 +6.25
925–1293 1126 85-90% 102 83.00–90.00 $87.07 $980 +0.55
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 75-80% 1 76.00 $76.00 $1,144 —
1515 1515 75-80% 2 86.00–89.00 $87.50 $1,326 —
1535–1695 1646 75-80% 43 91.00–94.50 $93.44 $1,538 +5.37
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1430 1382 80-85% 4 85.00–86.00 $85.76 $1,185 +2.55
1330–1460 1395 80-85% 7 76.00–91.00 $81.45 $1,136 -1.76
1295–1498 1397 80-85% 34 91.00–97.00 $93.42 $1,305 +10.21

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1875 1541 6 86.00–98.00 $93.90 $1,447 —
1060–2080 1700 10 102.00–109.50 $105.81 $1,799 —
1765–2395 1975 5 111.00–113.00 $112.24 $2,217 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
819–1115 899 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 109 160.00–181.00 $171.00 $1,537
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
679–778 721 (<2 yrs)Open 17 136.00–157.00 $145.57 $1,050
803–1171 1011 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 66 130.00–159.00 $144.88 $1,465
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
750–1493 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 57 102.00–129.00 $115.88 $1,255

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760–925 867 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,225.00–1,350.00 $1,298.70
1210 1210 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915–1205 1081 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,025.00–1,175.00 $1,099.02
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760–990 875 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 685.00–850.00 $778.34

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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.