Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 24, 2024

2,787 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $236.53/cwt +2.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,646/hd at 696 lb · 113 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $224.48/cwt -0.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,771/hd at 789 lb · 95 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $294.14/cwt +21.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,677/hd at 570 lb · 84 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,787 1,767 1,764
Feeder cattle 2,363 1,372 1,628
Slaughter cattle 258 234 136
Replacement cattle 166 161 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Trade activity and demand were good. Feeder steers under 650 lbs sold sharply higher, while those over 650 lbs sold mostly 1.00 to 7.00 higher, with instances of 13.00 to 24.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 650 lbs sold mostly steady to 17.00 higher, with instances for 22.00 to 26.00 higher. Average dress slaughter cows sold unevenly steady and average dress slaughter bulls sold 3.75 higher. The scheduled sale will be Wednesday, January 31, 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
325–335 333 13 362.00–373.00 $364.48 $1,214 +32.39
369–375 371 17 352.00–370.00 $360.43 $1,337 —
445 445 37 348.00 $348.00 $1,549 +28.00
492–493 493 36 321.00–330.00 $327.00 $1,612 —
505–548 540 80 301.00–311.00 $304.53 $1,644 +15.49
552–581 570 84 293.00–296.00 $294.14 $1,677 +28.05
605 605 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,754 +39.19
655–683 662 54 245.00–253.00 $247.77 $1,640 +1.17
706–729 715 79 231.00–235.50 $234.02 $1,673 +13.02
753–792 789 95 221.00–231.00 $224.48 $1,771 +7.48
807–824 815 29 225.00–226.00 $225.44 $1,837 +24.44
855–896 875 39 201.00–215.00 $211.20 $1,848 +6.69
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 6 330.00 $330.00 $917 —
315–348 330 9 328.00–341.00 $335.25 $1,106 —
362–373 370 25 329.00–341.00 $332.65 $1,231 —
378–388 379 18 315.00–322.00 $315.80 $1,197 —
403–445 411 10 300.00–307.00 $305.49 $1,256 +5.49
421–448 440 24 317.50–325.00 $323.35 $1,423 +23.35
461–498 484 53 309.00–316.00 $311.06 $1,506 +3.06
520–540 534 53 280.00–292.00 $287.49 $1,535 +16.49
527–548 536 15 264.00–270.00 $265.85 $1,425 -5.15
587–591 590 36 270.00–275.00 $272.42 $1,607 +20.42
605–620 615 22 258.00–271.00 $260.20 $1,600 +25.20
610–646 unweaned 628 8 246.00–251.00 $248.43 $1,560 —
650–698 696 113 234.75–242.00 $236.53 $1,646 +2.40
710–747 735 25 220.00–229.00 $227.41 $1,671 +11.41
810 810 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,669 —
998 998 2 174.00 $174.00 $1,737 —
1002 1002 3 166.00 $166.00 $1,663 -9.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278–298 289 13 301.00–321.00 $313.21 $905 —
333–339 336 14 301.00–313.00 $309.10 $1,039 —
377 377 2 282.00 $282.00 $1,063 -28.57
420–448 429 14 264.00–281.00 $269.05 $1,154 -6.90
492 492 14 262.00 $262.00 $1,289 -16.10
517–549 540 18 247.50–256.00 $251.90 $1,360 -4.10
559–598 584 28 236.00–247.00 $242.83 $1,418 —
616–644 632 18 222.00–227.00 $223.89 $1,415 +4.89
664 664 5 219.00 $219.00 $1,454 —
734 734 7 169.00 $169.00 $1,240 —
891 891 4 161.00 $161.00 $1,435 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–333 331 26 281.00–291.00 $289.90 $960 +0.23
352–385 371 17 278.00–283.00 $280.98 $1,042 +4.13
435–446 444 42 270.00–278.00 $272.09 $1,208 +21.45
475–498 490 41 258.00–271.00 $267.41 $1,310 +16.77
500–511 508 43 255.00–259.00 $257.82 $1,310 +21.68
553–590 576 50 234.00–241.00 $236.94 $1,365 +9.73
601–639 624 35 226.00–227.00 $226.14 $1,411 +11.32
653–688 678 19 213.00–224.00 $221.50 $1,502 —
747 747 5 215.00 $215.00 $1,606 +19.00
760–786 778 25 191.00–198.00 $193.32 $1,504 +0.32
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311–331 315 21 301.00–303.00 $301.40 $949 +0.40
366–385 372 13 298.00–299.00 $298.68 $1,111 +6.11
400–431 414 60 289.00–300.00 $292.82 $1,212 +26.52
452–483 473 33 279.00–289.00 $281.37 $1,331 +17.37
515–528 521 61 267.00–276.00 $273.42 $1,425 +22.81
600–613 607 32 234.00–236.00 $235.04 $1,427 +5.04
674 674 11 229.00 $229.00 $1,543 —
743 743 8 223.00 $223.00 $1,657 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252 252 9 265.00 $265.00 $668 —
308–338 317 10 271.00–273.00 $272.36 $863 +11.36
398 398 3 256.00 $256.00 $1,019 —
419–445 429 8 251.00–261.00 $254.89 $1,093 +13.89
467–469 468 19 242.00–254.00 $246.85 $1,155 +15.85
523 523 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,260 +15.00
552–599 568 22 224.00–241.00 $234.90 $1,334 +29.49
661 661 6 181.00 $181.00 $1,196 -20.77
795 795 3 188.00 $188.00 $1,495 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
453 453 15 268.00 $268.00 $1,214 +19.39

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
678 678 9 208.00 $208.00 $1,410 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1075 984 85-90% 4 76.00–82.00 $78.80 $775 +5.96
830–1270 1020 85-90% 9 83.00–87.00 $85.50 $872 —
1000–1140 1083 85-90% 8 101.00–104.00 $101.39 $1,098 +7.46
1120–1211 1194 85-90% 9 96.00–99.00 $97.90 $1,169 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1290 1260 80-85% 2 96.00–99.00 $97.54 $1,229 —
1297–1470 1347 80-85% 12 100.00–106.00 $103.59 $1,395 —
1370 1370 80-85% 1 74.00 $74.00 $1,014 -26.50
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1596–1663 1630 75-80% 8 106.00–109.00 $107.47 $1,752 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1970 1619 4 101.00–114.00 $109.34 $1,770 —
1065–2240 1760 27 116.00–131.00 $121.96 $2,146 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
678–975 886 (<2 yrs)Open 51 181.00–194.00 $185.20 $1,641
1000–1083 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 166.00–175.00 $168.09 $1,773
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
715–945 822 (<2 yrs)Open 15 161.00–177.00 $171.33 $1,408
846–945 895 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 28 152.00–159.00 $156.46 $1,400
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955–1195 1032 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 110.00–127.00 $116.17 $1,199
900–1117 1076 (<2 yrs)Open 26 134.00–138.00 $135.46 $1,458

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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.