Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 7, 2024

1,617 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $240.90/cwt +7.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,850/hd at 768 lb · 101 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $281.27/cwt -7.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,796/hd at 638 lb · 87 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $316.18/cwt ≈ $1,371/hd at 433 lb · 55 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,617 2,095 2,782
Feeder cattle 1,250 1,445 2,542
Slaughter cattle 201 355 240
Replacement cattle 166 295 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold 4.00 higher to sharply higher. Steers between 600 to 700lbs sold 8.00 to 15.00 lower. Steers over 700lbs sold 1.00 to 18.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold mostly 3.00 to 12.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher across all weight classes while slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday February 14, 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
318–339 332 6 372.00–374.00 $372.64 $1,237 +18.44
352 352 5 361.00 $361.00 $1,271 +3.62
463 value added 463 2 349.00 $349.00 $1,616 —
474–483 479 12 336.00–340.00 $337.65 $1,617 +21.65
494 494 4 322.00 $322.00 $1,591 +6.00
513 value added 513 6 325.00 $325.00 $1,667 —
523 523 9 316.00 $316.00 $1,653 —
557 value added 557 6 314.00 $314.00 $1,749 —
553–571 559 12 310.00–311.00 $310.66 $1,737 +15.09
612 value added 612 5 293.00 $293.00 $1,793 —
608–643 640 82 280.00–288.00 $280.56 $1,796 -8.44
653 value added 653 8 267.00 $267.00 $1,744 —
652–657 657 41 255.00–258.00 $257.78 $1,694 -14.53
711 value added 711 8 249.00 $249.00 $1,770 —
713–732 725 32 236.00–246.00 $241.15 $1,748 +0.93
766–768 value added 768 101 240.00–241.00 $240.90 $1,850 —
807 807 50 233.50 $233.50 $1,884 +17.37
915 915 4 195.00 $195.00 $1,784 —
963 963 8 196.00 $196.00 $1,887 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403–443 432 19 317.00–322.00 $318.23 $1,375 —
546 546 28 287.00 $287.00 $1,567 -6.00
670 670 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,628 +3.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 2 321.00 $321.00 $1,220 -14.25
465–490 479 7 316.00 $316.00 $1,514 +6.00
574 574 5 281.00 $281.00 $1,613 +6.00
671–694 684 25 240.00–251.00 $249.06 $1,704 +5.09
813 813 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,707 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600–648 633 17 259.00–263.00 $260.11 $1,646 +13.15
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
613 613 2 251.00 $251.00 $1,539 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328–346 343 22 333.00–335.00 $334.00 $1,146 +25.89
356–359 value added 357 10 317.00 $317.00 $1,132 —
393 393 2 312.00 $312.00 $1,226 —
405–449 427 12 300.00–321.00 $313.49 $1,339 —
413–439 value added 434 35 320.00–329.00 $321.71 $1,396 —
441 441 8 296.00 $296.00 $1,305 —
456 fancy 456 48 313.00 $313.00 $1,427 —
516–520 518 12 266.00–272.00 $269.51 $1,396 +11.51
508–525 value added 519 26 286.00–289.00 $287.98 $1,495 —
550 fancy 550 9 286.00 $286.00 $1,573 +23.00
552–561 559 24 268.00–270.00 $268.41 $1,500 +20.98
593 593 5 247.00 $247.00 $1,465 -0.43
600–643 630 22 238.00–248.00 $240.50 $1,515 -1.50
708–748 732 23 220.00–225.00 $222.09 $1,626 +3.00
752 752 7 220.00 $220.00 $1,654 ±0.00
773 value added 773 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,747 —
802 fancy 802 7 230.00 $230.00 $1,845 +12.00
817–838 830 31 201.00–205.00 $203.48 $1,689 -2.52
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
253 253 4 311.00 $311.00 $787 —
308 308 2 320.00 $320.00 $986 —
400–438 423 10 290.00 $290.00 $1,227 +4.21
519–545 531 10 251.00–259.00 $256.13 $1,360 +6.43
639–648 642 30 226.00–231.00 $228.76 $1,469 —
692–693 692 23 220.00–221.00 $220.61 $1,527 +0.69
735–743 742 25 214.00–216.00 $214.32 $1,590 —
863 863 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,467 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 fancy 436 17 299.00 $299.00 $1,304 +20.00
500 thin fleshed 500 3 283.00 $283.00 $1,415 —
525 525 12 264.00 $264.00 $1,386 —
610 fancy 610 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,464 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
468 468 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,240 +11.42
604 604 5 217.00 $217.00 $1,311 —
670–690 678 9 191.00–196.00 $192.65 $1,306 —
711 711 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,372 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
674 674 4 201.00 $201.00 $1,355 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508–548 528 4 223.00 $223.00 $1,177 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 9 303.00 $303.00 $1,342 —
616–638 620 12 234.00–236.00 $235.66 $1,461 —
655 655 8 233.00 $233.00 $1,526 —
730 730 5 205.00 $205.00 $1,496 -9.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
723–1120 964 85-90% 31 86.00–91.00 $89.69 $865 —
1070 1070 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $760 -15.94
940–1275 1071 85-90% 54 92.00–99.00 $95.06 $1,018 +8.12
1020–1305 1186 85-90% 35 100.00–107.00 $102.24 $1,213 +8.49
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1400 1383 80-85% 4 85.00–86.00 $85.76 $1,186 -17.87
1305–1490 1405 80-85% 37 100.00–111.00 $104.40 $1,467 —
1405 1405 80-85% 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,349 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–1580 1534 75-80% 4 94.00–110.00 $101.46 $1,556 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1660 1323 2 86.00–96.00 $89.72 $1,187 —
1225–1500 1376 4 104.00–110.00 $107.65 $1,481 —
1130–2240 1582 17 111.00–131.00 $120.13 $1,900 +22.92

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
770 770 (<2 yrs)Open 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,686
898 fancy 898 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 193.00 $193.00 $1,733
815–1090 912 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 87 156.00–176.00 $167.61 $1,529
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815–1164 1019 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 60 130.00–149.00 $137.83 $1,404
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
793–1330 1017 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 109.00–121.00 $115.88 $1,178

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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.