Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 4, 2024

840 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 $262.61/cwt -23.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,549/hd at 590 lb · 69 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $279.04/cwt -10.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,412/hd at 506 lb · 51 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $234.31/cwt ≈ $1,666/hd at 711 lb · 30 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 840 917 1,342
Feeder cattle 591 585 871
Slaughter cattle 183 79 150
Replacement cattle 66 253 321

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was moderate. Feeder steers sold mostly 7.00 to 13.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder heifers under 450lbs sold 1.00 to 19.00 higher. Feeder heifers over 450lbs sold 8.00 to 15.00 lower. Boner slaughter cows sold 2.00 lower. Lean slaughter cows sold 8.00 lower and slaughter bulls sold 16.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday September 11, 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
251 251 9 377.00 $377.00 $946 —
342 342 9 370.00 $370.00 $1,265 —
356 356 4 370.00 $370.00 $1,317 +25.00
407–422 420 26 325.00–337.00 $335.66 $1,410 +4.05
467 467 11 282.00 $282.00 $1,317 -11.00
502–511 506 51 269.00–285.00 $279.04 $1,412 -10.06
575–599 590 69 256.00–267.00 $262.61 $1,549 -23.35
619–625 621 12 241.00–255.00 $245.70 $1,526 -34.30
672–678 674 13 246.00–256.00 $252.99 $1,705 +22.99
703–707 704 28 245.00–248.00 $247.46 $1,742 -5.17
820–830 826 5 217.00–225.00 $221.82 $1,832 -12.66
853–879 871 12 218.00–225.00 $220.91 $1,924 -0.09
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 316 4 325.00 $325.00 $1,027 —
363–379 369 10 328.00–332.50 $329.85 $1,217 —
429–445 433 9 301.00–318.00 $314.11 $1,360 +10.11
528–545 534 13 230.00–251.00 $242.74 $1,296 -22.40
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
170 170 4 800.00 $800.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 4 265.00 $265.00 $901 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,514 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294 294 13 311.00 $311.00 $914 —
303–308 305 6 315.00–317.00 $315.67 $963 +0.28
397 397 3 296.00 $296.00 $1,175 +1.00
401 401 15 295.00 $295.00 $1,183 —
458–485 476 15 241.00–256.00 $249.95 $1,190 -8.33
518–521 520 29 240.00–250.00 $247.59 $1,287 -12.64
598 598 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,435 -15.00
604 604 14 241.00 $241.00 $1,456 -7.98
709–715 711 30 225.00–239.00 $234.31 $1,666 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 5 276.00 $276.00 $952 —
443 443 2 279.00 $279.00 $1,236 +23.12
510 510 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,178 +10.00
718 718 2 207.50 $207.50 $1,490 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
142 142 3 575.00 $575.00 —
213 213 4 810.00 $810.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1133 1038 85-90% 10 91.00–98.00 $96.58 $1,003 -3.57
865–1252 1077 85-90% 55 101.00–119.00 $112.38 $1,210 -7.55
835–1295 1169 85-90% 53 120.00–151.00 $127.39 $1,489 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 80-85% 2 113.00 $113.00 $1,469 —
1320–1483 1393 80-85% 29 121.00–140.00 $130.56 $1,819 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,328 —
1155–1790 1540 6 115.00–159.00 $134.84 $2,077 —
1425–2165 1770 15 141.00–161.00 $153.42 $2,716 +4.90

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
906–1044 963 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 151.00–181.00 $168.23 $1,620
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
780–845 818 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 201.00–213.00 $204.81 $1,675

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955–1195 1075 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,600.00–1,800.00 $1,711.16
1095 1095 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1195 1195 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00
1223–1395 1280 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,675.00–1,825.00 $1,729.48
1383 1383 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,810.00 $1,810.00
1347–1538 1423 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,000.00–2,075.00 $2,032.42
1443 1443 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1395–1515 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,010.00–2,050.00 $2,029.18
1455 1455 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,310.00 $2,310.00
1460 1460 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
870 870 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00
1325–1347 1342 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,560.00–1,725.00 $1,684.26
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
732–953 870 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 1,475.00–1,610.00 $1,570.49
1210 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,110.00 $2,110.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
645 645 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,250.00 $1,250.00
765–985 875 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,210.00–1,625.00 $1,443.59

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1450 1450 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 2,410.00 $2,410.00 —
1830 1830 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,725.00 $2,725.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1680 1680 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,625.00 $2,625.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1245 1245 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,010.00 $2,010.00 —

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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.