Cattle Market Pulse

La Junta Livestock Commision Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 15, 2025

2,732 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 $323.07/cwt +2.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,867/hd at 578 lb · 273 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $308.60/cwt +16.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,913/hd at 620 lb · 167 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $344.22/cwt +17.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,838/hd at 534 lb · 127 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,732 1,079 1,767
Feeder cattle 2,229 836 1,372
Slaughter cattle 281 153 234
Replacement cattle 222 90 161

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold 3.00 to 9.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 9.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 8.00 higher. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher and lean cows sold 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 9.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday January 22, 2025.

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
240 240 2 415.00 $415.00 $996 —
305–345 324 20 415.00–490.00 $464.69 $1,506 —
365–395 380 36 410.00–445.00 $428.81 $1,629 +12.20
401–428 410 28 405.00–437.50 $426.73 $1,750 +16.73
457–464 461 15 395.00–410.00 $401.96 $1,853 +41.65
513 fancy 513 12 375.00 $375.00 $1,924 —
507–543 536 115 320.00–355.00 $341.01 $1,828 +13.93
555–595 578 273 308.00–338.00 $323.07 $1,867 +2.50
600–633 620 167 291.00–320.00 $308.60 $1,913 +16.58
658–696 676 104 267.50–285.00 $280.59 $1,897 -4.41
713–747 734 75 251.00–276.00 $270.07 $1,982 +9.49
751–784 765 26 246.00–273.00 $256.88 $1,965 +1.88
800–823 810 24 245.00–251.00 $247.53 $2,005 +12.90
914–939 929 12 226.00–231.00 $228.95 $2,127 +3.95
965–975 971 5 216.00–226.00 $222.02 $2,156 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307 307 5 400.00 $400.00 $1,228 —
364–396 381 11 395.00–405.00 $400.66 $1,527 +0.78
450–477 466 92 375.00–389.00 $384.56 $1,792 +69.56
559–591 575 19 281.00–295.00 $289.83 $1,667 —
605–636 624 17 265.00–281.00 $275.22 $1,717 —
770 770 2 229.00 $229.00 $1,763 —
903 903 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,896 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 2 417.50 $417.50 $1,453 —
355 355 4 400.00 $400.00 $1,420 —
476 476 9 382.50 $382.50 $1,821 +35.00
516–545 537 49 320.00–330.00 $327.69 $1,760 —
577–596 590 36 302.50–317.50 $312.61 $1,844 —
635 635 5 289.00 $289.00 $1,835 -7.20
652 652 21 294.00 $294.00 $1,917 —
703 703 7 266.00 $266.00 $1,870 -1.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 10 335.00 $335.00 $965 —
458–490 466 13 320.00–350.00 $341.70 $1,592 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473–499 490 19 341.00–365.00 $352.72 $1,728 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
218–220 219 6 875.00–960.00 $903.16 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264 264 7 390.00 $390.00 $1,030 —
302 fancy 302 3 415.00 $415.00 $1,253 —
303–337 315 28 375.00–390.00 $379.83 $1,196 —
351–399 386 49 340.00–397.50 $363.41 $1,403 +28.41
403–446 436 48 342.50–370.00 $355.33 $1,549 +5.33
450–493 472 62 313.00–340.00 $335.14 $1,582 +19.50
500–545 524 99 292.50–330.00 $317.18 $1,662 +30.39
550–598 559 60 284.00–320.00 $310.54 $1,736 +53.76
604–642 615 106 252.50–270.00 $268.32 $1,650 +11.70
653–695 679 65 241.00–265.00 $252.66 $1,716 —
710–733 723 37 230.00–251.00 $242.24 $1,751 -5.76
730 thin fleshed 730 6 268.00 $268.00 $1,956 —
750 750 6 246.00 $246.00 $1,845 —
807–847 829 21 226.00–236.00 $230.52 $1,911 +8.02
860–864 863 10 216.00–231.00 $226.51 $1,955 —
961 961 9 211.00 $211.00 $2,028 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 2 390.00 $390.00 $1,228 —
452 fancy 452 10 370.00 $370.00 $1,672 —
451–462 459 26 345.00 $345.00 $1,584 —
500–548 516 31 300.00–330.00 $317.13 $1,636 +47.66
587–598 589 17 265.00–285.00 $267.39 $1,575 —
655 655 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,719 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268–278 271 8 340.00–360.00 $345.14 $935 —
433–448 437 8 305.00–310.00 $308.72 $1,349 —
461–478 463 16 290.00–300.00 $298.71 $1,383 —
532–543 535 32 260.00–287.50 $277.96 $1,487 —
583 583 2 271.00 $271.00 $1,580 —
712 712 3 221.00 $221.00 $1,574 —
848 848 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,704 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 15 360.00 $360.00 $1,339 —
463 463 3 315.00 $315.00 $1,458 —
523 523 2 282.50 $282.50 $1,477 —
685 685 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,548 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
494 494 6 256.00 $256.00 $1,265 —
546–548 546 10 231.00–255.00 $235.81 $1,288 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 2 402.50 $402.50 $1,026 —
405 405 4 420.00 $420.00 $1,701 —
490 490 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,592 —
507 507 3 335.00 $335.00 $1,698 —
555 555 4 315.00 $315.00 $1,748 —
628–640 634 19 271.00–274.00 $272.41 $1,727 —
823 823 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,893 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1155 1046 85-90% 6 91.00–106.00 $102.64 $1,074 —
990–1140 1054 85-90% 10 111.00–119.00 $116.36 $1,226 —
1024–1145 1054 85-90% 14 113.00–118.00 $117.40 $1,237 —
1005–1085 1055 85-90% 3 61.00–86.00 $72.92 $769 -39.41
1130 1130 85-90% 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,220 -18.22
885–1296 1149 85-90% 149 120.00–138.00 $127.85 $1,469 +1.63
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1445 1345 80-85% 4 116.00–119.00 $117.01 $1,574 —
1318–1493 1393 80-85% 33 121.00–136.00 $130.71 $1,821 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1535 1520 75-80% 5 130.00–141.00 $134.84 $2,050 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1730 1730 65-75% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,920 -15.00

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,543 -10.00
1135–1930 1444 19 121.00–141.00 $134.30 $1,939 —
1080–2160 1720 21 141.00–192.50 $156.37 $2,690 +9.96

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
728–961 thin fleshed 889 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 25 205.00–233.50 $213.15 $1,895
760–1135 983 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 89 169.00–197.50 $183.36 $1,802
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
825–1255 1146 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 41 130.00–149.00 $142.08 $1,628
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–1105 1011 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 25 150.00–169.00 $160.40 $1,622

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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.