Cattle Market Pulse

Livestock Exchange Cattle Auction (Thursday) Market Report

Brush, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 14, 2023

1,845 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Livestock Exchange Cattle Auction (Thursday) report →

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $236.44/cwt ≈ $1,445/hd at 611 lb · 15 head
light 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $257.94/cwt ≈ $1,070/hd at 415 lb · 11 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 2 steers $295.00/cwt ≈ $1,086/hd at 368 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,845 1,494 0
Feeder cattle 338 236 0
Slaughter cattle 790 1,163 0
Replacement cattle 717 40 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Trade activity and demand moderate. Feeder steers and heifers had no comparable trades from the prior week. Feeder dairy heifers over 900 lbs sold mostly 1.00 to 2.00 higher. Average dressing slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Today's run included 700+ head of bred cows mostly in their 2nd trimester. Prices were firm on bred Heifers, Young, and Middle Aged cows. This market will run a combined feeder/slaughter/bred/pair sale until the 1st Stock Show Special on January 12, 2024. The next available report will be Thursday, December 21, 2023.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417 417 5 293.00 $293.00 $1,222 —
469 469 4 272.50 $272.50 $1,278 —
547 547 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,422 —
602–618 611 15 230.00–244.00 $236.44 $1,445 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
368 368 11 295.00 $295.00 $1,086 —
406–420 409 10 270.00–272.50 $270.51 $1,106 —
454 454 6 269.00 $269.00 $1,221 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
577 577 8 240.00 $240.00 $1,385 —
610 unweaned 610 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,336 —
658 658 10 246.00 $246.00 $1,619 —
1080 1080 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,804 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318 318 5 282.50 $282.50 $898 —
403–418 415 11 257.50–260.00 $257.94 $1,070 —
542 542 5 215.00 $215.00 $1,165 —
616 unweaned 616 6 195.00 $195.00 $1,201 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795 795 4 198.00 $198.00 $1,574 —
860 860 3 176.00 $176.00 $1,514 —
925 925 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,688 —
965–968 967 4 172.50–177.50 $176.25 $1,704 -3.75
1032 1032 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,651 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 6 280.00 $280.00 $1,016 —
601 601 7 211.50 $211.50 $1,271 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1285 1210 80-85% 3 99.00–105.00 $101.31 $1,226 +6.81
1135–1543 1350 80-85% 90 81.00–94.00 $87.28 $1,178 +4.45
1355 1355 80-85% 1 80.50 $80.50 $1,091 -2.33
1375 1375 80-85% 1 37.50 $37.50 $516 -45.33
995–1840 1479 80-85% 130 78.50–89.00 $83.46 $1,234 —
1130–1785 1514 80-85% 13 67.00–78.00 $74.88 $1,134 —
1440–1825 1564 80-85% 4 92.00–95.50 $93.16 $1,457 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1185 1010 85-90% 2 91.00–102.50 $95.75 $967 —
1055–1180 1123 85-90% 3 67.50–78.00 $72.96 $819 —
845–1490 1127 85-90% 3 35.00–52.50 $45.84 $517 —
710–1469 1194 85-90% 105 78.50–93.00 $82.63 $987 —
1050–1598 1303 85-90% 67 76.00–84.00 $80.37 $1,047 —
1219–1395 1317 85-90% 10 84.50–87.00 $85.14 $1,121 —
990–1550 1349 85-90% 9 65.00–75.00 $72.11 $973 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375–1529 1500 75-80% 9 88.50–96.00 $90.48 $1,357 +0.52
1545 1545 75-80% 1 117.50 $117.50 $1,815 +27.54
1275–1805 1626 75-80% 5 72.50–85.50 $80.99 $1,317 —
1405–1749 1648 75-80% 16 86.50–96.00 $88.73 $1,462 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1715–1915 1817 65-75% 3 76.00–90.00 $84.92 $1,543 —
1615–2040 1839 65-75% 4 90.00–98.00 $93.14 $1,713 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,347 —
1030–2070 1550 2 112.50–117.50 $114.16 $1,769 —
980–2005 1724 10 102.50–110.50 $106.90 $1,843 —
1740–2080 1910 2 99.00 $99.00 $1,891 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920–1190 1049 (<2 yrs)Open 16 107.50–137.50 $117.06 $1,228
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830–1028 971 (<2 yrs)Open 5 144.00–174.00 $154.03 $1,496
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1245–1485 1325 (<2 yrs)Open 3 136.00–139.00 $137.88 $1,827

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
952 952 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1205 1205 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1219–1301 1244 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 40 1,000.00–1,150.00 $1,029.81
1136–1369 1257 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 179 1,000.00–1,310.00 $1,171.44
1284–1285 1285 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 12 1,185.00–1,235.00 $1,210.01
1308–1310 1309 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 9 1,125.00–1,300.00 $1,222.16
1317 1317 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1388 1388 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 1,250.00 $1,250.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1087 1087 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,575.00 $1,575.00
1291 1291 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1325 1325 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1145–1489 1330 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 68 1,400.00–2,250.00 $1,858.49
1325–1568 1416 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 88 1,325.00–1,600.00 $1,446.74
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1084 1084 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 2,525.00 $2,525.00
1211 1211 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 2,225.00 $2,225.00
1337–1431 1387 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 27 2,025.00–2,400.00 $2,178.28

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
917–1023 941 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 34 2,000.00–2,400.00 $2,271.51
909–981 947 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 32 2,400.00–2,425.00 $2,413.75
1070 1070 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 2,500.00 $2,500.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
856 856 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 1,900.00 $1,900.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
938 938 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,750.00 $1,750.00

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
928 928 2 142.50 $142.50 $1,322 +0.63
995 995 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,413 -0.37
1023–1045 1036 8 142.50–144.50 $143.19 $1,483 +0.71
1058–1096 1089 12 143.50–144.50 $144.25 $1,571 +2.04
1107–1148 1135 27 143.00–145.00 $144.49 $1,640 +2.13
1160–1197 1186 10 142.00–142.50 $142.40 $1,689 -0.10
1233 1233 5 142.50 $142.50 $1,757 +1.85
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930 930 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,330 —
968–990 971 8 144.00–149.00 $148.36 $1,441 —
1005 1005 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,447 —
1155 1155 1 143.50 $143.50 $1,657 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 127.50 $127.50 $663 —
610 610 1 140.00 $140.00 $854 —
875 875 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,247 +6.36
1035 1035 2 141.50 $141.50 $1,465 +3.50
1265–1267 1266 5 142.00–142.50 $142.20 $1,800 —
1305 1305 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,827 —
Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413 413 7 107.50 $107.50 $444 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,710 —

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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.