Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 15, 2020

3,843 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Winter Livestock (Tuesday) report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $150.67/cwt -2.27 vs last sale · ≈ $941/hd at 625 lb · 298 head

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $146.25/cwt -2.65 vs last sale · ≈ $978/hd at 669 lb · 240 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $160.13/cwt +2.46 vs last sale · ≈ $908/hd at 567 lb · 223 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	3,843	9,099	2,639
Feeder cattle	3,322	8,402	2,366
Slaughter cattle	186	90	100
Replacement cattle	335	607	173

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last Tuesday: All weights of steer calves under 700 lbs mostly steady except for 450 to 500 lbs 2.00 lower. Heifer calves under 600 lbs mostly steady, instances 5.00 higher on 450 to 500 lbs, 600 to 700 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Feeder steers over 700 lbs steady to 1.00 higher. Feeder heifers over 700 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Slaughter cows steady to 1.00 lower. Slaughter bulls steady. Demand moderate to good. Many cattle in full and fleshy condition.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
317–348	339	12	214.00–215.00	$214.74	$728	—
374–388	383	27	200.00–202.00	$201.64	$772	+5.22
412–433	426	19	186.00–187.00	$186.69	$795	+1.07
469–487	476	38	175.00–183.00	$179.75	$856	-3.89
500 thin fleshed	500	38	181.00	$181.00	$905	+8.07
501–546	535	133	166.00–173.00	$168.05	$899	+4.36
559–569 thin fleshed	563	94	164.00–168.00	$166.28	$936	+0.82
555–592	570	129	151.00–161.50	$155.65	$887	+1.07
605–611 fancy	609	75	159.25–160.00	$159.52	$971	—
600–647 unweaned	621	96	135.50–143.50	$139.35	$865	-7.31
603–646	637	127	149.00–155.50	$154.00	$981	+0.57
659 fancy	659	70	154.60	$154.60	$1,019	—
656–677 unweaned	668	43	130.50–138.50	$133.72	$893	-5.28
654–698	674	127	141.00–149.00	$145.89	$983	-1.24
700–738	719	169	139.00–146.00	$141.98	$1,021	-0.49
741 unweaned	741	9	135.00	$135.00	$1,000	-1.12
763–794	786	200	133.50–142.75	$136.68	$1,074	+1.11
808–813	812	120	133.50–136.50	$133.90	$1,087	-1.89
861 fancy	861	60	137.25	$137.25	$1,182	—
876–895	889	87	131.25–133.00	$132.44	$1,177	-1.31

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
385	385	14	191.00	$191.00	$735	—
469–490	481	35	160.00–162.00	$160.46	$772	-7.62
551–596	574	52	141.00–147.00	$144.60	$830	-1.14
917	917	6	121.00	$121.00	$1,110	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
318	318	3	172.00	$172.00	$547	—
373–385	378	36	161.00–171.00	$167.21	$632	-0.90
437–438	437	20	156.00–158.00	$157.60	$689	+1.60
474 fancy	474	42	161.50	$161.50	$766	—
461–493	485	82	145.00–153.00	$150.38	$729	-1.79
500–528	513	60	145.00–153.00	$148.75	$763	+2.93
550–596	571	204	136.00–147.00	$142.45	$813	+0.47
600–601	601	50	131.00–132.00	$131.46	$790	-9.58
602 fancy	602	9	145.00	$145.00	$873	—
600–647 unweaned	625	65	125.00–129.00	$126.87	$793	-5.54
650 unweaned	650	9	123.00	$123.00	$800	—
659–695	680	131	130.00–135.00	$131.05	$891	+0.17
703–738	723	107	121.00–125.00	$122.91	$889	-7.69
755–792	785	74	120.00–121.00	$120.57	$946	-9.43
791	791	47	130.00	$130.00	$1,028	±0.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
504–544	526	49	135.00–140.00	$137.46	$723	+3.64
592–597	595	18	128.00–130.00	$129.00	$768	-3.28

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
975–1075	984	85-90%	15	36.00–37.00	$36.07	$355	—
1027–1060	1032	85-90%	12	48.00–51.00	$48.47	$500	—
1005–1370	1158	85-90%	10	42.00–48.00	$44.86	$519	—

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1038–1395	1105	80-85%	23	49.00–54.50	$51.43	$568	—
1160–1320	1251	80-85%	12	55.00–60.00	$57.98	$725	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1227–1530	1339	75-80%	12	57.00–59.00	$57.67	$772	—
1678	1678	75-80%	2	54.00	$54.00	$906	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1575–1825	1730	8	73.00–77.50	$76.74	$1,328	+0.18
1585–2205	1882	12	80.00–86.00	$83.07	$1,563	+0.56

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
802–1328	1159	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	168	46.00–59.50	$55.39	$642

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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.