Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 24, 2023

1,282 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $201.76/cwt +4.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,264/hd at 627 lb · 133 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $180.95/cwt +3.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,028/hd at 568 lb · 99 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $184.88/cwt +3.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,239/hd at 670 lb · 89 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,282 4,739 1,896
Feeder cattle 1,150 4,361 1,750
Slaughter cattle 74 378 146
Replacement cattle 58 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared with last Tuesday: Steers under 550 lbs in a light test mostly steady, 550 to 700 lbs 3.00 to 5.00 higher, yearling feeder steers over 700 lbs 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Heifers under 550 lbs mostly steady in a light test, 550 to 700 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher, yearling feeder heifers mostly steady. Slaughter cows 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls lightly tested. Trade and demand moderate to good.

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
357–373 367 10 260.00–265.00 $261.95 $961 -3.93
400 fancy 400 6 251.00 $251.00 $1,004 -9.00
422–445 430 11 242.00–246.00 $243.13 $1,045 -5.85
457 457 4 233.00 $233.00 $1,065 +0.60
500 fancy 500 6 224.00 $224.00 $1,120 —
511–536 527 46 215.00–218.50 $215.63 $1,136 -0.10
550–581 566 45 207.00–218.00 $211.76 $1,199 +5.90
600–644 617 53 191.00–201.00 $194.60 $1,201 -2.95
633 fancy 633 80 206.50 $206.50 $1,307 —
652 fancy 652 15 194.00 $194.00 $1,265 —
659–695 674 74 177.50–189.00 $183.03 $1,234 +2.05
700–735 706 19 176.50–177.00 $176.58 $1,247 -0.17
772–781 775 24 170.00–174.50 $172.25 $1,335 -2.88
839–843 840 79 166.00–168.00 $167.67 $1,408 -3.30
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 10 233.00 $233.00 $1,007 —
550–595 585 14 192.00–196.00 $192.81 $1,128 —
621 621 17 188.00 $188.00 $1,167 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322 322 2 201.00 $201.00 $647 -0.53
407–413 409 12 185.00–189.00 $186.35 $762 -8.13
457 fancy 457 10 193.00 $193.00 $882 —
454–485 471 11 184.00–189.00 $186.81 $880 -5.53
500–532 514 49 181.00–188.00 $183.56 $943 -1.56
553–582 568 99 177.00–187.00 $180.95 $1,028 +6.35
625–644 631 47 169.00–172.00 $171.53 $1,082 +0.48
658–695 675 43 167.00–173.00 $168.93 $1,140 +1.69
711 711 49 170.00 $170.00 $1,209 +2.75
800 800 73 163.25 $163.25 $1,306 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353–380 368 7 181.00–185.00 $182.64 $672 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 10 190.00 $190.00 $950 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 85-90% 13 65.50 $65.50 $655 +8.18
986–1165 1056 85-90% 11 63.00–67.00 $64.77 $684 +1.15
945–1140 1057 85-90% 5 56.00–62.00 $59.00 $624 -4.62
935–1137 1070 85-90% 3 67.00–68.00 $67.29 $720 +3.67
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1260 1235 80-85% 4 63.00–70.00 $65.52 $809 —
1080–1350 1254 80-85% 16 75.00–79.00 $77.33 $970 —
1275–1423 1323 80-85% 11 80.00–82.00 $80.80 $1,069 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1865 1500 75-80% 12 78.00–82.00 $80.84 $1,213 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1640–1825 1738 4 97.00–102.00 $99.31 $1,726 —
1755–1820 1788 2 93.00–95.00 $93.98 $1,680 +9.98
2095–2245 2170 2 105.00–110.00 $107.41 $2,331 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–1081 1007 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,100.00–1,235.00 $1,196.58
945–1147 1046 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 18 1,435.00–1,550.00 $1,486.95
1066 1066 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,175.00 $1,175.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1000–1350 1146 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 1,650.00–1,760.00 $1,695.96 —
1300 1300 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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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.