Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report, La Junta, CO

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 24, 2023

1,741 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $231.48/cwt ≈ $1,329/hd at 574 lb · 66 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $234.40/cwt ≈ $1,270/hd at 542 lb · 61 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 2 steers $233.35/cwt -12.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,589/hd at 681 lb · 53 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,741 1,373 1,531
Feeder cattle 1,118 911 994
Slaughter cattle 418 384 537
Replacement cattle 205 78 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Feeder steers in all weight classes sold 8.00 lower. Feeder heifers in all weight classes sold 4.00 to 8.00 lower. Average dressing slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 6.00 lower. The next available report will be Tuesday October 31 2023.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312–315 313 3 297.50–305.00 $302.48 $947 +4.98
387 387 12 292.00 $292.00 $1,130 —
467 467 7 262.50 $262.50 $1,226 —
501–547 518 7 236.00–263.00 $250.60 $1,298 -14.40
551–577 568 31 234.00–246.50 $242.53 $1,378 -6.65
620–641 629 25 223.00–240.00 $235.38 $1,481 +2.88
668–696 681 53 222.00–240.50 $233.35 $1,589 -0.65
752 752 18 227.50 $227.50 $1,711 -4.50
815–847 834 17 226.00–227.00 $226.40 $1,888 —
899 899 20 230.00 $230.00 $2,068 —
906–915 911 6 200.00–216.00 $207.96 $1,895 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
606–645 633 34 236.00–240.00 $238.72 $1,511 -27.78
687 687 7 240.50 $240.50 $1,652 —
743 743 3 239.00 $239.00 $1,776 -8.00
765–787 780 39 225.00–241.00 $239.79 $1,870 +7.79
807–840 817 10 240.00 $240.00 $1,961 +4.17
1012 1012 2 202.50 $202.50 $2,049 +2.52
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 6 276.00 $276.00 $1,214 —
467 467 7 262.50 $262.50 $1,226 —
641 641 7 232.50 $232.50 $1,490 —
687–688 687 12 237.50–240.50 $239.25 $1,644 —
730–747 746 22 230.00–232.50 $230.11 $1,717 —
755 755 4 238.00 $238.00 $1,797 —
981 981 16 224.00 $224.00 $2,197 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354–381 372 9 249.00–258.00 $255.15 $949 -0.85
420–428 422 21 207.00–244.00 $233.29 $984 —
475–493 487 8 226.00–233.00 $229.21 $1,116 -10.79
512–546 542 61 221.00–236.00 $234.40 $1,270 —
554–593 574 66 229.50–233.00 $231.48 $1,329 —
606–618 608 49 227.50–232.00 $230.90 $1,404 -0.10
776 776 19 212.00 $212.00 $1,645 —
818 818 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,685 -9.37
900–920 909 4 180.00–200.00 $189.98 $1,727 —
1030 1030 16 198.00 $198.00 $2,039 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 4 256.00 $256.00 $717 —
742 742 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,603 —
750 750 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,688 —
861–886 874 18 202.50–211.00 $207.22 $1,811 —
909–941 920 26 200.00–206.00 $202.12 $1,860 —
960 960 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,968 —
1006 1006 3 196.00 $196.00 $1,972 —
1050 1050 1 198.00 $198.00 $2,079 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 381 6 258.00 $258.00 $983 —
563 563 8 233.00 $233.00 $1,312 —
666–690 675 14 230.00 $230.00 $1,552 -8.00
705 705 10 232.50 $232.50 $1,639 -3.50
771 771 8 240.50 $240.50 $1,854 +18.50
807 807 7 240.00 $240.00 $1,937 —
995 995 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,960 -22.76

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,377 —
619 619 15 230.00 $230.00 $1,424 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,020 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1162–1361 1266 80-85% 116 77.00–87.00 $84.91 $1,075 —
1200–1341 1310 80-85% 46 90.00–97.00 $92.66 $1,214 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705 705 85-90% 1 59.00 $59.00 $416 —
955–1200 1069 85-90% 32 73.00–80.00 $77.29 $826 —
904–1200 1082 85-90% 120 82.00–95.00 $87.63 $948 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1372–1500 1424 75-80% 42 76.00–88.00 $81.89 $1,166 -5.11
1355–1730 1540 75-80% 22 93.00–104.00 $97.28 $1,498 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–2160 1544 8 102.00–110.00 $105.73 $1,632 +14.00
1385–1725 1608 3 93.00–96.00 $94.65 $1,522 —
1635–2100 1838 10 111.00–116.00 $113.23 $2,081 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880 880 (<2 yrs)Open 5 215.00 $215.00 $1,892
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830 830 (<2 yrs)Open 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,577
1067 1067 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,974

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1031–1235 1041 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 20 2,100.00–2,150.00 $2,147.03
1023–1107 1048 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 61 2,000.00–2,525.00 $2,464.37
1056 1056 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,924.99 $1,924.99
1060 1060 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00
1160–1163 1162 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,800.00–1,825.00 $1,818.76
1182 1182 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,775.00 $1,775.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1109–1190 1118 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 900.00–1,125.00 $926.61
1130 1130 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1155 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1035–1201 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 900.00–1,125.00 $1,066.95
1030–1201 1171 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 825.00–1,175.00 $1,010.20
1148–1237 1178 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 975.00–1,085.00 $1,013.51
1260 1260 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235 1235 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1087–1386 1279 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 12 1,575.00–1,850.00 $1,753.59
1456 1456 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,875.00 $1,875.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135–1495 1258 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,410.00–1,450.00 $1,437.87
1260 1260 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1315 1315 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1397 1397 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1405 1405 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1527 1527 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00
Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1107 1107 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1305 1305 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
808 808 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,325.00 $1,325.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760 760 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
920 920 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835 835 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1125 1125 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00 —
1000–1265 1133 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,100.00–2,400.00 $2,232.45 —
1166–1865 1325 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 2,200.00–2,500.00 $2,358.45 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1140–1350 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,575.00–1,600.00 $1,588.55 —
1350 1350 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,525.00 $1,525.00 -1,575.00

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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.