Cattle Market Pulse

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

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 13, 2024

3,359 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $288.77/cwt +3.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,807/hd at 626 lb · 241 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $351.74/cwt +12.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,642/hd at 467 lb · 215 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $326.19/cwt +11.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,706/hd at 523 lb · 191 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,359 2,431 3,349
Feeder cattle 2,990 2,157 3,144
Slaughter cattle 152 105 182
Replacement cattle 217 169 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold mostly 6.00 to 11.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Steers over 600lbs sold mostly 9.00 to 10.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers under 450lbs sold 7.00 lower while heifers over 450lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 4.00 lower, lean cows of average dressing sold 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 1.00 lower while breaker cows were too light to test. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday February 20, 2024.

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
280 280 3 401.00 $401.00 $1,123 +33.50
335 335 2 395.00 $395.00 $1,323 —
350–388 373 34 386.00–395.00 $390.74 $1,457 +19.68
417 fancy 417 13 385.00 $385.00 $1,605 —
401–444 430 74 364.00–379.00 $371.48 $1,597 +13.19
453–472 thin fleshed 461 124 357.00–363.00 $358.58 $1,653 —
450–485 473 69 342.00–354.00 $347.88 $1,645 +8.97
473–483 480 22 325.00–326.00 $325.31 $1,561 -13.60
507–511 value added 507 59 338.00–339.00 $338.88 $1,718 —
502–536 528 93 320.00–329.00 $323.98 $1,711 +9.56
533–537 536 39 311.00–315.00 $312.28 $1,674 -2.14
556 fancy 556 89 326.00 $326.00 $1,813 —
569–573 value added 570 48 302.00–312.00 $307.60 $1,753 —
550–593 575 54 293.00–304.00 $297.10 $1,708 -4.90
600–628 value added 619 125 294.00–295.00 $294.51 $1,823 —
605–646 633 116 281.00–284.00 $282.58 $1,789 -2.75
663–668 value added 667 43 276.50–279.00 $277.19 $1,849 —
653–690 676 85 262.50–271.00 $268.63 $1,816 +8.63
702–749 728 87 244.50–257.00 $248.81 $1,811 -0.81
753–765 755 45 237.50–247.00 $243.28 $1,837 +9.33
826 fancy 826 63 241.50 $241.50 $1,995 —
926 926 12 216.00 $216.00 $2,000 -8.59
1075 1075 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,989 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 10 350.00 $350.00 $1,340 —
460 fancy 460 33 348.00 $348.00 $1,601 —
531 531 9 299.00 $299.00 $1,588 —
546 fancy 546 23 306.00 $306.00 $1,671 —
595 595 11 274.00 $274.00 $1,630 —
610 fancy 610 14 292.00 $292.00 $1,781 —
713 713 24 245.00 $245.00 $1,747 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 4 357.50 $357.50 $1,405 —
429–447 435 9 340.00–350.00 $346.57 $1,508 +8.69
513–548 523 18 297.50–307.00 $305.44 $1,597 +7.86
584–588 585 26 277.00–283.00 $279.77 $1,637 -0.51
603–633 620 23 270.00–275.00 $271.70 $1,685 -1.88
680–686 685 29 242.50–245.00 $243.10 $1,665 -5.20
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467–491 488 73 323.00–331.00 $330.16 $1,611 —
614 614 6 279.00 $279.00 $1,713 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 2 332.50 $332.50 $1,290 —
512 512 11 281.00 $281.00 $1,439 -5.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 fancy 298 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,155 —
322–325 323 5 335.00–345.00 $340.98 $1,101 —
325 fancy 325 4 391.00 $391.00 $1,271 —
360 fancy 360 8 367.00 $367.00 $1,321 —
354–380 value added 370 34 349.00–351.00 $350.31 $1,296 —
369–377 372 7 311.00–321.00 $315.34 $1,173 -22.58
369–395 379 20 328.00–337.00 $331.60 $1,257 -6.32
426 fancy 426 11 340.00 $340.00 $1,448 —
403–445 427 71 316.00–327.00 $322.13 $1,375 +3.29
450–478 468 55 301.00–313.00 $310.24 $1,452 +13.16
480 fancy 480 106 320.00 $320.00 $1,536 —
500–534 value added 510 83 292.00–307.00 $300.21 $1,531 —
515–548 537 54 271.00–287.50 $279.31 $1,500 -11.08
559–562 561 41 260.00–263.00 $261.61 $1,468 -1.67
557–579 value added 565 62 280.00–282.00 $280.91 $1,587 —
552–592 582 41 268.00–278.00 $273.85 $1,594 +10.57
612 fancy 612 26 270.00 $270.00 $1,652 —
608–643 632 17 237.00–241.00 $240.12 $1,518 -8.80
615–644 value added 634 48 256.00–265.00 $259.09 $1,643 —
660 fancy 660 29 250.00 $250.00 $1,650 —
655–692 671 113 237.00–248.00 $244.11 $1,638 +11.47
708–717 714 20 227.00–228.00 $227.37 $1,623 -4.25
728 fancy 728 6 234.00 $234.00 $1,704 —
766–772 771 66 224.50–229.50 $228.37 $1,761 +10.15
811 811 46 219.00 $219.00 $1,776 +4.84
855 855 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,761 -4.00
902 902 9 198.00 $198.00 $1,786 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 fancy 358 6 309.00 $309.00 $1,106 —
425 fancy 425 40 344.00 $344.00 $1,462 —
474 fancy 474 54 325.00 $325.00 $1,540 —
528–547 538 27 281.00–286.00 $283.64 $1,526 —
648 648 8 232.50 $232.50 $1,507 —
668 fancy 668 17 244.00 $244.00 $1,630 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258 258 2 322.50 $322.50 $832 —
441 441 4 282.00 $282.00 $1,244 +1.74
466–468 467 17 282.50–291.00 $288.49 $1,347 —
523–540 536 8 258.00–259.00 $258.76 $1,387 -12.28
588–598 594 17 245.00–254.00 $251.71 $1,495 +2.07
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 12 287.00 $287.00 $1,389 —
533 533 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,439 —
660 660 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,452 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
563 563 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,281 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,541 +7.50
648 648 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,523 —
705 705 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,593 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–985 900 85-90% 2 61.00–81.00 $71.94 $647 +0.91
765–1175 973 85-90% 31 85.00–90.00 $88.14 $858 —
880–1212 1053 85-90% 36 92.00–99.00 $96.40 $1,015 +6.55
938–1265 1098 85-90% 31 100.00–116.00 $104.99 $1,153 +8.97
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 80-85% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,175 +18.00
1355 1355 80-85% 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,301 —
1300–1450 1400 80-85% 22 100.00–110.00 $107.63 $1,507 +3.16
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–1620 1564 75-80% 5 98.00–113.00 $105.15 $1,645 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1935 1414 11 114.00–126.00 $122.20 $1,728 —
1105–1715 1432 5 105.00–111.00 $108.06 $1,547 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–1025 995 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 135.00–150.00 $140.53 $1,398
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1025–1185 1089 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 112.50–127.50 $117.80 $1,283
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–920 813 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 182.50–197.50 $191.08 $1,553

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850–1155 1003 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,575.00–1,625.00 $1,603.80
1048 1048 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 8 1,410.00 $1,410.00
1073–1087 1075 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 43 1,425.00–1,435.00 $1,433.82
1043–1275 1101 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,650.00–1,675.00 $1,657.24
1170 1170 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1119–1245 1211 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 1,425.00–1,500.00 $1,464.38
1251 1251 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 15 1,575.00 $1,575.00
1515 1515 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,510.00 $1,510.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1090 1090 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 20 2,285.00 $2,285.00
1082–1137 1110 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 10 1,800.00–1,850.00 $1,825.62
1120 1120 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1127 1127 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,900.00 $1,900.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1004 1004 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,010.00 $1,010.00
1060 1060 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
1103 1103 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1015–1240 1133 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 975.00–1,260.00 $1,153.46
1137 1137 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 10 1,110.00 $1,110.00
1350 1350 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1149–1280 1171 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 2,125.00–2,200.00 $2,186.33 +104.88
1186 1186 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 20 1,825.00 $1,825.00 -256.45
1275 1275 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
1385 1385 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 +350.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
1280–1300 1290 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,625.00–1,675.00 $1,650.19 —
1380 1380 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1055 1055 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00 —

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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.