Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 20, 2024

2,923 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $257.31/cwt +8.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,824/hd at 709 lb · 330 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $313.65/cwt +0.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,790/hd at 571 lb · 223 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $292.55/cwt +19.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,687/hd at 577 lb · 177 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,923 3,359 989
Feeder cattle 2,736 2,990 854
Slaughter cattle 132 152 120
Replacement cattle 55 217 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 550lbs sold mostly 1.00 to 2.00 lower while steers over 550lbs sold mostly 5.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold mostly 2.00 to 12.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Slaughter breaker and boner cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher and lean cows of average dressing sold 1.00 lower. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday February 27, 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
257–283 274 9 385.00–390.00 $388.44 $1,064 -12.56
320 320 4 400.00 $400.00 $1,280 +5.00
332 fancy 332 4 416.00 $416.00 $1,381 —
350–362 fancy 361 24 407.50–419.00 $418.07 $1,509 —
350–395 372 10 387.50–392.50 $388.65 $1,446 -2.09
400–431 value added 428 61 377.50 $377.50 $1,616 —
403–440 430 15 361.00–368.00 $362.75 $1,560 -8.73
458–487 thin fleshed 477 60 356.00–360.00 $357.92 $1,707 -0.66
463–498 486 43 337.50–352.00 $347.60 $1,689 +22.29
500 fancy 500 19 342.00 $342.00 $1,710 —
522–541 532 22 318.00–321.00 $319.34 $1,699 -4.64
557 fancy 557 90 331.00 $331.00 $1,844 +5.00
555–598 580 133 285.50–311.00 $301.91 $1,751 +4.81
602 fancy 602 20 303.00 $303.00 $1,824 —
617–636 622 131 281.00–294.00 $287.77 $1,790 +5.19
672–683 value added 680 98 274.00–275.00 $274.28 $1,865 -2.91
656–693 682 61 261.00–268.00 $265.96 $1,814 -2.67
704–711 thin fleshed 708 83 265.00–266.00 $265.64 $1,881 —
704–728 709 247 244.00–258.00 $254.51 $1,804 +5.70
773 value added 773 36 248.50 $248.50 $1,921 —
752–795 785 37 236.50–243.00 $237.60 $1,865 -5.68
802 value added 802 65 246.50 $246.50 $1,977 —
816 816 65 242.75 $242.75 $1,981 —
858 value added 858 65 234.00 $234.00 $2,008 —
860–867 866 60 225.00–231.50 $230.58 $1,997 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 4 366.00 $366.00 $1,438 +8.50
443–446 445 7 350.00–354.00 $351.71 $1,565 +5.14
498 498 5 320.00 $320.00 $1,594 —
517–547 541 14 300.00–308.00 $306.36 $1,657 +0.92
565–585 573 5 272.50–275.00 $273.98 $1,570 -5.79
619–648 635 36 266.00–273.00 $271.54 $1,724 -0.16
658–670 665 5 247.00–257.50 $251.15 $1,670 +8.05
705–745 737 26 239.00–242.00 $240.77 $1,774 —
802–849 833 153 231.00–239.00 $235.25 $1,960 —
924 924 5 187.50 $187.50 $1,732 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 4 348.00 $348.00 $1,371 +15.50
534 534 4 281.00 $281.00 $1,501 ±0.00
628 628 8 262.50 $262.50 $1,648 —
762 762 3 202.50 $202.50 $1,543 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 3 266.00 $266.00 $1,636 —
740 740 2 236.50 $236.50 $1,750 -8.50
767 thin fleshed 767 5 231.00 $231.00 $1,772 —
1088 1088 4 179.00 $179.00 $1,948 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 3 332.00 $332.00 $1,345 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 fancy 280 3 405.00 $405.00 $1,134 +17.50
285 285 2 372.50 $372.50 $1,062 —
295 thin fleshed 295 2 392.50 $392.50 $1,158 —
300 fancy 300 3 397.50 $397.50 $1,192 +6.50
312–313 value added 313 9 372.50–380.00 $374.99 $1,174 —
340 340 2 342.50 $342.50 $1,164 +1.52
363–399 thin fleshed 381 20 345.00–352.50 $349.20 $1,330 —
378–390 382 8 332.50–340.00 $336.35 $1,285 +4.75
400–407 thin fleshed 403 15 341.00–347.50 $343.50 $1,384 —
418–442 433 50 332.00–337.50 $334.47 $1,448 +12.34
455 fancy 455 4 340.00 $340.00 $1,547 +20.00
470–489 478 32 311.00–323.00 $317.62 $1,518 +7.38
516 fancy 516 27 321.00 $321.00 $1,656 —
504–544 518 76 292.00–308.00 $302.66 $1,568 +23.35
567 fancy 567 81 306.00 $306.00 $1,735 —
564–588 585 96 272.00–282.00 $281.20 $1,645 +7.35
608–640 623 90 263.00–277.00 $269.73 $1,680 +29.61
651–673 658 25 235.00–244.00 $238.70 $1,571 -5.41
716–725 718 57 226.00–243.00 $234.62 $1,685 +7.25
760–761 760 44 224.00–227.00 $226.11 $1,718 -2.26
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440–448 445 23 317.50–322.00 $320.60 $1,427 +38.60
493 493 9 297.50 $297.50 $1,467 +9.01
527 527 16 285.00 $285.00 $1,502 +26.24
598 598 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,483 -3.71
615–643 627 32 238.00–246.00 $243.30 $1,525 —
718–726 724 9 218.00–221.00 $218.66 $1,583 —
763 763 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,648 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 fancy 440 6 337.50 $337.50 $1,485 -6.50
539 thin fleshed 539 8 278.00 $278.00 $1,498 —
540 540 5 265.00 $265.00 $1,431 -18.64
580 580 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,224 —
654 fancy 654 9 244.00 $244.00 $1,596 ±0.00
678 678 6 226.00 $226.00 $1,532 —
730 730 3 219.00 $219.00 $1,599 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–435 430 4 300.00–305.00 $302.53 $1,301 —
578 578 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,335 +3.50
649 649 9 209.00–221.00 $214.33 $1,391 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–1265 1040 85-90% 8 61.00–81.00 $73.57 $765 —
870–1265 1085 85-90% 9 84.00–90.00 $87.93 $954 -17.06
895–1295 1129 85-90% 17 93.00–99.00 $96.53 $1,090 —
965–1240 1145 85-90% 33 100.00–115.00 $104.95 $1,202 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1443 1385 80-85% 20 102.00–114.00 $108.94 $1,509 +12.94
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1520–1595 1558 75-80% 4 101.00–111.00 $106.71 $1,663 +1.56
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1803 1803 65-75% 2 103.00 $103.00 $1,857 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–2060 1638 23 112.00–136.00 $121.31 $1,987 —
1425–1970 1683 3 109.00–110.50 $109.49 $1,843 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
818–828 thin fleshed 823 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 202.50–205.00 $203.74 $1,677
825 fancy 825 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,732
825–1005 924 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 172.50–191.00 $181.40 $1,676
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950–995 973 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 162.50–168.00 $165.31 $1,608
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1205 1205 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 132.50 $132.50 $1,597

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1215 1215 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,260.00 $1,260.00
1265 1265 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00
1183–1495 1269 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 1,225.00–1,460.00 $1,393.13
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025–1055 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,025.00 $1,012.68
1110–1180 1124 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 1,050.00–1,150.00 $1,125.25
1115–1195 1168 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,150.00–1,175.00 $1,157.95
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1193–1255 1214 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,900.00–2,100.00 $2,031.06
1325 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,175.00 $2,175.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 -86.33

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
855 855 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —

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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.