Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 27, 2024

2,606 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $370.04/cwt +16.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,743/hd at 471 lb · 220 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $318.06/cwt -2.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,515/hd at 476 lb · 186 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $253.72/cwt -3.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,869/hd at 737 lb · 168 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,606 2,923 1,511
Feeder cattle 2,408 2,736 1,397
Slaughter cattle 123 132 86
Replacement cattle 75 55 28

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 550lbs sold 2.00 to 14.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Steers over 550lbs sold unevenly steady. Feeder heifers under 400lbs sold 15.00 to 20.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Heifers 400 to 650lbs sold 1.00 to 14.00 lower while heifers over 650lbs sold unevenly steady. Slaughter lean cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 7.00 lower. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday March 6, 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
268–292 fancy 284 9 422.50–440.00 $432.29 $1,228 —
331–347 340 9 412.50–415.00 $413.92 $1,407 +13.92
350–381 fancy 360 42 400.00–407.50 $404.86 $1,457 -13.21
373–385 380 9 385.00–392.50 $389.97 $1,482 +1.32
418–444 432 54 360.00–370.00 $365.78 $1,580 +3.03
433 value added 433 3 380.00 $380.00 $1,645 +2.50
451–491 470 148 350.00–370.00 $361.55 $1,699 +13.95
473 thin fleshed 473 72 387.50 $387.50 $1,833 +29.58
527–544 535 70 331.00–335.00 $331.99 $1,776 +12.65
552–582 value added 574 30 315.00–317.50 $315.49 $1,811 —
559–597 584 64 290.00–305.00 $299.76 $1,751 -2.15
601–634 621 25 287.00–288.00 $287.61 $1,786 -0.16
655–659 656 30 264.00–276.00 $271.40 $1,780 +5.44
700 thin fleshed 700 14 260.50 $260.50 $1,824 -5.14
700–747 740 154 241.00–255.00 $253.10 $1,873 -1.41
757–771 value added 760 38 247.00–250.50 $248.78 $1,891 +0.28
760–778 767 62 231.00–242.50 $233.99 $1,795 -3.61
801–815 807 12 231.00–235.50 $232.89 $1,879 -9.86
876–883 877 20 223.00–225.25 $225.02 $1,973 -5.56
927 927 13 210.00 $210.00 $1,947 —
1049 1049 4 182.50 $182.50 $1,914 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 4 326.00 $326.00 $1,623 +6.00
587 587 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,585 -3.98
620–649 643 20 261.00–274.00 $271.81 $1,748 +0.27
685–695 693 12 252.50–254.00 $253.75 $1,758 +2.60
715 715 4 234.00 $234.00 $1,673 -6.77
847 847 8 229.00 $229.00 $1,940 -6.25
1218 1218 3 139.50 $139.50 $1,699 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 fancy 387 3 366.00 $366.00 $1,416 —
549 549 10 308.00 $308.00 $1,691 —

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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 5 422.50 $422.50 $1,183 +17.50
310–344 fancy 324 12 402.50–420.00 $412.26 $1,336 +14.76
333 333 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,199 +17.50
335 value added 335 6 395.00 $395.00 $1,323 +20.01
363 fancy 363 10 407.50 $407.50 $1,479 —
364–386 378 32 381.00–395.00 $386.37 $1,460 +50.02
404–436 value added 424 22 340.00–345.00 $341.73 $1,449 —
420–448 440 101 320.00–330.00 $323.88 $1,425 -10.59
472 fancy 472 84 328.00 $328.00 $1,548 -12.00
455–495 478 40 290.00–307.50 $304.00 $1,453 -13.62
462–497 thin fleshed 481 62 311.00–316.00 $313.65 $1,509 —
500–520 value added 513 34 311.00–312.00 $311.66 $1,599 —
504–537 531 130 290.00–305.00 $302.09 $1,604 -0.57
553–586 value added 564 56 284.00–288.00 $286.59 $1,616 —
563–594 584 62 260.00–273.00 $268.22 $1,566 -12.98
608 value added 608 5 266.00 $266.00 $1,617 —
606–647 641 144 253.00–261.00 $259.24 $1,662 -10.49
651–664 value added 661 39 251.00–258.00 $256.59 $1,696 —
659–696 673 81 236.00–248.00 $246.07 $1,656 +7.37
706 thin fleshed 706 7 243.00 $243.00 $1,716 —
703–749 726 38 225.00–236.00 $234.05 $1,699 -0.57
759–768 thin fleshed 760 23 228.00–235.00 $234.08 $1,779 —
762–796 780 13 215.00–221.00 $217.18 $1,694 -8.93
829 829 26 217.00 $217.00 $1,799 —
862 862 10 210.00 $210.00 $1,810 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 11 315.00 $315.00 $1,206 —
445–447 thin fleshed 447 50 316.00–318.00 $317.88 $1,421 —
454 fancy 454 17 295.00 $295.00 $1,339 —
567 567 15 267.00 $267.00 $1,514 +56.00
633 633 10 248.00 $248.00 $1,570 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,088 —
392 392 5 330.00 $330.00 $1,294 —
405 405 2 301.00 $301.00 $1,219 —
547 547 7 272.00 $272.00 $1,488 -13.00
586–590 587 6 246.00–255.00 $251.99 $1,479 +3.99
608–638 623 38 242.50–250.00 $248.11 $1,546 +4.81
692 692 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,612 —
845 845 6 204.00 $204.00 $1,724 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,190 —
406 406 3 286.00 $286.00 $1,161 -16.53
528 528 2 259.00 $259.00 $1,368 —
576 576 6 234.00 $234.00 $1,348 +3.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
273 fancy 273 2 420.00 $420.00 $1,147 —
427 thin fleshed 427 12 357.50 $357.50 $1,527 —
502 502 8 315.00 $315.00 $1,581 —
570–580 575 4 272.00–282.50 $277.30 $1,594 —
600 thin fleshed 600 14 284.00 $284.00 $1,704 —
716 716 4 229.00 $229.00 $1,640 —
796 796 9 213.00 $213.00 $1,695 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $612 —
885–1210 1044 85-90% 13 83.00–91.00 $88.49 $924 +14.92
880–1220 1113 85-90% 13 93.00–99.50 $96.75 $1,077 +0.22
935–1435 1177 85-90% 24 103.00–117.00 $106.32 $1,251 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1440 1347 80-85% 26 104.00–118.00 $110.54 $1,489 —
1385 1385 80-85% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,233 -19.94
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1494–1640 1547 75-80% 19 105.00–121.00 $115.65 $1,789 —
1560 1560 75-80% 1 84.00 $84.00 $1,310 -22.71

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–2020 1581 11 116.00–137.00 $127.73 $2,019 —
1180–2175 1682 3 96.50–108.00 $103.04 $1,733 -6.45

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–845 thin fleshed 827 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 204.00–230.00 $212.47 $1,757
850–1130 942 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 167.50–197.50 $181.49 $1,710
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
838–1105 972 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 132.50–159.00 $145.31 $1,412
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925–1160 1043 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 122.50–132.50 $126.94 $1,324

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1148–1305 1179 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 1,210.00–1,350.00 $1,240.98
1227 1227 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 1,285.00 $1,285.00
1285 1285 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,425.00 $1,425.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155–1240 1198 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,750.00–1,950.00 $1,853.55
1090–1433 1319 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,525.00–1,650.00 $1,559.44

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–905 883 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,450.00–1,550.00 $1,501.27
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1045 1045 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 —

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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.